Philodendrons spiritus Sancti is the rarest plant known among the family members to which it belongs. Named after the Espirito Santo state in Southeast Brazil, the spiritus Sancti plants growing in the natural habitats are very very few. To have one as your houseplant, you would need to fork out a lot of cash. Read on to get tips on caring, how you can identify it and why its price is so high among the wild plants.
How Much is a Philodendron Spiritus Sancti?
Why are these plants expensive? While growing in a single state only is one fact, rarity may cause variations in purchase prices. What makes them highly valued is their scarcity-demand. Here are other possible scenarios for when/why prices vary:
- When demand for these plants is high but the willingness to buy them is low
- A low supply chain because of scarcity
- Your geographical location: The price tag in Espirito Santo may not be the same in the UK or US
- Potentially endangered plant: reportedly there are less than ten spiritus sancti plants in the natural wild
- Online auctioning by sellers
- Variegation (variations of color due to changes in plant’s make-up) also contributes to philodendron price tags vary
Price Estimates
How much will the plant cost? The price of this tropical rare queen keeps on varying partly because of the reasons given above. Our price estimates below should help you prepare for a real cost or projection. The best place you can buy a rare houseplant from is a rare plant store near you.
Purchasing them online requires not only experience but also well-drilled identification skills. Otherwise, you may end up buying a plant you never expected after delivery. Trusted online sellers include eBay, Etsy and PicClick® UK.
When on sale, the price of these plants may range between P355, 000 – P700, 000 in the Philippines. If you are in the USA and Canada, expect to get it for anything between $500 – $9,500 (US dollars).
Spiritus Sancti Identification Process
How do you know what you have is a Spiritus Sancti? Identification will start from the point of purchasing your plant.

In addition to following a diligent buying process, here are helpful features that will help familiarise with these rare plants:
- A baby plant has narrow pendant-shaped leaves
- The newly young grown leaves have a pendant shape too
- Mature spiritus sancti plants have elongated triangular leaf blades, each with a pair of ear lobes
- Leaves measure about 30 inches long when the plant is mature
- Whether the plant is variegated or not, the leaves of a maturing one are green colored with a dull surface
- On average, mature Philodendron spiritus sancti plants have petioles measuring 30 cm or longer
- As you can notice, the stems of this plant have characteristically shorter (stem) nodes

If you cannot find a good plant app to help you identify it, ask any of the store attendants for information about the following:
- Growing conditions
- Whether or not it is a variegated plant
- Age of the plant
- The place from which the plant was originally collected or imported from
It is always safer and wiser to present yourself as a customer when you want to buy any rare plant.
Spiritus Sancti Plant: Q&As
Question: Are philodendrons spiritus Sancti plants poisonous?
Answer: Yes. The Philodendron spiritus sancti plant is toxic to both pets and humans. The plant grows as it accumulates calcium oxalate that protects it from being fed by wild animals.
Question: Are philodendron spiritus Sancti and Santa Leopoldina plants the same thing?
Answer: A santa leopoldina is not a spiritus sancti. Even though, the two may look much similar while young.


