Anthurium decipiens

Natural range and habitat of Anthurium decipiens

Anthurium decipiens is native to western Colombia, including the Tatamá region. It grows in wet montane forest at about 1,300–2,000 m, both in the ground and on rocky surfaces. Wild plants can reach exceptional size.

Caring for Anthurium decipiens indoors

• Light and orientation: Provide bright indirect light and turn the pot in small stages if growth leans strongly towards one window.
• Temperature, humidity and airflow: Keep temperatures around 18–27 °C and avoid prolonged temperatures below 15 °C. Aim for 60–80% humidity. Keep air moving gently around the plant and let fresh air into the growing area regularly.
• Pot, crown and leaf clearance: Leave clear space on every side of the crown, keeping walls, supports and neighbouring leaf stalks away from each emerging leaf. Use a stable, heavy container. Keep the base level with the surface of a coarse mix that drains freely while retaining some moisture between waterings.
• Water: Water when the surface is dry to the touch and a check near the centre shows that the root ball has started to lose moisture. In a large pot, use pot weight and a probe or finger near the middle before soaking it again.
• Feeding: A modest feed is sufficient when the plant is producing new leaves and roots. Reduce feeding as growth slows.
• Handling and repotting: Move the plant by handling the container and supporting the leaf stalks from below. Repot during active root growth when roots fill the container. Plan the move before the crown becomes unstable.
• Propagation: Take a rooted basal shoot from the clump, or root a healthy stem section that carries an active growing point.

Common problems with Anthurium decipiens

• Red veins fade on an older leaf: This is normal. The main veins become yellowish or green as the blade matures. No treatment is needed when the leaf remains firm and healthy.
• The crown pulls heavily to one side: Uneven light or an unstable container may be responsible. Reorient the pot gradually and stabilise it in a broader, heavier outer pot.
• Several leaves soften or yellow and the container remains heavy: Check the wet centre of the root ball. Remove soft roots or stem tissue, replace collapsed mix and reduce the pot size if the remaining roots no longer fill it.

Anthurium decipiens 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 Anthurium decipiens?

The genus name Anthurium combines Greek anthos, “flower”, and oura, “tail”, referring to the tail-like spadix. The epithet decipiens is Latin for deceptive, indicating a plant liable to be confused with another species.

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

Alistair Hay and Marco Cedeño-Fonseca first described Anthurium decipiens in 2019 in Aroideana, volume 42, issue 1, page 11.