PHILODENDRON 'MAJESTIC'

PARENTAGE:

Philodendron sodiroi × Philodendron verrucosum (seed parent inferred, not known)

ORIGIN:

Created by intentional crossing of Philodendron verrucosum and Philodendron sodiroi, thought to have been done by Keith Henderson; which was the seed parent is not known, though Philodendron sodiroi is thought to be, based on the dominant characteristics; released 1970; accepted by the IAS Aroid Cultivar Registry.

HYBRIDIZER:

Thought to be Keith Henderson

DESCRIPTION:

An active climber with long internodes that achieves significantly larger foliage as it keeps climbing. Juvenile leaf blades are quite comparable to those of Philodendron sodiroi, with prominent gray variegation that fades almost entirely or becomes quite muted in mature foliage. Emergent leaves are bronze with lime-green venation; the veins become a darker green as the leaf hardens off, and the blade turns a darker green as well. Leaf blade undersides are heavily tinged red, and the petioles are rough-textured for almost their entire length and usually red. Cataphylls are deciduous. Bloom and fruit have not been observed yet. The registrant considers it unlike any other plant in cultivation today and most similar to one of its parents, Philodendron sodiroi, from which it differs in its heavily red-tinged leaf undersides, longer internodes, cataphylls that do not persist as fibers, and subvelvety, glossy, dark leaf blades; its emergent leaf blade is bronze with lime-green veins, unlike Philodendron sodiroi.¹

NOTES:

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

1. A hybrid cultivar of Philodendron sodiroi and Philodendron verrucosum.¹

2. The registry gives the hybridizer as thought to be Keith Henderson and names Neil Crafter as namer; it records release in 1970.¹

3. The registry says the plant was created by intentional crossing, but it is not known which parent was the seed parent. Philodendron sodiroi is thought to be, based on the dominant characteristics.¹

4. The name was inspired by the large, beautiful, majestic foliage of the mature plant.¹

REFERENCES:

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

Photographs submitted to the IAS Aroid Cultivar Registry by Neil Crafter