Native to the Atlantic Forest, it can be found in Paraguay, as well as in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil. Despite the fact of being a toxic plant, the lacy tree philodendron is used in popular medicine for some pathological conditions, such as erysipelas and rheumatic inflammations. It is among the most used native species for landscape projects. Previously described as ,i>Philodendron bipinnatifidum,/i>, it was recently recognized as part of a different genus, the Thaumatophyllum, based on molecular evidence.