Philodendron florida beauty vs florida ghost [Differences & similarities to identity ]

If you’re looking for a low-maintenance houseplant with a distinct appearance, you may consider the Florida Ghost  and Florida beauty . But you may get confused to identify them while buying.

Main difference between florida beauty and florida ghost are their leaves and petiole. Philodendron Florida Beauty has multi-lobed dark green leaves variegations. The ghost does not have these patterns, it has all white leaves that grow out the top of the plant and darken off as they matured. Again, Florida Beauty has red-gnarled stems that have wart-like growths or bumps but Florida Ghost has green petioles with no bumps.

Go through the article and hopefully, you will get all your necessary information.

Taxonomic classification

Philodendron Florida beauty	Philodendron Florida ghost
Group: Angiosperms  Order: Alismatales  Family: Araceae  Genus: philodendron  Scientific name/cultivar name: Philodendron squamiferum x pedatum philodendron Florida beauty	Group: Angiosperms  Order: Alismatales  Family: Araceae  Genus: philodendron  species: P. cv ‘Florida Ghost’  Scientific name/cultivar name:       Philodendron pedatum

Does Philodendron Florida Beauty resemble a Florida Ghost?

The leaf shape and lobes closely resemble Philodendron pedatum. But petioles of Florida Beauty are reddish, warty, or bumpy, while P. pedatum has smooth petioles that tend to be medium green to dark green. But they, too, may have a reddish tinge.

How can they be differentiated?

Being the plant of the same family Florida Beauty and Florida Ghost are quite similar to each other. They have leaves of the same shape. That’s people may get confused. But there are some basic difference between them which are described below:

Basis of comparison

Common name

Philodendron Florida beauty	Philodendron Florida ghost
Philodendron Magic Mask, Philodendron Squamiferum Magic Mask, Florida Beauty Variegata, Florida Beauty Philodendron	Florida Ghost, Philodendron Florida Ghost

Origin and distribution

Philodendron Florida Ghost is Native in Northern, Center, and Southern America. Philodendron ‘Florida Beauty’ is native to Central, South America, and the Caribbean.

Plant character

Philodendron ‘Florida Beauty’ is an impressive evergreen hybrid plant. It produces attractive foliage on long, thin stems. With its dark-green foliage, which contrasts beautifully with the red-gnarled stems, the Philodendron Florida Beauty is a sight to behold. The Philodendron Florida Beauty can reach up to 90 feet (27 meters) as it is a climber.

The unique plant is an evergreen hybrid and it’s a vine climber. The Philodendron Florida ghost can reach a height of two to five feet. The plants can grow up to 10 feet tall at maturity.

Leaf character

The Florida beauty is a variegated version of the pedatum with dark green and white green splotches on each leaf.

White, cream, lime green to dark green—this is Philodendron Florida Ghost’s cycle when growing its beautiful, unique shaped leaves. The Ghost does not have any patterns, it has all white ‘ghost’ leaves that grow out the top of the plant that darkens off as they mature.  The adult leaves of the plant can grow to be two to four inches long.

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Is Florida Beauty always variegated?

The Florida Beauty variegation has been quite stable for us even though on some rare occasions it does put out a new green leaf but the following leaf usually gets the variegations back. 

Stem character

Florida beauty has red-gnarled stems that have wart-like growths or bumps.

The Florida Ghost has green petioles with no bumps. The stems of Florida ghosts are a lot longer than other Philodendron plants.

Dormancy

Philodendron ‘Florida Beauty’ does not have a typical pattern of dormancy.

Philodendron Florida Ghost will go dormant in the winter, commencing growth again in the spring.

Overview

Criteria	Florida Beauty	Florida Ghost
Plant size	reach up to 90 feet (27 meters)	grow up to 10 feet tall at maturity
Stem	have wart-like growths or bumps	no wart-like growths or bumps
Leaf	Leaves with dark green shade	all white leaves that darkens off as they mature
Dormancy	Go dormant	Do not go dormant

The ideal condition for growth

The reason philodendrons make such good indoor plants is that they adapt to various lighting and water conditions and thrive indoors very well. They are generally low-maintenance in nature, but it’s still important to maintain proper growth and development.