Question: Can you successfully propagate a philodendron spiritus Sancti plant?
Answer: Producing your own plant from the mother variety may come with unkown risks and challenges. Though possible through cuttings, propagation will certainly take a number of years.
Question: Are philodendron spiritus Sancti plants parasitic?
Answer: No. In their natural growth setting, they grow upon surfaces of other established or advanced plants. In this way, they do not feed from them but better help catch light filtered through the canopy. They essentially get nutrients and water from rainwater and air.
Key Spiritus Sancti How-to Care Tips
How do I keep my philodendron happy indoors? The only way to keep your houseplant happy and keep going is to give it protective care. This lovely plant better adapts if grown in an indoor garden environment. Here are the top care guide tips for you.
1) Relative Humidity and Temperature
Striking a balance in temperature versus humidity is crucial to keeping a philodendron spiritus Sancti happy. Where the plant grows in the natural habitats are tropical climatic conditions. If you want the best growing it indoors, here are the key takeaway points.
- A more constant tropical temperature reading will keep your plant doing great.
- Based on survival assessment, the plant will grow happily in average lows of 70 F degrees
- It thrives on an average of 75.5 F degrees on the highs
- In the natural habitats, it is supported by the relative humidity of at least 50% but not more than 80%
From the above, it is clear that growing this rare plant indoors should not concern you. With a less varying room temperature and relative humidity, you are good to go. However, don’t let the temperature drop below 65.5 or rise above 76 F degrees.
2) Indoor Lighting
Finding and situating your plant in a more quiet location will keep it comfortable. In search of better lighting, minimize constant movements as much as you can.
This tropical plant is versatile in terms of adapting to lighting conditions. It can survive in medium indirect light but will thrive in bright indirect light. More importantly, to determine the best location look at the color of the leaves.
If they are solid green, then be sure your plant will grow just fine in low-medium indirect light. Those with less solid green colors love bright indirect light. For one with more solid green leaves, place it near the windowsill, especially in winter. You can move your plant a few inches off the window during the summer and spring.
You may want to invest in grow lights if you’re on a budget. But don’t place it in a dark room. The plant will stop growing and die quickly.
3) Watering Tips
With watering, you want to give your plant the best soil moisture. This means that the roots aren’t left to sit in too dry or too wet a medium for long. Allow the potting medium to dry out after every watering. The best way to assess water needs is to have helpful devices at your disposal.
4) Why Repotting is Crucial
To ensure your plant roots are getting enough oxygen, repotting is another crucial care step. Apart from that, you will be preventing the possibility of the pant being root-bound.
Philodendron Plant Problems
Without up-to-date care and protection, your houseplant may encounter a myriad of problems. The major ones are diseases and pests.
Below are problems your plant will likely face while growing indoors.
Watering Problems
Watering philodendron plants based on guesswork or scheduled routines or infrequencies will create setbacks. Additionally, poor quality water will likely cause root problems. Other problems due to overwatering are browning leaves or brown patches on the leaves.
Curling Leaves
Like many philodendrons, leaf curl is a sign that immediate air within its location is getting dry or is already too dry. Another cause of curling leaves is situating your plant next to cold drafts.
Fertilizers
Given their natural adaptation and existence in the wild, nutritionally, these plants don’t demand much. As such, they won’t have any problems with feeding unless you over-fertilize.
Spider Mites
Look for signs of spider mite webs under leaves, leaf bases, or curly leaf tips. Be keen enough for little dark spots and soft-body tiny critters under the leaves.
Among the common household products and treatment methods to use include:
- Gently wash leaves with liquid soap using cotton balls
- Wipe leaves with rubbing alcohol using cotton balls
- Apply neem oil onto the leaves for two weeks
- Avoid splashes of water directly onto the leaves
Mealybugs
Another disruptive indoor plant pest is the mealybug. The pest may interfere with the process of light absorption by the plants. Marked by the formation of white spots on the leaves and stem of your plant, mealybug infestation can be worse.
To prevent and deal with infestation here is what you need to do:
- First gently rub both sides of the leaves with household strength rubbing alcohol
- Clean and disinfect areas surrounding the plant and other houseplants
- Ensure you have also protected vines outdoors (if you have any)
- Always keep an eye for signs
Sources & References
- How Much Would You Pay for a Houseplant? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/11/style/tropical-plants-rare.html. Accessed online 29 Sept 2021
- 10 Rarest Houseplants in the World. RAREST.ORG. https://rarest.org/nature/houseplants. Accessed online 29 Sept 2021
- Philodendron spiritus-sancti G.S.Bunting. Plants of the World Online. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:282667-2#distribution-map. Accessed online 29 Sept 2021
- SOME OF THE PREMIUM PLANTS THAT YOU CAN BUY AT THE AROIDS FESTIVAL TODAY. MONTHLY AGRIGULTURE. https://www.agriculture.com.ph/2020/11/22/some-of-the-premium-plants-that-you-can-buy-at-the-aroids-festival-today/. Accessed online 29 Sept 2021
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