This photo is of a plant I received for my birthday. Fortunately, it was labeled as anthurium because I never did know and could not have guessed the name of this plant. It almost looks human and reminds me a little of “Seymour,” the plant from the musical and movie “Little Shop of Horrors” — just not quite as vicious. I do think it is very pretty and like the contrasting red with the green leaves. I have put it on my sunroom table where the mixture of plants I received delivered by a florist after my knee surgery five years ago still thrives, along with a rubber plant I discussed in a previous post. I hope the sunroom atmosphere is as good for the anthurium as it has been for the other two plants. Let’s find out more about anthurium.
According to Wikipedia, anthurium is a genus of about 1,000 species of flowering plants, the largest genus of the arum family, Araceae. General common names include anthurium, tailflower, flamingo flower, painter’s palette and laceleaf. Its name comes from the Greek words “anthos” meaning flower and “oura” meaning a tail, referring to the spadix.
The genus is native to the Americas, where it is distributed from northern Mexico to northern Argentina and parts of the Caribbean.
Description and biology
Anthurium is a genus of herbs often growing as epiphytes on other plants. Some are terrestrial. The leaves are often clustered and are variable in shape. The inflorescence bears small flowers which are perfect, containing male and female structures. The flowers are contained in close together spirals on the spadix. The spadix is often elongated into a spike shape, but it can be globe-shaped or club-shaped. Beneath the spadix is the spathe, a type of bract — a modified or specialized leaf. This is variable in shape, as well, but it is lance-shaped in many species. It may extend out flat or in a curve. Sometimes it covers the spadix like a hood. The fruits develop from the flowers on the spadix. They are juicy berries varying in color, usually containing two seeds.
The spadix and spathe are a main focus of Anthurium breeders, who develop cultivars in bright colors and unique shapes. Anthurium scherzerianum and A. andraeanum — two of the most common in cultivation — are the only species that grow bright red spathes. They have also been bred to produce spathes in many other colors and patterns.
Anthurium plants are poisonous due to calcium oxalate crystals. The sap is irritating to the skin and eyes.
Cultivation
Like other aroids, many species of Anthurium can be grown as houseplants, or outdoors in mild climates in shady spots. They include Anthurium species such as Anthurium crystallinum and Anthurium clarinervium with its large, velvety, dark green leaves and silvery white venation. Many hybrids are derived from Anthurium andraeanum or Anthurium scherzerianum because of their colorful spathes. They thrive in moist soils with high organic matter. In milder climates the plants can be grown in pots of soil. Indoors plants thrive at temperatures between 61–72 °F and at lower light than other house plants. Wiping the leaves off with water will remove any dust and insects. Plants in pots with good root systems will benefit from a weak fertilizer solution every other week. In the case of vining or climbing anthuriums, the plants benefit from being provided with a totem to climb.
Propagation
Anthurium can be propagated by seed or vegetatively by cuttings. In the commercial Anthurium trade, most propagation is via tissue culture.
Selected Species
Anthurium andraeanum
Anthurium andraeanum is a flowering plant species in the family Araceae that is native to Colombia and Ecuador. A winner of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, it is one of the plants listed in the NASA Clean Air Study as effective in removing formaldehyde, xylene, toluene and ammonia from the air.
It is a monocotyledonous perennial, preferring warm, shady and humid climates, such as tropical rainforests. Its most characteristic feature as an ornamental is its brightly colored spathe leaf and the protruding inflorescence called the spadix.
It is a short, erected plant with whole, cardioid or heart-shaped leaves, generally reflexed, cordate base, apex acuminate or cuspid, which are borne by a cylindrical petiole 30–40 cm long.
The spathe is cartilage-waxy, brightly colored red or pink and 8–15 cm long, excluding the inflorescence or the spadix, which is 7–9 cm long, similar to a candleholder, white or yellow in color, is erected and bears many small hermaphroditic flowers. These include a perianth with four segments and stamens with a compressed mesh. Flowering extends throughout the year. The fruit is a fleshy berry.
Native to Ecuador and southwestern Colombia, it is also naturalized in other parts of the world. It is found in the Caribbean and Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is grown as an ornamental plant in the form of many hybrids or horticultural varieties. It is commonly used to make bouquets.
