Xanadu philodendron (Philodendron Xanadu) is a widely used and very popular south Florida plant that will bring unique green foliage to your tropical landscape. This small philodendron species forms a natural mounded shape, an aspect that lends this plant to a low maintenance landscape. This species looks great in a mass planting, as a singular specimen, or for highlighting other more colorful tropical species. This plant grows around three feet tall, and five feet wide. They will grow in full sun to full shade, and best of all, rabbits seem to avoid this plant on Sanibel! The Xanadu philodendron thrives in well-drained soil and does best with organic material added to the space where planted.
The history of this plant arose in 1983 in a western Australian nursery as a chance seedling from a batch of imported seeds. This plant was first thought to be of Australian origin until it was recently identified as an undescribed species from Brazil. This plant was first patented as Philodendron ‘Winterbourn’ and renamed ‘Xanadu’ by House Plants of Australia and released as their plant of the year in 1988. Now more than two million plants are sold worldwide year round making it one of the most used tropical landscape plants on the market.
Because the Xanadu philodendron is so versatile, it makes a nice addition to any tropical landscape.
This plant column is a joint effort by all at In The Garden, Sanibel’s garden center, located at 3889 Sanibel Captiva Rd., Sanibel Island, Florida.