Anthurium flavolineatum

A high Andean wet-forest epiphyte

Anthurium flavolineatum ranges from southern Colombia into Ecuador. It grows as an epiphyte in wet tropical forest on the upper Amazonian slopes of the Andes, with a Colombian record at about 2,475 m. This is a cool, humid mountain setting where roots cling to airy forest surfaces and leaves receive filtered light through cloud and canopy.

Care for epiphytic Anthurium roots and foliage

• Light: Provide bright filtered light and screen direct midday sun. A position with good daylight and no heat build-up suits the montane foliage.
• Watering: Keep the mix lightly moist, watering when the surface begins to dry. Drain completely and use low-mineral water if leaf tips react to tap water.
• Humidity and airflow: Maintain high humidity with regular gentle airflow around the crown and lower leaf surfaces.
• Substrate and repotting: Keep Anthurium flavolineatum in its nursery root ball until it has settled and begun making fresh roots. Then use a snug pot and an open mix of fine bark, coir, coco husk and mineral particles.
• Leaf care and propagation: Let aerial roots remain within the humid root zone and rinse the firm leaves gently when dusty. Propagate from an independently rooted offset or a stem section with a node.

Root, stem and leaf problems in Anthurium flavolineatum

• A drooping crown or yellow blade: A pot that feels light in the hand and dry centre indicate thirst; give one thorough watering and clear all runoff. A container that still carries water, cool damp mix and soft yellow leaves indicate poor root aeration; hold the next watering and look at the roots before changing humidity.
• Dry or soft aerial roots: Aerial roots should remain firm within the humid root zone. Shrivelled tips need closer contact with the mix, while dark soft roots call for more air and cooler conditions.
• Pests in grooves, lobes and junctions: Look for thrips on twisted opening leaves and mites across warm dry foliage. Take a close look at undersides, veins and leaf sheaths. Isolate, choose a labelled product for the pest you found, use the product’s stated timing for follow-up applications and review treated hiding places after treatment.
• A crisp margin on new or old growth: Brown edges may be linked to a dry root period, mineral-rich water or warm stagnant conditions. Lift the container before washing the mix through with low-mineral water and improve airflow while keeping the root zone within its usual moisture rhythm.
• Restoring stability after root loss: Keep pale roots that feel solid in the lightly moist mix. Remove hollow or slippery tissue using sharp scissors cleaned first, use a ventilated snug pot and maintain light moisture with free drainage.

Anthurium flavolineatum 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.

When was Anthurium flavolineatum first published, and what does it mean?

The genus name Anthurium combines Greek anthos, “flower”, and oura, “tail”, referring to the tail-like spadix. Flavolineatum combines Latin flavus, “yellow”, and lineatus, “lined”: “yellow-lined”.

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

Luis Sodiro first described Anthurium flavolineatum in 1905 in Anales de la Universidad Central del Ecuador, volume 20, page 24.