It is always a pleasure to have a few philodendrons at home. If you are looking for exceptionally beautiful philodendrons, you must consider one or all of the Triple Crown plants.
Newbie collectors may be confused when picking any of these plants. Philodendron white princess and white knight have a lot in common. In many cases, growers easily mistake one for another.
In this philodendron white princess vs. white knight article, we will dive deeper into their differences. Also, we will shed some light on their essential characteristics.
So, keep reading to learn everything there is to know about the philodendron white princess and philodendron white knight.
Table of Contents
What is the Philodendron White Princess?
This plant is one of the cutest and easiest philodendrons out there. It is well known for its lovely foliage, which combines green and white colors.
Philodendron white princess is a hybrid plant, but its parents are unknown. However, there is some evidence referring to Philodendron Erubescens as a parent.
Like the other two members of the Triple Crown collection, this plant has white variegated splashes. However, its leaves get one more color to increase their attractiveness. On rare occasions, pink streaks can be found alongside white and green colors.
The leaves of the white princess are classically cordate. However, its leaves are not rounded and tend to be narrower. Also, they have an obvious pointed tip.
The Philodendron white princess has glossy foliage. It is also not a demanding plant in terms of care.
What is the Philodendron White Knight?
The philodendron white knight is a stunningly beautiful hybrid variety of the Philodendron genus. It is a tropical houseplant that is easy to grow and maintain. It is known as a slow grower with lovely green foliage.
Its green leaves are mixed with white splashes. Sometimes, you can find a leaf or two with an all-white color.
Philodendron white knight is a natural climber, as are most tropical plants. Indoors, this plant reaches 3 meters in length. Under the right growth conditions, this plant can grow even taller.
Its leaves are heart-shaped, but they can grow taller than any of the other collection members.
The Philodendron white knight is a slow-growing vine. It is not a cheap philodendron variety, as it is pretty rare.
Also, it can feature a few leaves with an entirely white color due to the low chlorophyll concentrations. But the altogether white leaves make this plant more desirable.
Differences between Philodendron White Princess and White Knight
The Philodendron white princess looks like the white knight in many ways. However, looking at both plants simultaneously, you will see noticeable differences.
You will effortlessly spot differences in the stem colors. Paying close attention to the details of the leaves is revealing as well.
1. Stem color
The stems of the white knight are colored in two shades. It has a deep red or burgundy color with a bit of white.
On the other hand, a Philodendron white princess has green stems with white and pink variegations. So, the color of the stems can be enough to recognize each of them.
2. Petiole colors
Both plants’ leaf stalks, or petioles, have the same color shades as their stems. You might even see the distinctive colors more obviously.
The stalks of the Philodendron white knight are purplish red or burgundy with a slight touch of white. The stalks of the white princess are green with subtle touches of white and pink.
3. Plant size
As young plants, the Philodendron white princess and white knight are pretty compact. As they grow, you can notice that the white knight is larger than the white princess.
A mature Philodendron white princess reaches a height of 1 meter. On the other hand, a mature Philodendron white knight reaches a height of 3 meters or longer.
4. Stem features
Aside from the colors, taking a closer look at the stems of both plants will reveal other differences. The stems of the Philodendron white princess are thicker, fleshier, and stronger.
The stems of the Philodendron white knight are rather fragile and slim.
5. Leaf colors
The main color of the leaves of both plants is basic green. Also, they have white variegations on their surfaces. However, the Philodendron white knight is mostly bicolor. Its leaves are green with white variegations.
On rare occasions, some leaves of the Philodendron white knight can have a few streaks of violet or burgundy on their edges or backsides.
On the other hand, the white princess leaves are known for being mostly tri-colored. The leaves are green with splashes of white and pink.
6. Leaf shape
At first glance, the leaves of both plants may look identical due to their cordate shapes. However, it would help if you looked at mature plants to catch the leaf shape difference.
A mature Philodendron white princess has more oval and elongated leaves. Their tips are pointier as well.
7. Leaf size
The leaf size is another defining mark in the philodendron white princess vs. white knight comparison. The Philodendron white knight has the largest leaf in the Triple Crown collection.
The mature leaves of the white knight are around half a meter long. The mature leaves of Philodendron white princess are around 20 cm long.
8. Growth style
The growth pattern of both plants is one of the most reliable signs for distinguishing them. The white princess is a self-heading plant, while the white knight is a climber.
Simply put, your white princess will thrive only when she is upright. It uses its strong stems to hold the petioles and new leaves.
As your Philodendron white knight grows, it will require external support. You can get a trellis or a totem pole for this purpose.
Philodendron White Princess vs White Knight: are they the same?
The most straightforward answer to this question is no. Philodendron white princess and White knight are two distinct plants with similar physical characteristics and care requirements.
Both plants have green cordate leaves and are slow growers. Also, they are toxic philodendrons. However, they have different stems, petioles, leaf details, and growth styles.
The leaves of both plants are heart-shaped, but the white princess has more oval leaves with pointy tips. Also, the stems and petioles of the white princess are green, white, and pink, while those of the white knight are only burgundy with small splashes of white.
Last but not least, the Philodendron white princess has a different growth pattern compared to the vast majority of philodendrons. This plant is self-heading, while the white knight is a climber.
