Botanical Name: Xanthosoma albomarginata, Xanthosoma atrovirens albomarginata
Common Name: Mickey Mouse Alocasia (not a true Alocasia however)
Family: Araceae
Origin: South America
Arrives in a 6" nursery pot if purchased on it's own. Visit our Pots Page to view and purchase pot options.
*This plant is considered toxic.
MICKEY MOUSE XANTHOSOMA
Bright indirect light. Leaves can get sunburned when exposed to direct light. Rotate plant often for even growth.
Try to keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Allow the top inch of the soil to dry out slightly before watering but don’t let the soil dry out completely/become waterlogged.
Xanthosoma love high humidity of at least 65%-80%. Do not mist leaves as this can lead to foliar disease.
- Xanthosoma love humidity! If you have a bathroom with lots of space and bright light, this plant would love this environment!
- Regularly wipe down leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust.
- Fertilize once a month during spring/summer.
- Keep room temperature around 70º-85º and away from cold or warm drafts.
Toxic to pets and humans if eaten.
When plants change environments they will need a period of time to acclimate to their new home. We recommend waiting at least a couple of weeks to repot your new plant. Plants can grow just fine in their plastic nursery pot and in most cases, will not be root bound. To avoid shocking your plant, give it time to adjust to your home as these conditions might vary greatly from where it was previously being grown.
Below are some general tips on when to repot:
- Root to soil ratio is around 75% roots to 25% soil
- If your plant is in a pot without drainage (we never sell plants this way)
- The soil that the plant was grown in is not ideal for that particular plant
- If you notice pests or grubs in the soil (typically from plants that have been outside)
- If your plant is suffering from root rot
When repotting, consider the following:
- Not all indoor plants want the same soil. Do some research on what type of plant you have and its soil needs.
- If you are going to pot up (increase the size of your pot), only increase by one size at a time. An example would be if your plant is currently in a 4" pot and the roots are at 75% and time to pot up, get a pot that is no more than 6". If you can find a 5" pot, this would be ideal.
- ALWAYS use pots with drainage. Please. Yes, plants can technically grow in pots without drainage but we do not recommend this approach. Plants don't like their roots sitting in water and if you've accidentally over-watered then your plant is at risk of getting root rot. When you have plants in pots without drainage, you also aren't allowing your plant to be watered thoroughly.
- When deciding on a pot, either keep the plant in its nursery/grow pot and put that inside a cachepot or find a pot with drainage.
- Most plants will be happy in their pots for about two years, sometimes more. As long as the roots aren't past the 75% ratio, they are good. If you are worried about nutrients or soil has washed away from the top, you can top dress (add fresh nutrient-rich soil, compost or worm castings to the top, not to exceed the original height of the soil) or add fertilizer to regular waterings from spring to summer (please see fertilizer instructions for frequency as these can vary).
