Blue Mutant - Xanthosoma atrovirens - 17cm / 2.5L / Medium Plant
$30.00Only 100 available, exclusive to PlantHouse.
Blue Mutant is a form of Xanthosoma atrovirens; a tropical houseplant similar to relatives Alocasia, Caladium or Colocasia. No two leaves are alike with this big beastie, each one is the main character in its own Alien blockbuster. Crimped sections and crinkled edges with extra ridges and folds characterise the leaves' mutant top side with the underside reminiscent of toothy creatures of the deep with its white-green belly and blue from the top bleeding a line around the leaf margin. For the grand finalé, all of this is topped off with leaves having an otherworldly golden iridescence in sunlight, difficult to capture with a camera so must be appreciated in person only.
Here are some care instructions for Xanthosoma atrovirens:
Light:
Xanthosoma atrovirens prefers bright, indirect light or golden sun. Avoid placing it in harsh direct sunlight, as this can cause the leaves to yellow or burn. If you notice your plant's leaves turning pale or yellow, it may not be getting enough light. Xanthosoma may go dormant over winter months due to not enough
Water:
Water your Xanthosoma atrovirens when the top 2.5 cm of soil feels dry. Avoid letting the soil dry out completely, as this can cause the leaves to droop. Xanthosoma will be relatively thirsty in summer and much less so in winter. The more leaves your plant has, the more moisture it will require. If your plant goes winter-dormant and loses leaves, keep the soil moisture low until the temperature increases again in spring.
Temperature:
Xanthosoma atrovirens prefers a warm, consistent temperature. Keep it in a location that stays between 21-32°C and also appreciates high humidity.
Soil & Repotting:
Planted in our custom soil recipe free draining mix. If you change, use a well-draining potting mix that is high in organic matter. You can also add perlite or pumice to improve drainage. Repot your Xanthosoma atrovirens every two to three years in the spring, using a pot that is only slightly larger than the current one.
Fertiliser:
Fertilise your Xanthosoma atrovirens every month during the growing season (spring to autumn) with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. During the winter months, reduce fertilization to every other month or not at all.
Pruning:
Prune your Xanthosoma atrovirens by removing any dead or damaged leaves as needed. Lower leaves will always die back and be replaced by more efficient, fresh new growth. You can also trim back any long vines to encourage new growth.
Plant Size Guide
The plant in the photos is an example and an approximate guide only however we try to show an average sized example. Sizes, flowering state and colours change throughout the seasons and variation will occur. In summer & autumn, plants are often larger or the same size as than the example picture but around winter and spring, they can be a little smaller but still at a size similar to the example. We aim to update the pictures to reflect significant differences.
Plant Heights - because the plant's foliage must fit inside our Plant Cartons, the actual height of a plant's central trunk (meristem) will be shorter than the box it fits in.
Small Plants - 14cm wide nursery pot - 1 Litre volume - Plants fit in a 50cm tall box.
Medium Plants - 17cm wide pots either 2L hanging pot or 2.5L nursery pot - Plants fit in a 75cm tall box.
Large Plants - 25cm wide pot, 10L volume. Plants fit in a 100cm tall box.
XL Plants - Plants over 100cm tall in pot sizes specified, 25cm/10L or greater and are hand delivered within Auckland/Northland only.
Dispatch Times
Plant courier orders are processed Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.
North Island orders are targeted overnight delivery, South Island orders are sent on a 2-day target but these are not a guaranteed delivery timeframe.
Add 1 extra day after a public holiday as well as for rural addresses or remote towns.
Monday - We send orders placed on previous Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.
Tuesday - We send Weekend orders from previous Saturday & Sunday.
Wednesday - We send orders placed from Monday & Tuesday.
XL Plants are delivered only within urban Auckland & Whangarei and this service is for non-urgent orders. This excludes satellite destinations such as Beachlands, Pukekohe, Piha, Helensville etc and Whangarei Heads. We may deliver at any time Sunday, Monday, Wednesday or Thursday in Auckland and you need to have a sheltered accessible position for us to deliver to.
Plants in Transit
Each Small, Medium & Large plant is individually contained within its own protective cardboard Plant Carton which may be joined to other cartons in your order.
Plants typically take just a day or two to arrive, however they are usually fine in their cartons for 1-2 weeks, and many can go longer, so a few extra days are not usually cause for concern.
Whether it takes 1 or 7 days, let your plant recover from its journey by placing in gentle light and adding a little water and it will be back to its best within a couple of days. Let us know if there are any major issues via the contact page.
