Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum
The big split-leaf 'tree philodendron' (still widely sold as Philodendron bipinnatifidum or 'selloum'). It comes from southern and central South America, from Brazil to Paraguay, Bolivia and northeastern Argentina. It grows a thick, self-supporting trunk and can also clamber up trees. It is far tougher than most aroids: it takes bright light, cool winters and even a light frost, which cuts it back to the roots.
Where it grows wild
It is mostly terrestrial, building a self-supporting, tree-like stem with thick aerial roots, and it will climb as a hemiepiphyte where there are trees nearby. It grows in open, sunny places as well as shady forest and prefers rich, moisture-retentive soil. It does not tolerate saline soil.
Only 9 records carry elevations (−12 to 928 m, median 563 m). It is mainly a lowland-to-submontane plant of subtropical South America.
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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.