Anthurium ‘King of Spades’ (Anthurium ‘HU’)

The Haji Ulih velvet-leaf line

Anthurium ‘King of Spades’, also circulated as ‘HU’, is associated with Indonesian breeder Haji Ulih. Different commercial accounts propose different crosses, and a definitive parentage record has not surfaced. Its secure story is therefore the cultivated Indonesian line itself: broad spade-shaped velvet foliage, dark mature colour and the breeder association carried by the initials HU, with species ancestry and a corresponding wild locality left open.

Care for Anthurium ‘King of Spades’ (Anthurium ‘HU’)

• Light: Place in bright filtered light. Acclimated plants can take gentle morning or evening sun; hot midday light can mark the velvet surface.
• Watering: Water when the upper 1–2 cm of substrate begins to dry. Soak the root ball evenly, drain it fully and keep the moisture rhythm steady while a leaf is expanding.
• Humidity and airflow: Aim for 65–80% relative humidity with gentle air movement. Dry water from the leaf surface promptly.
• Temperature: Keep at 20–28 °C, with the root zone above 18 °C. Protect the plant from cold glass, draughts and sudden temperature drops.
• Substrate and repotting: Acclimate Anthurium ‘King of Spades’ (Anthurium ‘HU’) with the nursery root ball intact long enough to understand its moisture use and the condition of the fine-rooted velvet-leaf root ball; choose the later repotting moment from new roots and steady leaf expansion. Later, use a pot only 2–3 cm wider and a fine, open mix of coco coir or peat, small bark and pumice or perlite.
• Feeding: Feed with a dilute complete fertiliser while the plant is producing leaves and roots. Continue at a lower rate whenever light and active growth slow, then return to the normal rate with fresh roots or a new leaf and flush the substrate with plain water every 4–6 weeks.
• Velvet foliage and propagation: The broad velvet blades mark easily while soft, so give each new leaf open space until it firms. Clean with a dry brush and use rooted offsets or stem sections with active nodes for propagation.

Wilting, root stress and rub marks

• Reading a wilted or yellow leaf: If the plant wilts while the mix is dry and the pot is light, start with water; soak the whole root ball and drain every excess drop. Damp mix plus yellow limp growth calls for a root inspection; delay watering and let the pot drain before checking roots. One lower leaf can yellow naturally while the next leaf remains firm.
• Root damage below the surface: Healthy tissue keeps its shape under light pressure; root colour varies, so firmness is the useful test. Take out dead root tissue while preserving every firm section; return the remaining roots to a snug pot with a fine airy mix. Before cutting Anthurium ‘King of Spades’ (Anthurium ‘HU’), 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.
• A crisp point or widening brown edge: Crisp tips after a light pot can result from an uneven watering cycle. Continued browning in damp mix suggests accumulated salts, direct heat or root loss; flush salts when watering is due, move the plant from hot glass and inspect roots if browning continues.
• Contact marks and expanding tissue damage: A firm dry spot with a fixed border is commonly physical or light damage; watch the outline before treating it. An enlarging water-soaked edge should be separated from the collection quickly; isolate the plant, keep foliage dry and photograph the outline each day.
• A delayed leaf or inactive root tip: When light is adequate, stalled growth usually brings attention back to roots and temperature; compare light, root temperature and root health before changing feed. Restore the normal 20–28 °C range and a bright filtered position; a fresh root or leaf shows that recovery has started; old damage stays visible.
• Pests concealed around the crown: Use silvered new growth and black specks to identify thrips; mites show as fine pale stippling across mature foliage. Examine the newest leaf base, lower veins and sheltered folds; tiny pests and black specks are easiest to see there. Keep the plant away from others while applying a treatment approved for the identified pest; use the label instructions for every repeat application and check the same hiding places each week over the following four weeks.
• Rub marks on broad leaves: The broad soft leaves mark easily where they touch glass, sleeves or nearby foliage. Give new growth open clearance and use a dry soft brush only after the blade has hardened.

Pet risk from Anthurium ‘King of Spades’ (Anthurium ‘HU’)

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

The names ‘King of Spades’ and ‘HU’

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.

‘King of Spades’ refers to the broad spade-shaped blades and imposing dark velvet finish. ‘HU’ preserves the initials associated with Indonesian breeder Haji Ulih, providing the line’s widely used alternative name.