Amydrium medium 'Silver' ('Blue')

Where the species behind Amydrium medium 'Silver' ('Blue') grows naturally

Wild Amydrium medium comes in several distinct natural forms, including plants with silver or grey mature leaves. In cultivation, the names 'Silver' and 'Blue' are used for silver-toned Amydrium medium.

The species is native across a broad area from the Philippines and Maluku through Borneo, Java and Sumatra to Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar. It grows in humid and wet evergreen forests from low to middle elevations on a variety of soils and rock types.

Care for Amydrium medium 'Silver' ('Blue')

• Support: Train the young vine against a firm pole or board and keep the stem touching the support until roots attach.
• Leaf cleaning: Wipe the leaves with a soft cloth dampened with plain water to remove dust and keep the pale surface and fine veins clear.
• Light: Give it plenty of bright, filtered light, particularly beside sunny windows.
• Potting mix: Choose a loose, chunky mix that drains well and stays lightly moist between waterings.
• Watering: When the surface starts to dry, water thoroughly and let the pot drain fully.
• Humidity and room conditions: Humid air and steady indoor warmth suit the broad leaves. Give newly opened leaves some space around them so they can dry normally.
• Feeding: Feed lightly while the vine is growing. Follow the fertiliser label for how much to use and how often.
• Repotting and propagation: Repot when roots fill the container or the support needs a firmer base. For propagation, take a stem cutting that includes a node and root it in a warm, loose mix. The node is the joint on the stem where leaves and roots can grow.

Problems with Amydrium medium 'Silver' ('Blue')

• Silver leaves develop tan, papery patches on the window-facing side: Direct sun has scorched the leaf. Move the pot a little farther from the window and keep new growth in bright filtered light.
• New leaves become smaller and less divided: The vine may have loosened from its support. Dim light or root problems can also make new leaves smaller and less divided. Secure the newest stem section, make sure the roots are firm and give the plant bright filtered light.
• The leaves become sticky, finely speckled or yellow around visible insects or raised bumps: Check both sides of the leaves and where they join the stem for sap-sucking insects. Move the plant away from nearby plants and remove any insects you can see. If they persist, use a treatment labelled for that pest. The label tells you how long to wait before another application.
• Fresh bite marks, ragged holes or chewed edges appear: Pests that chew leaves can leave holes or missing sections. Inspect folds, leaf undersides, the pot rim and nearby surfaces, and remove the pest if you find it. If new bite marks keep appearing, use a suitable houseplant pest treatment. Use the waiting time given on the label before treating again.
• Leaves turn yellow while the mix stays wet and the roots become soft and dark: The root system is rotting. 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.

Amydrium medium ‘Silver’ (‘Blue’) 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.

What does Amydrium medium mean, and who first published it?

Amydrium comes from Greek amydron, meaning dark, indistinct or obscure. The species epithet medium means middle or intermediate.

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

Heinrich Zollinger and Alexandre Moritzi first described it as Scindapsus medius in 1854 in Systematisches Verzeichnis der Pflanzen des Indischen Archipels, volume 2, page 82. Dan Henry Nicolson later placed it in Amydrium as Amydrium medium in 1968 in Blumea, volume 16, page 124.