Anthurium warocqueanum Care: Growing the Queen Anthurium

Anthurium warocqueanum, the Queen Anthurium, is the plant most collectors picture when they hear "velvet leaf": long, narrow, dark-green blades with pale veins and a matte sheen. It is native to the cloud forests of Colombia, which explains most of what follows.

Light

Bright, indirect light. An east-facing window, a shaded balcony or a grow light at moderate distance all work. Direct afternoon sun scorches the leaf between the veins. Too little light produces thin, floppy leaves.

Humidity

This is the deciding factor. Warocqueanum wants 70 percent humidity or higher and sulks below 60. In dry rooms, use a cabinet, a humidifier or a grow tent. Good airflow inside the enclosure prevents fungal spots.

Watering

Keep the substrate lightly moist and never soggy. Water when the top few centimetres feel dry, then let the excess drain fully. Rainwater or filtered water is kinder to the velvet surface than hard tap water.

Substrate and potting

Use a chunky, airy aroid mix: orchid bark, perlite or pumice, a little coco chips and sphagnum. Many growers succeed in pure sphagnum moss in a net pot. The plant is a climber, so give it a moss pole or mount it once it has several leaves. Repot only when roots fill the container.

Feeding

A balanced, diluted fertiliser every two to four weeks in the growing season. Skip feeding for the first month after import or repotting.

Common problems

| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix | | --- | --- | --- | | Brown, crispy leaf edges | Low humidity or salt build-up | Raise humidity; flush the pot | | Yellow lower leaves | Overwatering, poor drainage | Airier mix, water less often | | Leaves fold or curl | Too much light or heat | Move to softer light | | Black spots that spread | Bacterial blight in stagnant air | Remove affected leaves, add airflow |

Buying a warocqueanum

Look for firm roots, at least two healthy leaves and a visible growth point. Seed-grown plants vary in leaf shape and darkness; dark, narrow forms are the most sought after. Imported plants ship bare-root and typically drop an older leaf while rooting in, so judge the plant on its roots and newest leaf, not its oldest.

Acclimating an imported plant

Pot into moist sphagnum or a light mix, keep it in high humidity and gentle light for two to three weeks, and do not fertilise until you see new roots or a new leaf. Read how to import plants from Indonesia for the paperwork side.

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