Anthurium crystallinum ‘Crystal Hope’

Breeding and origin of Anthurium crystallinum ‘Crystal Hope’

Claude Hope bred ‘Crystal Hope’ in Cartago, Costa Rica, from two selected Anthurium crystallinum lines, LV-36 and LV-40. The chosen seedling was numbered 30-8 and retained its defining traits when propagated by division and tissue culture.

The cultivar received US Plant Patent 9,078 in 1995. It was selected for outward-facing foliage, compact proportions and iridescent venation. The parent species occurs naturally from Panama to Colombia.

How to care for Anthurium crystallinum ‘Crystal Hope’

• Leave room at the growing point: Keep older foliage and hard surfaces away from the soft new leaf. Blot water that remains around the centre after watering.
• Keep the light even around the plant: Give bright filtered light and rotate the pot gradually if most new growth begins facing one window. Protect the velvet leaves from hot midday sun.
• Temperature and humidity: Provide 18–27 °C and protect from prolonged cold below 15 °C. A 60–80% humidity range is appropriate when the foliage has gentle airflow.
• Use a snug pot and an airy mix: Keep the container close to the size of the root system. Water after the top layer has started to dry and empty any collected water.
• Support: A steady container should be enough, with a stake added only if older growth begins to lean.
• Repotting: Repot into a slightly wider pot when roots fill the current container. If new shoots become crowded while the roots still have enough space, separate established rooted growth where appropriate and keep the pot size suitable for the root system.
• Feeding: Apply a light feed as new leaves and roots develop. Reduce feeding as growth slows.
• Divide only established growth: Each section should already have healthy roots and an active growing point before it is separated.

Common problems with Anthurium crystallinum ‘Crystal Hope’

• A new leaf opens with a crease: It may have met resistance in the compact centre or expanded after a sharp moisture change. Clear the growing point, leave the leaf attached and keep the next cycle steadier.
• Leaf tips or sections of the margin turn brown: If the root ball dried too far, water it thoroughly and shorten the next interval slightly. Move the leaf away from heated glass or another concentrated heat source when the damage is strongest on that side. Flush the mix once, reduce the next feed and use lower-mineral water only when a crust on the substrate or repeated damage after feeding points to mineral residue.

Anthurium crystallinum ‘Crystal Hope’ 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.

Who first published Anthurium crystallinum, and what does the name mean?

The genus name Anthurium combines Greek anthos, “flower”, and oura, “tail”, referring to the tail-like spadix. The epithet crystallinum is Latin for crystalline, referring to the bright, crystal-like leaf veins.

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

Jean Jules Linden and Édouard-François André first described Anthurium crystallinum in 1873 in Catalogue Général, volume 90, plate 128.