Conditions	Florida Beauty	Florida Ghost
Sunlight	Thrives in medium sunlight	Bright, indirect light
Soil-type	Well-drained and aerated soil mix high in organic matter	Well-draining soil
Moisture requirement	Enough water to keep the soil moist	Medium water demand
Favorable fertilizer	Apply when required (summer/ spring)	Nitrogen-rich fertilizer
Temperature	Ranging from 55°- 80°F	Ranging from 65°F (18°C) to 95°F (35°C)
Humidity	High humidity, 60% more.	70% is ideal
Favorable climate	Tropical	Warm, humid climates
Repotting	After 2-3 years or when rootbound	Every 3 years

Tips

·       Allow the soil to dry out in between watering

·       Soil must not retain too much water.

·       In the summer, just water your Ghost Philo three times. In the fall and winter, once a week will suffice.

·       The plant will be harmed by direct sunshine, which will scorch their leaves.

Here are some excellent ways to create more moisture for your plants:

·       You can fill a tray with pebbles, water to flow over the stones and place your plant on it without touching the water.

·       Alternatively, you can use a humidifier or place other plants around it.

What similarities can be observed between Philodendron Florida Beauty and Florida Ghost?

Growth rate

Your climbing Florida Beauty grows slowly and therefore needs repotting every two to three years. The reason is that Florida Beauty does not enjoy cramped spaces.

Philodendron Florida Ghost has a slow growth rate, taking 10 years to reach its full size.

Climbing nature

There are two types of philodendrons: climbing and non-climbing. Philodendron Florida Beauty Green is a beautiful hybrid Philodendron, with a strong climbing and spreading habit. Philodendron Florida Ghost is naturally a climber and will therefore thrive to its full potential if given something to climb. The easiest way to do this is to use a moss pole.

Epiphyte

Like both parents, Philodendron Florida Beauty is a climbing hemiepiphyte. A hemiepiphyte is a plant with epiphytic (growing on host trees) and terrestrial (ground) growth phases. 

‘Florida Ghost’ is also an epiphytic plant of the Araceae family.

FAQs

Are they poisonous to humans?

All plant parts of both Florida Beauty and Florida Ghosts are harmful or toxic to pets and humans because their sap has insoluble calcium oxalates. Chewing it will cause severe oral irritation and a burning sensation. Also, patients may have a swollen mouth, tongue and lips. More signs include swallowing difficulties, drooling, loss of appetite etc.

Why confusion arises to identify Florida Beauty and Florida Ghost?

They both have the same leaf shape. The Florida Beauty is a variegated version of the pedatum with dark green and white green splotches on each leaf while the Florida Ghost(philodendron pedatum) has a dark green leaf.

Which one should I choose for my garden?

The Philodendron Florida Beauty fits comfortably in any home for a collector’s houseplant favorite. The good news is that the Philodendron Florida Beauty variegated care is not too complicated. It is a fast climber and easy to grow while performing excellently indoors wrapped around a burlap totem or even outdoors around your preferred tree.

Where can we buy them?

Climbing Philodendron is an absolute rare plant that you will not find regularly. Luckily, it is a quite easy rare plant that will do just fine in non-optimal circumstances. You can find them on:

·       Amazom.com

·       Etsy.com

Amazing Florida ghosts can be bought only here at Plantly

Final thought

With this we have come to the endpoint of the detailed discussion on Philodendron Florida Beauty vs Philodendron Florida Ghost. From the above discussion, you can now definitely identify which one is Florida Beauty and which one is Florida Ghost.

The two plants look similar, with leaves looking like Grab Hands. Both are vining plants with the same primary care, but the Ghost has white leaves when sprouting compared to the dark green shade of the Florida Beauty.

Besides, some information regarding their habit and care have also been discussed which can be applied for the proper handling and beautification. Also, the harmful side of these plants has been discussed which will also ensure the safety of the grower.

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