--- title: "I’m heartbroken… my friend gifted me a cutting of this pink princess…" description: "I’m heartbroken… my friend gifted me a cutting of this pink princess philodendron and it was a beautiful dark green-like on the smaller leaves I’ve had it for…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/GpJkJG2qS7KZ7LpSwQwhSg/X3bDPTE4z97GB9X2LymeXe" community: "Propagating & Sowing" author: "Maddie" published: "2025-08-26T22:48:08.710607Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/GCDBLvcrgvIBzNU6VcXnV1AgEQ7lPU5teniv1467okI/UJj5xXcISwuFS1yxFDrhLg.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Propagating \& Sowing](https://getplanta.com/community/GpJkJG2qS7KZ7LpSwQwhSg.md) # I’m heartbroken… my friend gifted me a cutting of this pink princess… _Posted by Maddie on 2025-08-26_ I’m heartbroken… my friend gifted me a cutting of this pink princess philodendron and it was a beautiful dark green-like on the smaller leaves I’ve had it for about two months now and there are a few things I need help with💔 It doesn’t seem to be growing any roots really? It doesn’t seem to be thriving like I have seen others do online? Over the last 5 days the main leaf is now dying off \& going brown? I need to change the water tomorrow - but any help with the three above? ![Attachment 1 of 4](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/GCDBLvcrgvIBzNU6VcXnV1AgEQ7lPU5teniv1467okI/UJj5xXcISwuFS1yxFDrhLg.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 2 of 4](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/GCDBLvcrgvIBzNU6VcXnV1AgEQ7lPU5teniv1467okI/pQGnR_MvSL-WCrk-wLKqtQ.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 3 of 4](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/GCDBLvcrgvIBzNU6VcXnV1AgEQ7lPU5teniv1467okI/gVUVovkJRHG3fGKv5HgzXA.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 4 of 4](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/GCDBLvcrgvIBzNU6VcXnV1AgEQ7lPU5teniv1467okI/bKRniQbvTFiuaRdWolVc6A.webp?size=large) ## 7 comments ### Wolfen 🐺 commented on 2025-08-26 What is the care like? Have you tried a rooting hormone? These are a highly manipulated cultivar, and can be a slow grower, especially depending how manipulated the OJ plant was. Have you fertilized at all? Water has basically Zero nutrients, so you can't expect a plant to take off and flourish in just water. ### kaelen commented on 2025-08-27 it looks like it’s starting to grow roots! make sure you change water frequently, at least every week. i see some hard water lines in your glass, maybe use filtered water? i switched to doing that a bit ago and its seemed to help my plants :) also trim off any wilting parts, the plant shouldn’t be using its energy on them! #### Maddie replied on 2025-08-27 Thank you! I wasn’t sure if those were pre-existing aerial roots? Do you also know why the leaf has started to die? I did split off another big leaf from it about a week ago- and since, this has happened? ### kaelen commented on 2025-08-27 i think with the pink princess and most philodendrons, they grow nodes, but not aerial roots (from what i’ve seen as a new plant addict). i am still learning myself as to why some leaves die like that. could be shock, or the plant is choosing to stop using energy on the growth of the large leaf and focus on root growth and starting new leaves. i’ve had this happen to my own propagations too. #### Andy🌻 replied on 2025-08-28 Most philos actual do have aerial roots (all have nodes) but some are climbing (like pink princess, silver sword, Florida) and others crawl/vine (like micans). Sometimes if you have too many leaves on a cutting the plant will drop them like u said to preserve energy for roots. Have you tried using leca in your props? It gives the roots something to cling to while they grow and helps reduce the rot that sometimes happens. #### kaelen replied on 2025-08-28 i’ll have to try that! thank you for the advice! ### Andy🌻 commented on 2025-08-28 Put a bit of hydrogen peroxide (like 2tsp) in the fresh water and see if it bubbles a lot at the root. If it does your roots might have a bit of rot (gently see if they’re mushy/if they smell) Also some plants won’t thrive in water, just survive. Maybe consider repotting in some chunky soil - likely it’s just lacking the nutrients it needs to grow (that it would otherwise get from the soil) but probably make sure the roots are okay and established a bit more first. --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_