Anthurium warocqueanum, the queen of Anthuriums
Anthurium warocqueanum
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 11b (7.2°C ≤ T° < 10°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Araceae
- Genus
- Anthurium
- Species
- Anthurium warocqueanum
With its long, velvety leaves, Anthurium warocqueanum reigns over the tropical forests of Colombia… And the other Anthuriums! Nicknamed the Queen of Anthuriums, this plant from the Araceae family could soon take pride of place in the middle of your living room.
How can you recognize Anthurium warocqueanum?
Anthurium warocqueanum is an upright, epiphytic perennial. It grows over two meters tall, even when grown in a pot indoors.
The leaves stand upright at the tips of light green petioles, like shields. Stiff and lance-shaped, they measure over one meter long by 40 centimeters wide. They display every shade of green. The youngest leaf blades are light green, while mature leaves are dark green with cream or silvery veins running through them.
The leaves are covered with short, flattened hairs. This distinctive feature earns Anthurium warocqueanum a place in the Cardiolonchium group. This subsection of the Anthurium genus includes species with velvety foliage, such as the Anthurium crystallinum, anthurium regale, and the Anthurium magnificum.
The “Queen of Anthuriums” is grown for its decorative foliage. However, it can also bloom. When it does, it develops a spadix surrounded by a green spathe. The spadix bears tiny flowers that will develop into fruit—a red berry.
Anthurium warocqueanum is toxic if ingested. Its sap can also cause irritation. Keep your plant out of reach of children and pets, and wear gloves when pruning or repotting.
Our care tips
Light, heat, and humidity are the secret to watching your Anthurium warocqueanum thrive.
Watering
In the wild the Anthurium warocqueanum benefit from high humidity. In pots, water when the surface of the substrate is dry, over a centimetre or so.
Water from the top with room-temperature rainwater. If you don't have any, you can use filtered water. Avoid mains water, which is often too hard.
Your Anthurium warocqueanum likes humidity, but hates having its roots immersed in water. After watering, empty any stagnant water from the cup or planter.
Misting
Dry air favors the appearance of mites and other pests. Mist the foliage of your Anthurium warocqueanum to prevent invasions and improve hygrometry.
Use non-calcareous water, such as reclaimed rainwater. Tap water is often too hard and leaves marks on the leaves.
Repotting
Every year in the spring, repot your Anthurium warocqueanum to give it more space.
Re-pot in a perforated pot. It should be two or three centimeters wider than the plant.
At the bottom, place a bed of clay balls or gravel to promote drainage. You can cover with drainage felt so that the potting soil doesn't mix with the marbles. This avoids clogging the holes that facilitate water drainage.
Choose a light substrate such as orchid potting soil combined with perlite. You can also make a mixture of heather soil, sand, leaf compost and charcoal. Pour on a first layer of potting soil and plant your specimen. Then add substrate until you reach two or three centimetres below the rim of the pot.
Pack the soil lightly so as not to suffocate the roots. From the third day, when the roots have healed, start watering your plant.
Place your pot on a saucer filled with moist clay balls. The evaporation of the water will improve the hygrometry without risking root rot.
Fertilization
To promote the growth of your Anthurium warocqueanum, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.
Add flowering plant fertilizer to watering water to stimulate flowering.
Cleaning
When the foliage of your Anthurium warocqueanum is covered with dust, the photosynthesis process is slowed down. To allow the plant to take full advantage of the light, gently wipe the leaves with a clean, damp cloth.
To avoid damaging the largest limbs, support them with one hand while you wash them with the other.
Prune
Remove yellowed leaves. They will not regain their color and are no longer useful to the plant. You can remove them by hand or with clean pruning shears.
Taking cuttings
Propagation by cuttings is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.
A few weeks before harvesting, surround the stem with sphagnum moss. Wrap the moss in transparent cling film. Mist regularly to keep the moss moist. This technique allows the stem to develop roots, increasing the chances of success for the cutting and survival for the mother plant.
When the roots are five centimeters long, you can cut the stem. Take Anthurium warocqueanum out of its pot and remove the sphagnum moss to observe the root system. Make a first cut to separate the plant from the underground roots and part of the stem. Cut off a portion containing the leaves, part of the stem and the roots formed by the sphagnum moss. Use a clean, sharp tool.
You can divide the rest of the stem into several sections. Be sure to retain some roots and a node in each section.
Place the offshoots in a perforated pot. Pour clay balls or small pebbles into the bottom to form a drainage layer. Top up with light potting soil, such as orchid potting soil combined with perlite.
Wintering
To flower, your plant must experience a drop in temperature.
Install anthurium warocqueanum in a bright room where the temperature is between 15° and 18°. Choose a location away from draughts and direct sunlight.
During this period, stop fertilizing and reduce watering frequency.
During this period, stop fertilizing and reduce watering frequency.
Diseases / Threats
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposure
- Half-shade
- Substrates
- Humus soilSandy soil
- Planting method
- In pots
- Categories
- IndoorHerbaceous
- Tags
- Cold-sensitiveLarge potThirstyToxic
- Origin
- South America
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 11b (7.2°C ≤ T° < 10°C)
- Leaf colors
- CreamSilverDark green
- Flower color
- Pale green
- Fruit color
- Red
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Anthurium andraeanum
Anthurium andreanum
Find out more
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