Question

Mass cane growth   Hi, I purchased a massangeana(two canes with two heads on each) 4 months ago.It is in a 19cm pot which had a small quantity of perlite added to the original potting mix when purchased.It is placed two feet from an east window so should be  getting enough indirect sunlight.All was well and as expected did form a few brown tips (nothing too bad).
As spring has come I now see that the new growth is more pale green as opposed to the variegation I would of expected. The temperature of the room is around 18c during the day. It is also producing a new sprout, albeit at a slow rate.
Is the pale green growth anything to worry about? Should i change the potting mix to exclude perlite and maybe add sharp sand? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I also have a stem cutting of a different massangeana, it is placed beside my two cane massengeana and is doing well, so i think lighting may not be an issue.
I have attached a picture to help.

Kind regards, Peter.

Answer
Hi Peter,

I agree that light is not a problem, but neither is the perlite, which is an appropriate substitute for sand. The pot size is fine. Normal home temeperatures are fine.

Your Corn Plant looks healthy, although the foliage heads are undersized. That just means that it was sold prematurely by the nursery. Color on very young Corn Plants is often a lighter shade. As the plant matures, it will darken up.

If your local tap water is on the hard side with high mineral content, then use filtered or distilled water. Hard water can alter the soil pH and prevent certain essential nutrients from being absorbed by the plant.

Otherwise, continue doing what you have been doing for the past 4 months.

I have written an article on Corn Plant care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who emails a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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