The Philodendron Xanadu is a plant that originated in Western Australia nut a native of Brazil. It was trademarked in the US in 1988. There are a lot of speculations about the plant’s origin and the formation of the hybrid variety. They are from the Araceae family and Thaumatophylum Genus. The plant is popularly grown in landscapes and can be grown in partial shade. They form dense clumps of 5 feet and grow up to 7 feet tall. the leaves are relatively large at 40 cm by 30 cm. They produce occasional aerial roots. The Philodendron Xanadu is a perennial and can be grown as a houseplant in a cooler region. This plant is Toxic

The Philodendron Xanadu is a perfect alternative for the Philodendron Deliciosa if you lack the space. in other words, the Xanadu can live in a smaller space and can look like a smaller version of the philodendron Deliciosa

The Xanadu plant, like most philodendrons, has a very long life. The plants are known to live up to 20 years indoors or up to 100 years if left in their natural habitat. This makes the Xanadu a preferred plant for house plant enthusiasts and indoor gardeners. the philodendron Xanadu is not a plant which is known for its flowers. Not that the flowers of a Xanadu are not pretty or attractive but it’s generally rare to see a flower on these plants when grown indoors. most philodendron plants take anywhere between 15 to 20 years to start blooming. the plants need to be mature and this takes time. Flowering is rarely found in indoor container setups and is more common in mature plants outdoors.

The Philodendron Xanadu plants like all philodendron plants require humidity in soil and its environment. Keeping the soil moist is key to a healthy Xanadu plant. add as much organic content to the soil so that water retention is high. Soil should be able to retain as much moisture for as long as possible yet not waterlogged. Adding compost, vermicompost, and cow manure to the soil will help the plant grow better and healthier. in indoor conditions, where cow manure is not feasible, add compost and vermicompost to the soil. For perfect soil, the mixture checks the soil preparation section below.

types of philodendron Xanadu and varieties: There are 2 varieties of philodendron Xanado. The regular one has dark green leaves and the Golden variety also referred to as Golden philodendron Xanadu or Philodendron Xanadu gold has yellow-green leaves which are lighter in colour. All other features are the same from growing to care and soil types. There is no difference in the plant except for its colour.

how to propagate philodendron Xanadu – There are 2 methods of propagating philodendron Xanadu and both involve at least a stem with a leaf node. You can propagate the philodendron Xanadu in full water by immersing the entire stem or the base of the stem in the water while leaving the leaf above the water.

while this method is great, there is a problem. Most plants propagated this way will not survive in soil without a lot of effort. Since the roots are accustomed to the water medium, changing it to the soil will often result in stress in plants and some plants will wither off and die. the best alternative is to propagate from cuttings in soil. It’s the same process. a node with a leaf is cut clean and completely covered with a growing medium. Water the plant regularly and within 2-3 weeks, you will start seeing shoots emerge from the cuttings. The best way to propagate a lot of plants is to take cuttings with one leaf. The nodes are the area which will start producing a new stem. cover them with potting medium and water regularly. While most people refer to this method as propagating through leaves, it’s not technically correct as it’s the nodes that are important here.

Growing from cuttings: This is surely possible if you want just one plant or a few more and are not creating a lot of plants commercially. The cuttings or leftovers after pruning are used for this purpose. Stick them into the soil, and ensure that at least 2 nodes are under the soil medium. The soil medium should be rich in organic matter and should be kept moist for the next 2-3 weeks or till a new leaf appears. provide partial shade and never put the sun in direct sunlight during this period.

Minimum temperature Requirements for growing Philodendron Xanadu: The philodendron Xanadu is a tropical plant and grows well in weather conditions where the temperature is between 15 and 35 degrees. The plant surely does not tolerate frost and too hot weather. If the weather condition is too low, the plant will stop growing during this period. This is common during winters too in tropical weather. But if it goes below 10 degrees, there is every chance of diseases like root rot in the plant when the water in the root area doesn’t drain and often the plants will die due to cold weather itself. When hot, the plants again don’t do too well. Fortunately, if the plants are provided shade or are not in direct sunlight, they will survive quite well without much help but provided that they have enough water in the root area. Water the plant generously during summer and do not let the soil dry.

Can Philadendro Xanadu be grown indoors or outdoors?

The plants grow well outdoors. The philodendron Xanadu is known to grow wild in the rainforest of brazil and can grow to a width of 5 feet and 7 feet tall. they grow beautifully provided the right environment. The temperature has to be moderate. Tropical weather conditions are best. It’s a wonderful landscaping plant and can grow without much effort provided proper water, sunlight and organic matter in the soil. They are not invasive and can be easily maintained. they don’t require pruning. when it comes to indoors the plant is just as easily grown too. In a pot, the plant is known to cover the entire pot in months with proper soil conditions and light. When indoors, provide sufficient indirect light. Keep them near a window with curtains that can pass light through. Do not allow direct sunlight to hit the plants. Water them regularly and keep the soil moist.

light requirements: the philodendron Xanadu loves dappled sunlight or partial shade. Direct sunlight will burn the leaves of the plants and they should not be exposed to direct sunlight, especially the noon sun. Morning sunlight and late evening sunlight are acceptable but surely not the direct sun from noon. when indoors, provide the plant with indirect sunlight. keep them away from the window where direct light is accessible. Alternatively, cover the window with light-filtering curtains to provide indirect sunlight.

