Anthurium bakeri

Natural habitat of Anthurium bakeri

Anthurium bakeri ranges from Chiapas in southern Mexico through Central America to Guyana, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. It grows as an epiphyte in wet tropical forest, attached to trunks and branches in warm, humid conditions.

Care for Anthurium bakeri

• Use a loose bark-rich mix: Combine medium bark and coco husk with pumice or perlite and a small amount of coir. Keep the short stem at or above the surface.
• Water after the upper root zone dries: Soak the pot thoroughly and let it drain. Avoid leaving the root ball dry for long periods or keeping it continuously saturated.
• Provide bright filtered light: Good indirect light supports firm leaves and mature growth. Shield the foliage from hot midday sun.
• Allow room for the long leaves: The foliage spreads outward from a compact crown. Keep the tips clear of walls and nearby pots.
• Repot only when roots fill the container: Move up one size and keep the short stem at the same depth.
• Provide humidity with gentle airflow: Keep air moving through the leaf bases so water does not remain trapped around the centre.

Problems and solutions for Anthurium bakeri

• Leaf tips turn brown even though the roots remain firm: Uneven watering, mineral-heavy water and fertiliser salts are common causes. Stabilise watering and flush the mix. Reduce fertiliser, and water sooner only when the root ball is actually drying too far.
• Several leaves around the centre turn yellow: Check whether the short stem has been buried or the root zone remains wet for too long. Clear excess mix from the stem, improve aeration and inspect the roots if the decline continues. If roots are soft or decayed, remove only the failed sections and repot the remaining firm roots in fresh, airy mix.
• Cottony material collects between the narrow leaf bases: Isolate the plant, remove visible mealybugs and apply an indoor treatment intended for them to the narrow leaf-base folds and tight centre. Repeat it at the intervals stated on the label for the full course and inspect the tight centre weekly; the mealybug guide gives the full sequence.
• A flower stalk dries after flowering: This can be the normal end of the bloom, especially when no fruit develops. Cut it away once fully brown. If leaves are also yellowing or the plant is losing strength, move a dim plant gradually into brighter indirect light and extend the drying interval when the pot stays wet. Inspect the roots only if decline continues; when root damage is confirmed, retain firm roots, remove only roots that are soft, hollow, slippery or foul-smelling, and repot the viable roots into fresh airy mix when needed.

Anthurium bakeri 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.

Anthurium bakeri: name and meaning

The genus name Anthurium combines Greek anthos, “flower”, and oura, “tail”, referring to the tail-like spadix. Bakeri commemorates the botanist John Gilbert Baker.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Anthurium in 1829 in Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater und Mode, volume 3, page 828.

Joseph Dalton Hooker first described Anthurium bakeri in 1876 in Botanical Magazine, volume 102, plate 6261.