quality:corruption
Uses

The resins produced during the flowering of Monstera and Philodendron are known to be used by Trigona bees in the construction of their nests. Indigenous people from South America use the resin from the bees' nests to make their blowguns air- and watertight.

Though they contain calcium oxalate crystals, the berries of some species are eaten by the locals. For example, the sweet white berries of Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum are known to be used. Additionally, the aerial roots are also used for rope in this particular species.

The leaves of philodendrons are also known to be eaten by Venezuelan red howler monkeys, making up 3.1% of all the leaves they eat.

Also, in the making of a particular recipe for curare by the Amazonian Taiwanos, the leaves and stems of an unknown philodendron species are used. The leaves and stems are mixed with the bark of Vochysia ferruginea and with some parts of a species in the genus Strychnos.

Yet another use of philodendrons is for catching fish. A tribe in the Colombian Amazon is known to use Philodendron craspedodromum to add poison to the water, temporarily stunning the fish, which rise up to the surface, where they can be easily scooped up. To add the poison to the water, the leaves are cut into pieces and tied together to form bundles, which are allowed to ferment for a few days. The bundles are crushed and added to the water into which the poison will dissipate. Although the toxicity of Philodendron craspedodromum is not fully known, active ingredients in the poisoning of the fish possibly are coumarins formed during the fermentation process.

Some philodendrons are also used for ceremonial purposes. Among the Kubeo tribe, native to Colombia, Philodendron insigne is used by witch doctors to treat ill patients. They use the juice of the spathe to stain their hands red, since many such tribes view the color red as a sign of power.