Anthurium forgetii

Low-elevation forest in western Colombia

Anthurium forgetii comes from humid forest in western Colombia, with related records extending into north-eastern Ecuador. It has been found terrestrially, on rocks and as an epiphyte at lower elevations, usually beneath dense canopy. Its roots may therefore occupy forest soil, mossy stone or organic material caught on trees, always within a sheltered wet-forest setting.

Care for Anthurium forgetii

• Light: Provide bright, diffuse light and screen strong midday sun. Rotate the pot gradually so the broad leaves receive even light without abrupt exposure changes.
• Watering: Water when the surface starts to dry while moisture remains lower in the pot. Saturate the mix evenly and empty any water held in the outer pot.
• Humidity and airflow: Keep relative humidity around 65–80% and provide mild air circulation around emerging leaves. Let wet foliage dry quickly.
• Temperature: An intermediate range of 18–27 °C suits this plant, with nights preferably above 18 °C. Avoid prolonged heat above 29 °C.
• Substrate and repotting: Before changing the substrate around Anthurium forgetii, learn the nursery pot’s wet and dry weights and confirm active growth through the airy epiphytic root zone; that evidence gives a safer repotting point than a fixed calendar date. Afterwards, use a slightly larger pot with fine bark, coco coir, chopped coco husk and pumice or perlite.
• Feeding: Apply a dilute complete fertiliser whenever roots and leaves are growing. When Anthurium forgetii slows under lower light, reduce fertiliser concentration while roots remain active; return to the normal rate with fresh growth and flush the pot with plain water every 4–6 weeks.
• Closed-sinus leaves and propagation: Keep the rounded new leaves clear of surrounding objects while their margins open and harden. Brush the velvet surface dry and propagate from rooted offsets or node-bearing stem sections.

Yellow leaves, damaged roots and leaves catching

• Yellow leaves with changing pot weight: Flexible leaves paired with low pot weight show that moisture has run short; rehydrate the root ball evenly, then empty all runoff. Persistent pot weight with a damp centre points to lost air around the roots; wait for the pot to lighten while checking the centre of the root ball. One ageing blade is expected when the newer foliage stays firm.
• Root failure around the crown: A firm cream or tan root remains useful; surface colour alone is less useful. Remove failed root sections once their slippery or hollow texture is clear; return viable roots to a close-fitting container with moisture retention and ample air. Before cutting Anthurium forgetii, photograph the root system and confirm failure by texture; preserve every firm section, sterilise the tool between cuts and keep the crown stable while new roots develop.
• Browning that starts at the edge: Low humidity can sharpen damage caused by an uneven watering cycle; look for the same pattern on the newest mature leaf. Check the centre of the mix as well as the surface; if the root ball is still damp, flush salts when watering is due and move the leaf away from hot glass.
• When a leaf spot keeps expanding: A mark caused by handling usually stops changing once the leaf hardens; a quick daily photo confirms that the area is stable. An expanding damp lesion needs attention as soon as its border moves; avoid splashing and compare a new photograph each day.
• A growth point waiting to restart: Slow growth has more meaning when pot conditions and temperature are considered together; the most recent change usually gives the best clue. A stable 18–27 °C position with bright diffuse light supports the next leaf; prolonged heat, cold roots and root loss should be corrected before feeding.
• Treating confirmed pests and rechecking: Black specks beside silver scars point to thrips on folded new leaves and dry sheaths; pale dust-like speckling across older leaves points towards mites. Search both sides of the leaf and inside the dry sheath; repeat the same check on neighbouring plants. Set the plant apart and apply a labelled product to dry sheaths and both leaf surfaces. Continue treatment at the interval stated on the product then check the same hiding places every seven days for four weeks.
• New leaves catching as they open: The rounded blade opens around a closed upper sinus and can catch on nearby objects while soft. Clear its opening path and leave the leaf untouched until the margin firms.

Pet risk from Anthurium forgetii

• Not pet-safe. This plant contains calcium oxalate crystals that can cause immediate pain and irritation if chewed.

The name Anthurium forgetii

The genus name Anthurium combines Greek anthos, “flower”, and oura, “tail”, referring to the tail-like spadix. Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus in 1829 in Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Litteratur, Theater und Mode, volume 3, page 828.

Forgetii honours Monsieur Forget, the collector named in the original account. Nicholas Edward Brown described Anthurium forgetii in 1906 in The Gardeners’ Chronicle, series 3, volume 39: 161.