Philodendron Brasil Losing Variegation: Light and Reversion

It is disappointing when a Philodendron ‘Brasil’ starts putting out plain green leaves. The stripe is the reason you bought it. In most cases you can get it back on new growth, but not on leaves that have already faded.

NC State Extension’s Philodendron hederaceum profile describes ‘Brasil’ as having a yellow to light green centre stripe with dark green borders. It also calls the variegation unstable. Some variation from leaf to leaf is part of this cultivar.

Why the stripe fades

Too little light. The New York Botanical Garden’s answer on fading variegation says the most common cause in houseplants is insufficient light. The pale parts of a leaf make no chlorophyll, so a variegated plant in shade is at a disadvantage. Its variegated areas often fade and turn green as it tries to make more food.

This catches heartleaf philodendrons out because they cope so well with shade. NC State says P. hederaceum can survive long periods in extremely low light but prefers medium light. Surviving is not the same as keeping its colour.

Green shoots taking over. The RHS reversion page explains that variegated plants arise from mutations of green plants and are unstable. Reverted, all-green shoots carry more chlorophyll and are much more vigorous. Left alone, they can dominate the plant. The RHS writes mainly about shrubs, but the same logic applies to a trailing vine.

Feeding and light extremes. UF/IFAS Extension’s pothos guidelines (EP151) cover golden pothos, a close look-alike vine. They link new leaves that lack variegation and are smaller to low light, magnesium deficiency or low fertilizer rates. UF/IFAS’s philodendron guidelines (EP150) link faded, bleached-looking leaf colour to light that is too high or fertilizer rates that are too low.

Sort what you see

What you see	Likely cause
Whole plant greener, new leaves small and far apart, dim spot	Too little light
One or two stems all green, rest striped	Reversion; green shoots will outgrow the rest
Colours washed out or bleached rather than green	Too much light or too little fertilizer
A few plain leaves scattered on a well-lit plant	Normal for ‘Brasil’s’ unstable variegation

What to do

1. Give it more light. NYBG says increasing light is the easiest fix. Clemson’s philodendron factsheet recommends indirect or curtain-filtered sunlight. Clemson’s pothos factsheet adds that variegated types lose colour in reduced light.
2. Avoid harsh sun. If colours look bleached, move the plant back from the glass. Our philodendron lighting guide explains the balance.
3. Cut out all-green stems. The RHS advises pruning reverted shoots out completely or back to growth that still shows variegation. On a vine, cut just above the last striped leaf.
4. Feed regularly. Clemson suggests diluted water-soluble fertilizer or a time-release product. Do not overfeed: Clemson warns that excess fertilizer makes leaf tips curl and brown.
5. Be patient. NYBG notes that faded leaves usually will not regain their colour, but new growth should show variegation again.

When it will not come back

If a stem has been producing only green leaves for a long stretch, even in good light, treat it as reverted and remove it, as the RHS advises. Keep the stems that still carry a clear stripe.

For the same problem on golden pothos, see our pothos variegation guide. Other philodendron leaf colour changes are covered in our philodendron nutrient deficiency guide.

References

• NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Philodendron hederaceum
• New York Botanical Garden, Mertz Library: Why is the variegation fading on the leaves of my houseplant?
• RHS: Reversion
• UF/IFAS Extension: Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Pothos (EP151)
• UF/IFAS Extension: Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Philodendron (EP150)
• Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: How to Grow Pothos Indoors (Epipremnum spp.)
• Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC 1509: Philodendron