Amydrium humile

Natural range and habitat of Amydrium humile

Amydrium humile is native to Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, where it grows in humid evergreen forests from about 35 to 1,800 m above sea level.

It grows in primary forest as well as forest affected by disturbance. It is often found on limestone and also grows on other soils and rock types. It also grows in long-abandoned rubber plantations.

Caring for Amydrium humile

• Growing space: A broad pot or low planter gives the runners room to spread. To root a runner, press a node—the joint where a leaf or root can grow—against lightly damp mix or a moist support until roots take hold.
• Watering: Water once the surface of the mix begins to dry, soaking it evenly and letting the pot drain. Keep moisture fairly steady while new runners and leaves are growing.
• Light: Bright filtered light or bright shade works well. At sunny windows, soften the midday light.
• Humidity and temperature: Humid air helps new growth open well. Keep the plant warm with steady room temperatures and some airflow around the leaves.
• Potting mix: Use a loose, chunky mix that holds some moisture and drains freely.
• Propagation: Once a runner section has rooted, separate it when it has healthy roots and new growth of its own.
• Feeding: Feed lightly while new runners and leaves are growing. Follow the dose on the fertiliser label.
• Repotting: Repot when roots crowd the container or the runners have filled most of the available surface. A slightly wider pot gives new sections more room to root.

Amydrium humile problems

• Leaf margins turn dry and brown: Letting the mix dry out too far several times or allowing fertiliser salts to build up can scorch the edges. Check the moisture in the pot first, then water more consistently. If you can see a white salt build-up on the mix or pot, rinse plenty of clean water through the mix.
• The plant wilts while the mix is still wet: Dark, soft roots point to root rot after the mix has stayed wet for too long. Unpot the plant, remove soft rotten roots with a clean, disinfected tool, cut back to firm healthy tissue, discard the removed rot and repot in fresh airy substrate.
• Leaves develop pale, bleached patches: Direct sun has bleached the affected area. Soften the light at the window or place the plant where it receives bright filtered light.
• Webbing, tiny pale speckles, white cottony insects or sticky raised bumps appear: These signs can come from spider mites, mealybugs or scale. Keep the plant separate, check leaf undersides and stem joints, and remove visible pests by hand or rinsing. If pests are still present after cleaning, use an indoor-plant treatment suited to the pest. Before treating again, check the waiting time on the label.

Amydrium humile 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.

Why is it called Amydrium humile?

Amydrium comes from Greek amydron, meaning dark, indistinct or obscure. The Latin epithet humile means low, humble or close to the ground.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Amydrium in 1863 in Annales Musei Botanici Lugduno-Batavi, volume 1, page 127.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott first described Amydrium humile in 1863 in Annales Musei Botanici Lugduno-Batavi, volume 1, page 127.