Adelonema wallisii ‘Camouflage’

Understory Species from Costa Rica to Colombia

Adelonema wallisii is native to wet tropical forest in Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. It grows as a terrestrial herb beneath taller vegetation, rooted in moist organic material close to the forest floor. ‘Camouflage’ is a cultivated selection distinguished by its mottled leaves.

Root care for clumping aroids

• Pruning and repotting: Remove fully yellow old leaves at the base and keep the crown at its existing level when repotting.
• Light: Give bright indirect light. Direct midday sun can leave pale dry patches; low light slows growth and produces smaller blades.
• Water: Water after the upper layer begins to dry, keeping the root ball evenly moist during active growth. Let the pot drain fully.
• Humidity and airflow: Moderate to high humidity reduces dry tips and distorted young leaves. Gentle airflow keeps the dense base from remaining damp.
• Root care: Chilled, wet roots are prone to damage.
• Substrate: Use an airy, moisture-retentive aroid mix with bark or coco fibre and mineral drainage material.
• Feeding: Diluted balanced fertiliser during active growth supplies nutrients for new leaves. Reduce the dose when growth slows.
• Propagation: Divide only a mature clump with separate growth points, ensuring every section retains healthy roots.

Root, stem and leaf problems in Adelonema wallisii ‘Camouflage’

• Yellowing lower leaves: One old leaf may be normal. Several at once require a check for wet roots, cold conditions or poor drainage.
• Crisp margins: Dry air, repeated drying or fertiliser salts may be responsible. Stabilise moisture and flush accumulated salts if needed.
• Smaller new blades: Increase filtered light and check root health, temperature and feeding.
• Soft base or sour smell: Root or basal rot is developing Remove damaged roots and repot the firm plant in fresh open substrate.
• Pale dry areas: Direct sun has damaged the blade. Existing marks remain. Protect new growth from harsh sun.
• Pests: Thrips, mites, scale and mealybugs can remain hidden beneath leaves and around petiole bases. Isolate the plant, remove visible insects, then treat the undersides, new growth and petiole bases with a product labelled for ornamental plants. Repeat as directed on the label and inspect each new leaf.

Adelonema wallisii ‘Camouflage’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

How did Adelonema wallisii get its name?

Adelonema combines the Greek adelos, hidden or obscure, with nema, thread. The epithet wallisii honours the German plant collector Gustav Wallis.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Adelonema in 1860 in Prodromus Systematis Aroidearum, page 316.

Eduard August von Regel first described it as Homalomena wallisii in 1877 in Gartenflora, volume 26, page 33. Sin Yeng Wong and Thomas Bernard Croat later placed it in Adelonema as Adelonema wallisii in 2016 in Systematic Botany, volume 41, page 43.