PHILODENDRON 'GLORIOUS'

PARENTAGE:

Philodendron gloriosum × Philodendron melanochrysum (seed parent inferred, not certain)

ORIGIN:

Keith Henderson made this cross in the 1970s; which parent was the seed parent and which the pollen parent is not certain, and Philodendron gloriosum is speculated to be the seed parent; released 1975; accepted by the IAS Aroid Cultivar Registry.

HYBRIDIZER:

Keith Henderson

DESCRIPTION:

A climber that often slides off its climbing support and scrambles over adjacent plants or other objects; it has been observed to grow mature leaves even without climbing much, by simply scrambling over the substrate. The leaves are comparable to those of Philodendron gloriosum but relatively narrower, with an acute tip and an overall darker blade; the midvein and primary lateral veins are brightly contrasting white, and in older leaves the major veins turn a paler green than the blade. The petioles show slightly raised white striations similar to those of Philodendron gloriosum. Cataphylls remain as netted fibers on a few of the uppermost leaves. Bloom and fruit have not been observed yet. The registrant considers it unlike any other cultivar in cultivation today and most similar to one of its parents, Philodendron gloriosum, from which it is clearly distinguished by an active climbing habit (especially in juvenile stages) with longer internodes, and by relatively narrower, elongated leaf blades that are darker, with major veins that harden off to a light green.¹

NOTES:

STATUS - Accepted by the International Aroid Society’s Aroid Cultivar Registry. Accepted, pending publication.

1. A hybrid cultivar of Philodendron gloriosum and Philodendron melanochrysum.¹

2. The registry names Keith Henderson as hybridizer and Michael Pascal as namer. The cross was made by Keith Henderson in the 1970s, and the registry records release in 1975.¹

3. The registry says it is not certain which parent was the seed parent and which the pollen parent. It is speculated that Philodendron gloriosum was the seed parent, based on the dominant Philodendron gloriosum traits in the progeny.¹

4. The name is a play on the species name Philodendron gloriosum and goes in line with some other hybrids of similar origin, such as Philodendron ‘Majestic’ and Philodendron ‘Splendid’.¹

REFERENCES:

1. International Aroid Society Aroid Cultivar Registry: Philodendron 'Glorious'

Photographs submitted to the IAS Aroid Cultivar Registry by Michael Pascal