Related to other climbing, lobed Philodendrons from central South America, P. bipennifolium grows large, deeply lobed glossy leaves that can sometimes almost appear silver. Thick, wiry epiphytic aerial roots can make most any surface a climbing support, making this a particularly easy species to raise to maturity in a household environment. Among this group of climbing Philodendron is a particularly interesting shared trait; in that they all release a chemical scent when cut, something between parsnip and celery, a unique chemical defense against larger herbivores that is wholly obsolete amongst those growing Philodendrons as houseplants. When propagating, cut between nodes to leave at least one leaf and one node on each propagation, then put into water. Roots will very quickly develop and the transition to soil is always seamless. When growing these climbing varieties to maturity, they will rarely produce their uniquely beautiful inflorescences; an elusive, conical structure made up of thousands of minute flowers and a large, fused petal known as a spathe.