The whole plant is toxic. It contains saponins and crystals of calcium oxalate, in fine needles, able to penetrate the mucous membranes and provoke painful irritations. It is toxic to all mammals: a mouth-worn fragment can cause severe irritation of the mouth and throat. Contact with a human causes erythema, blisters and — if ingested — salivation, along with difficulty in swallowing and vomiting.
Anthurium clarinervium
Anthurium clarinervium is a species of plant in the family Araceae, endemic to Chiapas, Mexico. It has ovate, deeply-lobed leaves with whitish veins, atop stems that are 1–2 cm thick. It grows naturally as an epiphyte.
Anthurium crystallinum
Anthurium crystallinum is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to rainforest margins in Central and South America, from Panama to Peru. Growing to 35 inches tall and broad, it is an epiphytic perennial, characterized by large, velvety oval leaves with prominent white veining, and inflorescences with green spathes and pale green spadices throughout the year.
Requiring a minimum temperature of 61° F., in temperate regions it is cultivated under glass or as a houseplant. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Anthurium clarinervium looks very similar and like Anthurium crystallinum is sold as a houseplant for more experienced collectors as they both need high humidity and light levels.
Anthurium eggersii
Anthurium eggersii is a species of plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Anthurium forgetii
Anthurium forgetii is a species of plant in the genus Anthurium native to Colombia. Kept in cultivation for its round leaves that lack a sinus and have silver veining, it is thought to be epiphytic.
Anthurium hookeri or bird’s nest anthurium
Anthurium hookeri, the bird's nest anthurium, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Anthurium. The specimens sold are almost always hybrids and not the species. Anthurium hookeri possesses some unique features which include short internodes, dense roots and lanceolate cataphylls. The leaves have triangular to D-shaped petioles 2–9 cm long, are rosulate, 10–26 cm wide and 35–89 cm long. The leaves exhibit a scalariforme venation and supervolute vernation. Covering the leaves are tiny black glandular punctuates. The berries produced by the plant are white.
Anthurium pedatoradiatum or anthurium fingers
Anthurium pedatoradiatum or anthurium fingers is a species of plant in the genus Anthurium native to southern Mexico. A. pedatoradiatum has leaves with deep finger-like lobes and is terrestrial. This plant can also be cultivated indoors in temperate climates as a houseplant. It can thrive in low to medium-bright light and the soil must be kept moist at all times. The leaves are subject to curling and browning if left unwatered for too long.
Anthurium polystictum
Anthurium polystictum is a species of plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Anthurium scherzerianum
Anthurium scherzerianum, the flamingo flower or pigtail plant is a species of Anthurium native to Costa Rica. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as an ornamental houseplant, kept at 15 °C or higher. It is naturally an epiphyte, growing on trees in the rainforest.
A. scherzerianum typically reaches 12-18 inches tall. Its most striking feature is its orange-red curly spadix. It produces shiny, lance-shaped leaves about 8 inches long. Common pests include mealybugs, aphids and soft scale. While often grown as a houseplant, it may be grown outdoors in the U.S. in USDA hardiness zones 11 and 12.
The leaves contain calcium oxalate crystals, making them poisonous if ingested. The sap of the leaves may also irritate skin.
Anthurium schlechtendalii or pheasant’s tail
Anthurium schlechtendalii — also known as pheasant's tail or cola de fasian in Spanish — is a broad-leafed plant used for multiple medicinal purposes including muscle and joint sprains, back pain, arthritis and rheumatism.
Anthurium schlechtendalii is found from Mexico to Costa Rica. It is a large herbaceous plant with white aerial roots, dark green leaves and a dark purple bract. Its fruits have a similar appearance to small red berries when ripe. A. schlechtendalii lives in wet forests, rocky hillsides or outcrops on trees.
A. schlechtenalii has a long, slender brown spadix that grows to about 70 cm long. The spadix produces small flowers which, after being fertilized, develop into red berry-like fruits.
Anthurium superbum
Anthurium superbum is a species of plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Anthurium veitchii, the king anthurium
Anthurium veitchii, the king anthurium, is an epiphytic species of flowering plant in the genus Anthurium native to Colombia. It is grown in more temperate climates as a greenhouse or houseplant for its large, pendulous leaves that can be several feet long.
The Latin specific epithet veitchii refers to a longstanding group of plant nurseries based in Exeter, UK, originated by John Veitch.
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