Philodendron squamiferum

Unusual and attractive climbing philodendron. Leaves are glossy and pinnate-lobate. The exciting thing are the leaf stalks: all petioles are coated by brightly-coloured bristle-like scales ("squamae" in Latin). These bristles are soft and not spiny and they turn colour as they age from red to different shades to green. It is native to the Guianas region in South America, where it grows as a climbing epiphyte. Philodendron squamiferum is easy care in any well drained soil but it should be kept above 10 C and grows best around 30 C.