Anthurium ivanportillae

Natural origin of Anthurium ivanportillae

Anthurium ivanportillae is associated with the Cordillera del Cóndor in Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador, and belongs to the country’s wet tropical flora.

Care for Anthurium ivanportillae

• Light: Bright filtered light from above and to the side supports a balanced crown. Avoid sudden exposure to strong direct sun.
• Temperature, humidity and airflow: Keep temperatures around 18–27 °C and avoid prolonged temperatures below 15 °C. Keep the air at roughly 60–80% humidity and avoid still conditions around the leaves. Avoid sharp humidity drops while a leaf is opening.
• Watering: Rewater after the surface has begun to dry while the root ball still holds some moisture. Saturate the mix evenly and let excess water escape.
• Potting mix and repotting: Use an airy organic potting mix with enough fine material to prevent abrupt drying. Repot when roots have filled the pot or the mix no longer wets evenly.
• Feeding: Apply a light complete feed while new leaves and roots are forming. Reduce feeding as growth slows.
• Clearance: Leave open space around the crown before a leaf begins to unfurl. Contact with glass, walls or neighbouring foliage can crease a soft leaf permanently.
• Propagation: Use a rooted basal shoot or a healthy section of stem that keeps an active growing point.

Common problems with Anthurium ivanportillae

• A new leaf opens with a hard fold: Physical contact, a dry root zone or a sudden drop in humidity may have interrupted expansion. Do not force the leaf flat; stabilise care and provide more clearance for the next one.
• Several lower leaves yellow together: Check whether the centre of the pot remains wet, cold or compacted. If roots are dark and soft, remove decayed tissue and repot; use the watering guide to reset the interval after recovery.
• Dry margins return on otherwise firm leaves: Flush possible fertiliser salts, check that the entire root ball is being wetted and move the plant away from heating or cooling vents.
• Fine pale scars appear on the newest blade: Inspect the unopened spear and leaf undersides closely for thrips. If you confirm thrips, keep the plant apart from nearby foliage while you treat it, rinse only hardened leaves, apply a product intended for thrips to the unopened spear and both leaf surfaces, including the undersides, and complete the manufacturer’s recommended repeat course before judging the next leaf.

Anthurium ivanportillae 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.

What does Anthurium ivanportillae mean, and who first published it?

The genus name Anthurium combines Greek anthos, “flower”, and oura, “tail”, referring to the tail-like spadix. Ivanportillae honours Ecuadorian plant collector and grower Ivan Portilla.

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

Thomas Bernard Croat first described Anthurium ivanportillae in 2021 in Aroideana, volume 44, page 141.