There are hundreds of Philodendron species out in the world, with more species and hybrids being created all the time. With variations and hybrids that go on to become species, it is no surprise that it is easy to get them all confused with one another.
Do you have a plant that you are pretty sure is one of these two species or a subspecies of them but aren’t quite sure how to tell them apart? The main difference between Philodendron Sodiroi and Philodendron Mamei is how each plant grows: Sodiroi is a climber, while Mamei is a creeper that prefers to sprawl outward.
If you want to learn more about the differences between Philodendron Sodiroi and Mamei, continue reading below. Not only do we cover those differences, but the differences between some other common species that they get confused with.
How Can You Tell the Difference Between Sodiroi and Mamei?
The most significant differences between the Philodendron Sodiroi and Mamei are their growth habits and their petioles.
Where Philodendron Sodiroi is a plant that prefers to have height and climbs up, the Mamei instead prefers to stretch and spread out on more level ground. Regarding petioles, Mamei has smooth petioles that are an olive-green color. Sodiroi, on the other hand, has more of a red hue on the petioles. The petioles of the Sodiroi are also rough and bumpy.
There are other minor differences, such as the color of the leaves and the amount of silver mottling. However, these are pretty variable, so it can be difficult to tell these plants apart by these details alone.
One note, some people that have owned both plants tend to notice that Sodirois have more of a cupped leaf, whereas the Mamei tend to be flatter.
Unfortunately, these aren’t the only two Philodendrons that share these appearances. You may also have a Plowmanii or a Pastazanum, which look similar to these two species.
What is Philodendron Sodiroi?
Philodendron Sodiroi are Philodendrons with heart-shaped leaves around 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter. Usually, they are deep green but may have silver veins or mottling. Though they are often referred to as Philodendron Sodiroi, it isn’t a recognized name. Most plant breeders still refer to it as Philodendron Ornatum, which is often used interchangeably.
They are pretty easy to look after, compared to some other Philodendron. They can be taken care of similarly to most other Philodendrons in water, nutrients, sunlight, and soil. However, they are very rare and can’t be easily found.
It has relatively short petioles and red air roots that like to attach to other objects, especially in more humid conditions. It grows quickly and tends to be almost twice as wide as it is tall.
Is Philodendron Sodiroi a Hybrid?
Philodendron Sodiroi is not a hybrid. There is another version of a Sodiroi known as a Philodendron Sodiroi Aff which is more of a hybrid or a plant that looks like a Sodiroi but isn’t one. Sodiroi are native to French Guiana.
Is Philodendron Sodiroi a Crawler?
Philodendron Sodiroi is a climbing plant. This is one of the things that makes it different from the Philodendron Mamei, which is not a climbing plant.
Philodendron Sodiroi vs Brandtianum
The Philodendron Sodiroi and Philodendron Brandtianum look very similar. For the untrained eye, they can be hard to tell apart, especially as juveniles. However, they start to look a little different as they age and mature.
Usually, the Sodiroi grows larger and has large leaves. However, the Philodendron Brandtianum stays small but produces many more stems and leaves that are also small.
Philodendron Sodiroi vs Sodiroi Aff
In the plant world, aff stands for affinis or species affinis. This usually means that the two plants are similar but aren’t actually the same species. This is most common in hybrids that have not yet been defined.
That is the case with the Philodendron Sodiroi vs Philodendron Sodiroi Aff. The Sodiroi Aff is just a hybrid of Sodiroi. However, there is a distinct difference between them. Where Philodendron Sodiroi are climbers, their hybrids are often crawling Philodendrons.
What is Philodendron Mamei?
Philodendron Mamei is a Philodendron that may look like a Sodiroi at first but has some minor differences.
The Mamei has silver on the leaves, but they will look more like smears or clouds. The veins also are pretty deep on the leaves, to the point they are almost pleated, and they feel a little fuzzier compared to the smooth and waxy leaves of some other Philodendrons.
They are a rare Philodendron that grows relatively quickly, though it doesn’t grow particularly large. It is usually around 3 feet (0.9 m) tall at maximum height. It was first found in the forests of Ecuador around the 1880s.
Is Philodendron Mamei the Same as Silver Cloud?
The Philodendron Mamei is the same as the Silver Cloud. Thanks to the silver smears on the leaves, they have been given many nicknames, such as Silver Cloud, Quilted Silver Leaf, and Blotched Philodendron.
These silvery markings are what make these Philodendrons so well-loved and unique.
Is Philodendron Mamei a Hybrid?
The Philodendron Mamei is not a hybrid but has created hybrids, often referred to as Philodendron Mamei Aff. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion there, as the hybrid is also frequently called Silver Cloud.
Usually, they look very similar, except the Mamei Aff tends to have more silver on its leaves than the original Philodendron.
Is Mamei a Climber or a Crawler?
Mamei is considered more of a crawler than a climber. It is a ground creeping plant that spreads out over the ground rather than trying to climb up. Even though it is a crawler, it can be trained to climb up. It won’t be as effective as others, like the Sodiroi, but it is possible.
It won’t usually climb up a pole, but you can have it climb a little in elevation, such as a ladder or a bookcase.
Philodendron Mamei vs Pastazanum
Philodendron Mamei and Pastazanum are both crawling Philodendron, and they both have heart-shaped leaves that make them hard to tell apart sometimes. However, the Pastazanum usually has a lighter central vein and larger leaves that can grow up to 2 feet (0.6 m) in length.
Meanwhile, the Mamei tends to have a less glossy underside that is pale for their leaf blades.
Philodendron Mamei vs. Plowmanii
It is near impossible to tell Philodendron Mamei apart from Philodendron Plowmanii. Though, in some cases, they look entirely different and are easy to tell apart, they both have so much variation that sometimes they can look the same. There aren’t many ways to tell them apart from simple observations.
The best way to tell them apart is based on their growth rate. Mamei tends to grow much faster than Plowmanii. Also, Plowmanii are toxic to ingest versus just being an irritant; however, we don’t suggest you test for that for yourself.
Since they have such similar growing conditions, they are usually mixed up. It usually isn’t a big deal to tell them apart unless you are a plant fanatic or want to know.
Philodendron Majestic vs Mamei
The Philodendron Majestic is a hybrid of Sodiroi and Verrucosum. The only difference between the Philodendron Majestic and its parent breed, the Sodiroi, is the color of the new leaves. Usually, they tend to be a bit redder than the Sodiroi.
This means that when trying to tell apart the Majestic and the Mamei, you want to use the same markers. Namely, you want to look at the petioles and the leaf size. The Majestic should have larger mature leaves and bumpier and redder petioles.
Summary
Telling apart some of these Philodendron species can take a good eye and a lot of knowledge about specific plant parts. Sometimes, it is impossible without being able to look at the particular genetics of the plants. However, there are sometimes subtle differences between petioles, leaf blades, and texture that can help you figure it out.
The main difference between Philodendron Sodiroi and Mamei is how each plant grows as the Philodendron Sodiroi is a climber, while the Philodendron Mamei is a creeper that prefers to sprawl outward. The Philodendron Sodiroi has red petioles that are rough and bumpy while the Philodendron Mamei has smoother, olive green petioles.
There are many different species of Philodendrons and they are beautiful plants that are a wonderful addition to any home or garden!