Sorry, I'm confused. When you say there are no proper roots, what do you mean? What's going on below the soil line? If there are no actual roots, then that's the problem. There have to be roots to nourish the leaves, otherwise the leaves starve to death.

Those are aerial roots, and they're supposed to be like that to provide airborne nourishment and structural support to the plant. Don't cut them off. Aerial roots are different from the roots that grow down from the underside of the trunk. I'm still not clear on what's going on under the soil, though, and that's where your plant's problem lies.

I think your problem is the self watering pot, the soil is just being kept too wet. Excess water needs to be drained away from the root zone.

I do not like self watering pots,I had the same problem as you,everything stayed too wet.

Oh, goodness. You're right. It doesn't have any fine roots at all. Poor plant! Hopefully you've already gotten it into a pot with good drainage with a well-draining potting mix. Philodendrons *do* like a somewhat damp environment once their root systems are established, but never soggy. The good news is the long white underground aerial root is transitioning into an underground root, so the plant might just survive after all. In short: new pot, new potting mix, don't fertilize, keep it in its sunny spot where it was, and water very thoroughly but only when a dowel or skewer comes out dry. Good luck!

self-watering pot would be ok , IF you have roots already growing well thru the medium AND the mix has enough perlite and even a little small bark in it for aeration. it's looking good now! I find that 'Xanadu' does much better outside then indoors, mostly due to better light.

when and if you bring it indoors it's best grown in partial dappled moving sunlight. but even then it can get leggy.

That's looking good now. If you ever get around the Sunshine Coast they use them a lot as mass street plantings. They look good but can yellow a bit with the intensity of the sun. From memory, there were a lot along the streets around Mooloolaba.

oh, I just noticed on the pic of stem with a root - 2 or 3 nice buds. so you'll have a full pot with several stalks soon.

and on the last post I can see 2nd crown breaking ground - very nice!

I rooted a stalk like yours last year - I am very curious about those buds . I've never seen them here in FL on plants. did you cut it with buds on it already?

i'd love to branch mine - it's a single crown so far. I took a cutting from outdoors. they have them here in Miami growing like weeds everywhere.

just wanted to add that on 'Xanadu' those aerial roots are more like stolons to prop the heavy stem up and they naturally extend into the ground.

here's a pic

There were no buds when I cut the stem of the mother plant but I did try to get a portion that is underground.

I am not 100% sure if this is true but I read somewhere on the various forums that cutting the stem will stimulate the plant to produce offshoots below the cut. I remember when I took the cutting, I struggled a bit and hacked at it with a pair of scissors. Maybe this caused the plant to produce offshoots?

interesting.. I might pull it out of the pot and do some light hacking ;) in spring...

Mauen G, it funny how well they grow in cooler climates but here where I am, near Darwin, you don't see them around. They don't cope well with the constant year round hot weather. I tried twice but the plants just fade away. Climates like the Sunshine Coast, and obviously right down to Sydney seem ideal.

And you two talking about hacking on a computer, that might raise some flags, LOL.

My landscape Xanadu have become sparse and leggy. Can I cut them back and get new stalks?

you better ask in Florida or other southern (Australia?) forum where people grow them.

and you need to specify where you are and how you grow them.

I would say 'yes, they should regrow'. But there is a reason why your plants got sparse: not enough water, poor soil condition, too much hot sun, etc. If conditions do not improve, the underground stalks might die altogether.

usually in landscape the crowns are connected, they creep along the surface. you might try to cut off some in the cluster and leave some with leaves so see what happens.