From my perspective, light is food. My glossy leaves are solar panels designed to capture photons and convert them into the energy I need to grow. While I am famously tolerant of low light, "tolerant" does not mean "thriving." If I am placed in a very dark corner, I enter a state of survival, not growth. I will use all my energy simply to maintain my existing leaves and roots. There is no surplus energy left to create new shoots. To encourage me to grow, please provide bright, indirect light. This is the fuel that powers my cellular processes and tells my rhizomes it is time to produce new stems.
My thick, potato-like rhizomes store water, making me incredibly drought-resistant. However, this relationship with water is a double-edged sword. The most common reason I halt growth is due to overwatering. Constantly wet soil suffocates my roots, preventing them from absorbing oxygen and nutrients. In this state, my priority becomes avoiding root rot, and growth is the last thing on my mind. Conversely, while I can survive long dry spells, extreme and prolonged underwatering will also force me into dormancy. I need a cycle. I wish to be watered thoroughly only when my soil is almost completely dry. This cycle of a good drink followed by a period of dryness encourages healthy root development and signals to my system that conditions are stable for new growth.
Underground, I grow from modified stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes slowly expand and multiply, filling the available space in the pot. When I become pot-bound, my roots and rhizomes have nowhere else to go. This physical restriction literally stifles my growth. Furthermore, a tight pot means there is very little soil left to hold water and nutrients, starving me even if you fertilize. If it has been years since my last move, I may simply need more room to expand. Gently repotting me into a container only 1-2 inches larger in diameter will give my rhizomes the space they need to push out new shoots.
Creating new shoots is a resource-intensive project. It requires significant amounts of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The soil I live in is like a pantry; its supplies deplete over time. If I have been in the same soil for a long time, the pantry is bare. Without these essential nutrients, I am physically incapable of constructing new stems and leaves. Providing a balanced, diluted liquid fertilizer during my active growing seasons (spring and summer) every few months gives me the raw materials I need to build. Please do not over-fertilize, as this can chemically burn my roots and halt all growth.
I am a tropical plant by nature, and I prefer consistently warm conditions. My metabolic processes, which drive growth, slow down significantly when I am cold. Drafts from air conditioners, open windows in winter, or placement near a cold exterior door can put me into a state of shock and stasis. I thrive in stable temperatures between 65-85°F (18-29°C). A sudden drop in temperature tells me that the growing season is over, and I should conserve energy until more favorable conditions return. For consistent growth, please keep me in a warm, draft-free spot.
