ANTHURIUM

Well-loved as house plants everywhere, this genus is from the American tropics and encompasses around 900 species of evergreen perennials. The large leaves, which are elliptical, lance-shaped, or arrowhead-shaped,are usually held upright on stiff stems that emerge from a stout rootstock. The distinctive flower heads are made up of a flattened, shield-shaped, petal-like bract known as a spathe. This surrounds a protruding cylindrical spike embedded  with many tiny flowers, called the spadix. Both the spathe and spadix tend to be the same color, usually bright red, though other colors occur among the hybrids. Anthurium plants last well as cut flowers and are an important industry in Hawaii, where at the peak of production in the 1980s around 30 million flower stems were shipped to the world`s markets.

CULTIVATION

Anthurium species in the wild are mostly epiphytic, but do adapt well to greenhouse, container, and garden cultivation, thriving  in bright  humid conditions with moist humus-rich soil. Although completly intolerent of frost,they cope surprisingly well with cool conditions. Humidity and prolonged warmth, however, are required for flowering.

Top Tip

For successful indoor use, these tropical plants need bright light, warm moist conditions, and protection from drafts. Spray leaves with water several times daily.