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Xanthosoma paradoxum

Xanthosoma paradoxum is a tuberous geophyte in the Arum family, native to Colombia, that grows from an underground storage organ and flowers before its leaves appear. It is a rare, wild species rather than a common cultivated plant, so care guidance here is general for aroids in warm, wet conditions.

Family
Araceae (Arum family)
Grows as
Bulb
Light
Part shade, Bright indirect
Water
Keep soil evenly moist during growth and reduce water while dormant.
Soil
Rich, well-draining, humus-heavy mix.
Temperature
20–30 °C; protect below 12 °C
How easy
Hard
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
Colombia
Climate
wet tropical

About

Xanthosoma paradoxum is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae indigenous to Colombia. Initially described as Caladium paradoxum, it was later transferred to the Xanthosoma genus due to its strong affinity with other Xanthosoma species.

This species is characterized by its disc-like, coherent styles with stigmas as broad as the ovary, pollen in monads, and entire leaf blades.

Where it grows

Xanthosoma paradoxum is endemic to Colombia and can be found in various regions, including Orinoquia and the Pacific. It grows primarily in the wet tropical biome and is found at elevations ranging from 100 to 1700 meters above sea level.

Other Xanthosoma plants

Tahitian spinach · Yautia horqueta · Arrowleaf elephant's ear · Elephant's ear

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Xanthosoma paradoxum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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