The erect, nearly rosulate spreading, oblong lance-shaped dark green leaves makes Philodendron campii an exceptional office or home houseplant if you want that exotic tropical appeal.
It is easy to care for (more or less the care that any other Philo needs), air purifying, and won’t take much space being compact.
Here is everything you need to know about Philodendron campii: care and growth needs, prices, and where to buy it. We will describe it and explain why it is sometimes called Philodendron Lynette.
About Philodendron campii and description
Philodendron campii Croat was first published in 2004 by Dr. Thomas Croat. He named it in honor of W. H. Camp, the second to collect it in 1944.
- Scientific name: Philodendron campii
- Common names: Philodendron ‘Lynette’
- Family: Araceae (aroids)
- Native range: Colombia to Northern Brazil and Peru
- Care level: Easy or low maintenance
- Toxicity: Mildly to moderately toxic to cats, dogs, and humans since it has insoluble calcium oxalates.
- Propagation: Stem cutting in soil/soil or seeds (rare)
1. Growing habits, size, and growth rate
Philodendron campii is an evergreen tropical plant that grows mainly as an epiphyte. However, it may grow terrestrially, especially at high altitudes. It occurs at 130-1,180 m (426-387) above mean sea level in tropical moist, wet, and pluvial forests.
Campii is one of the relatively slow growing, a bit compact Philodendron plants that can reach up to 2 to 3 feet at home.
2. How to identify Philodendron campii
Besides growing habits, leaves, stems, and flowers will help you identify P. campii.
a). Stems
Stems have short, pale green internodes, averagely conspicuous leaf scars, and relatively few descending roots per node. When injured, it will produce clear sap, and the sub-leathery sharply double-ribbed cataphylls are medium green with a hyaline margin and unequal sides on the apex. These cataphylls. 7.9-9.8 inches long, will turn brownish when they dry and eventually become fibrous.
b). Leaves
P. campii has erect, spreading nearly rosulate, with juvenile plants having smaller leaves.
Mature Philodendron campii will have large 11.8-19.7 inches long by 3.0-6.7 inches wide, oblong to lance-shaped, sub-leathery, semi-glossy leaves, dark green above and paler on the underside with acute to attenuated base and an acuminated apex.
These leaves are 4-6.7 longer than broad and 5.4-9.25 longer than petiole and are widest at ½ to 2/3 its length.
The midrib is flat at the base, convex as you move toward the apex, and leaves have 16-23 quilted-sunken primary lateral veins arising at a 60-80° angle to the midrib and curve upwards. However, the primary lateral veins can be as small as nine and often depart from the 70° range to the midrib.
Inter-primary veins are conspicuous and darker than the surface, minor veins are also very visible, and cross-veins are weakly noticeable.
Lastly, this plant has semi-gloss, medium green short petioles (2.2-3.0 inches long) with a non-conspicuous sheath covering 1/3 to ½ length. This bluntly and shallowly to deeply sulcate petiole is thickly swollen, moderately spongy, and has a somewhat C-cross-section.
c). Inflorescence and fruits
Mature P. campii usually have 2-5, sometimes up to 9 inflorescences per axil with a weakly flattened, slightly glossy medium green peduncle, a spathe, and spadix (bears tiny flowers). These inflorescences have visible resin canals, and the spathe is somewhat shorter than the peduncle and not constricted.
The spathe is medium green to cream outside with the spathe blade paler toward the margin, nearly white at the margin, and maroon within the tube.
Lastly, once they mature, infructescence will have green to brownish berries.
Philodendron campii Lynette
Many vendors label Philodendron campii as Philodendron ‘Lynette’ or Philodendron campii Lynette because Hortus Third (Bailey & Bailey, 1976) and Exotica 3 (Graf, 1963) referred to it as Philodendron ‘Lynette’. It was assumed to be a P. elaphoglossoides Schott and P. wendlandii Schott hybrid by then.
However, later, Dr. Thomas Croat confirmed that this Philodendron was indeed not a hybrid but occurred in nature naming it after W. H. Camp, a second person to collect its specimen.
Caring for Philodendron campii
Philodendron campii requires a warm, humid area with bright, indirect light. GFrow it in an airy, well-drained fertile soil, and when a few top inches of the potting mix feel dry.
Here is more on caring for Philodendron campii Lynette:
- USDA hardiness zone: 10-11, not frost hardy.
- Temperature: 55-80°F. Avoid cold drafts, places near heat sources, and sudden temperature fluctuations.
- Humidity: 60% or more but can tolerate 40% or more. Mist your plant, have a pebble tray, and have a humidifier, among other ways to raise humidity if yours is low.
- Light: Bright indirect light but tolerate medium. Direct sunlight will burn leaves, and too little will slow growth and make leaves paler and smaller unless you buy a grow light.
- Soil: Well-drained, aerated soil rich in organic matter. I use an aroid mix from Etsy.com, but you can make one by adding perlite, peat moss, bark chips, and compost/worm castings to your potting soil.
- Watering: I only water my P. campii, when the potting mix feels dry up to the first knuckle or my XLUX soil moisture sensor reads three or less. Don’t follow a schedule, as growing conditions and water needs vary.
- Feeding: Feed this plant once a month with a balanced (such as NPK 10:10:10 or 20:20:20) during growing months. Bonide 10:10:10 is a good pick. However, unbalanced and slow-release formulas will equally do well.
- Pruning: Find and cut any dead/damaged/diseased leaves with sterilized gardening scissors.
- Repotting: Repot after 1-2 years or when root bound. Use a pot 3-4 inches wider in diameter.
- Stake: Campii is a self-heading plant that rarely needs a moss pole, trellis, or totem.
Problems
There are no issues specific to this species except those that affect other Philodendron plants. We have had an instance of diseases (leaf spot, southern blight, Dasheen Mosaic Disease, etc.) or pests (aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, or scale insects).
A common issue is root rot if you overwater your plant or its potting mix doesn’t drain well. If not all the roots have decayed, you can fix the issue by repotting your plant to a well-drainig potting mix and properly pwatering it.
Lastly, leaf discoloration (turning yellow or brown, including spots and brown tips and edges), leaf curling, falling, and plant drooping are common if you maintain wrong growth conditions or improper care. Also, pests, diseases, transplant shock, and root rot are possible reasons.
Where to buy Philodendron campii
The best places to buy P. campii are Etsy.com, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram. You will find many vendors from across the globe and unbeatable offers.
Additionally, you will find small-scale vendors online, including on search engines. Include Philodendron Lynette in your search, as some people label this plant that way and not campii.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Philodendron campii is a rare, hard-to-find houseplant with few vendors, especially online. You will certainly not find it with your local tropical specialty store, and none of the big box stores or large-scale vendors sell it.
The price of P. campii (Lynette) ranges from $25 to $80 in the US, with unrooted stem cutting and starter plants costing a little less. This plant costs less in Australia, while in Europe, it is much higher, with some vendors selling it for as high as over £ 115 (USD 138).