Philodendron 'Xanadu' Thaumatophyllum xanadu, 6"

Quick Description

The easy to care Philodendron 'Xanadu' will give your house a tropical vibe with its upright growth and toothy, dense green leaves. 

Key Information and Plant Overview

• Other Common Names: Winterbourn
• Binomial Name: Thaumatophyllum xanadu
• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright indirect, Medium, Low
• Water: Moist but not soggy 
• Pet Friendly: No

The easy to care Philodendron 'Xanadu' will give your house a tropical vibe with its upright growth and toothy, dense green leaves. With maturity, Philodendron 'Xanadu' becomes exceedingly more exotic, as they mature their leaves darken, the trunk thickens, and they produce aerial roots.

Native to Brazil, Philodendron 'Xanadu' can grow as tall as 2ft to 5 ft and up to 4ft to 6 ft wide, with the leaves being up to 1 ft long. The Philodendron 'Xanadu' likes a little more light than other Philodendrons. Bright indirect sun suits this plant best but can tolerate low light.

PlantX Top Tip: Keep the soil moist during the growing season and water more sparingly in the winter.

How to Care for Philodendron ‘Xanadu’

• Light: Prefers bright to medium, indirect light.
• Water: Allow 1” of soil to dry up before watering.
• Humidity: Moderate to high humidity levels around 40%.
• Temperature: Best in 18ºC to 29ºC (65ºF to 85ºF).
• Fertilizer: Every 2 to 4 weeks during the growing season (spring and summer). Use a balanced fertilizer, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half the recommended dose.
• Soil: Use a well-draining, high organic matter soil mix.
• Propagation: Stem Cuttings
• Repotting: Can be done every 12-18 months. Choose a pot that is 2” larger in diameter than the original pot.
• Cleaning Tip: Remove dried or damaged leaves with shears where the leaf stalk and stem connect. 
• Toxicity: Toxic. Always keep your pets and children away from plants.

Philodendron ‘Xanadu’ - Common Problems

Plant starts to get leggy: In a Lower light environment the plant will reach towards the light and become stretched and leggy looking. 

 More prone to get root rot :  To help with root rot, a fast-draining soil mix and allowing at least the top layer of soil to dry out .

Susceptible to bacterial diseases: If a fungus or bacterial disease is present, start by isolating your plant away from others and cut back on the watering and remove any affected areas with sanitized sheers. 

Signs of Overwatering: The leaves will start to turn yellow.

Common Pests: Mealybugs and Aphids.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Philodendron ‘Xanadu’ flower? It will rarely bloom as a potted houseplant, the plant has a spathe instead of a traditional flower. The bloom is a dark, purplish cover around an inner spadix spike composed of a myriad of tiny flowers.

Is Philodendron Xanadu poisonous? 

Yes, if ingested, the Philodendron xanadu contains toxic chemicals like oxalates, glycosides, solanine, or alkaloid lycorine. Which can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, redness in the skin, swelling in lips, mouth, and throat, itchy eyes, breathing difficulties, and other severe allergic reactions.

I live in a dry climate. What can I do to help with the humidity level ? 

There are several ways to bring up the humidity levels in your home. Try placing the plants pot on top of the pebble-filled tray that contains water. The roots will draw the excess moisture as the water keeps on evaporating. Other ways are misting the plant and using a home humidifier will help to raise the relative humidity.