sun or shade: the plant loves indirect sunlight, not shade. There is a difference between shade and partial sunlight. If the light is not sufficient, the plant will eventually die and the death will be slow. it’s usually frustrating for plant owners to find their plants dying when they do everything right but the light conditions are just not right. Provide sufficient sunlight. if you were technical and have a lumens meter on your mobile, you can find a place where the light is a maximum of 10000 lumens and the minimum is 2500 lumens. a moderate value of 7500 is acceptable in most cases.

care indoors: when it comes to growing Philadendron plants indoors, there are a few things to consider. Being a plant which grows quite well indoors and outdoors, they have certain tendencies which need to be controlled depending on your preferences. The Philodendron Xanadu plants like all philodendron plants love to climb over other plants, trees and mediums. now depending on how you want to grow them, you can either trim them appropriately to grow them as bushes or provide a trellis or a growing pole to help them climb up. they also grow a lot of aerial roots. Depending on your preference, you may either trim them or let them grow wild. Most plant owners prefer to leave the aerial roots as it is, as they help acquire posture for better growth. This also gives the plant a different look which is great for some home gardeners. Apart from this, it’s important to provide nutrition to the plants in pots. most of the time, the nutritional level in the pots will diminish in 3-4 months. Adding replenishment every 2-3 months will help the plants grow better. also, ensure that you report the philodendron Xanadu plant every year.

Philodendron Xanadu care outdoors: When you are growing the Xanadu plant outdoors, the location is key. If the area is in partial shade throughout the day you have a great spot. Any area with full sun is to be avoided. If you live in an area where frost is common, it’s advisable that you not try growing the philodendron Xanadu outdoors. One or 2 days of frost is sufficient to kill the plant for good. If your area is not prone to frost, all you have to do is find a place where direct sunlight is prevented. Provide the plant with sufficient organic matter in the soil and water it regularly and you are good to go.
how to grow the philodendron Xanadu: The philodendron Xanadu is easy to grow a plant which requires no expertise or experience. the only thing you need to know is the amount of sunlight, the water condition and the soil. If the soil has enough organic matter and is moist with indirect sunlight, you need not worry a lot about this plant. Of course, you will need to make adjustments based on how the plant grows and you will find it easy once you get a feel for it. It’s not the hardest plant to grow and as a matter of fact, the Philodendron Xanadu is a relatively easy plant for beginners.

Growth rate and problems with the Philodendron Xanadu

The philodendron Xanadu is a relatively fast-growing plant but there are times when the plant looks absurdly shaped or has very poor growth. 90% of the time this is caused by poor sunlight, especially indoors. Plants which are indoors suffer from being leggy or having an undesirable distance between each leaf. this is due to lack of sunlight and the plant reaching out to get more of it. the easy way to go about rectifying this is to trim the plant from where the plant starts to get leggy and provide the plant with more sunlight. the stem which you trim down can be used to propagate more plants. If your Xanadu plant is growing tall naturally with enough leaves and with minimal space in between then your plant is doing good. if your plant has slow growth, then it means either its lacking sufficient sunlight or the soil lacks nutrients.

How long does a philodendron Xanadu plant live indoors?

The plant will last a good 20 years to 40 years indoors. you will probably never require to replace the plant if it’s well taken care of.

the best soil for philodendron Xanadu – potting mix & soil type

The philodendron Xanadu, like all philodendron varieties, requires more organic matter in the soil. Adding at least 50% organic matter is essential for proper root growth and the growth of the plant itself. The organic matter could range from simple cocopeat, a mix of cocopeat and vermicompost, a mix of dried cow dung with cocopeat and garden soil or a mix of garden soil, cocopeat and tree bark. The important thing here is 50% of organic matter. with this mix, your chance of growing your philodendron to a desirable level is much higher and you will have better growth. remember that your organic matter should be free from fungal problems, pests and insects. dry the organic matter in full sun for at least 1 whole day before creating the mix. many people will argue that the nutrients in the vermicompost and cow manure will be rendered a waste if you dry it, but it still works great and you will have no insects and pests, especially when you have your plants indoors. So remember

1. 50% garden soil + coco peat
2. 50% garden soil + 50 % vermicompost
3. 50% garden soil + 50% cow manure
4. 50% garden soil + 50% coco peat + tree bark

You could mix and match the combination as long as you have 50% organic matter in the potting mix. The garden soil could be of any kind and does not matter as long as it’s completely incorporated with the organic mixture.

Watering the Philodendron Xanadu

The philodendron Xanadu loves moist soil but not waterlogged soil. When indoors water the plant once a week. Reduce watering to once in 2 weeks during winters or monsoons. To check the right time to water, dig your fingers into the soil and check if at least one inch of the soil is dry. If it’s dry then water the plant. Drench the entire soil wet and leave it. Make sure that the water is draining well and if not, your pot needs to be checked. Water logging is not good for your plants.

fertilizer for Philodendron

Fertilizing your plant for better growth is essential. For people growing their plants indoors, there is always a problem with natural fertilizers like Cow manure as it brings in a lot of pests and worse, it smells. your alternative is chemical fertilizers. Urea or a good fertilizer mix from the gardener’s section with high nitrogen content is your best bet. Mix one teaspoon of urea into 5 litres of water and drench the soil thoroughly once a month. this should be sufficient in most cases and rarely would you need any fertilisers apart from that.