Anthurium regale × magnificum

Peruvian and Colombian giants brought together

This cultivated cross combines Anthurium regale from humid terrestrial forest around Peru’s Huallaga drainage with Anthurium magnificum from wet foothill and intermediate-elevation forest in Colombia. The hybrid joins two large Andean velvet-leaf lineages under cultivation, where seedlings may differ in vein contrast, petiole form and mature scale. Its individual breeder remains unrecorded, leaving the parent species as the firm geographical background.

Care for Anthurium regale × magnificum

• 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: Let Anthurium regale × magnificum settle in the original container first, using pot weight, root activity and clean new growth through the well-aerated root zone and emerging foliage to decide when a later repot will cause the least disruption. 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 regale × magnificum 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.
• Large hybrid foliage and propagation: Stabilise the pot early and keep expanding leaves away from walls and neighbouring plants. Brush mature foliage dry and propagate from rooted offsets or node-bearing stem sections.

Wilting, brown edges and a tipping pot

• Yellowing linked to moisture: Flexible leaves paired with low pot weight show that moisture has run short; give one complete soak and keep the drainage path clear. Persistent pot weight with a damp centre points to lost air around the roots; pause the routine and examine the roots before adding more water. A lone oldest leaf may yellow naturally while the rest stays firm.
• Firm roots versus hollow roots: A firm cream or tan root remains useful; fresh tips provide an extra sign of activity. Remove failed root sections once their slippery or hollow texture is clear; use a ventilated pot sized to the surviving roots and a fine open substrate. Before cutting Anthurium regale × magnificum, 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.
• Brown margins after a dry cycle: Low humidity can sharpen damage caused by an uneven watering cycle; check which condition changed before the mark appeared. Check the centre of the mix as well as the surface; correct dryness first, then address salts or heat only if browning continues.
• A dark patch that changes size: A mark caused by handling usually stops changing once the leaf hardens; movement at the edge would point to a different problem. An expanding damp lesion needs attention as soon as its border moves; move the plant away from others and seek advice if the edge continues spreading.
• A smaller next leaf: Slow growth has more meaning when pot conditions and temperature are considered together; new root activity should return before faster leaf growth. A stable 18–27 °C position with bright diffuse light supports the next leaf; wait for a fresh root or leaf after correcting heat or root problems.
• Pest marks on opening foliage: Black specks beside silver scars point to thrips on folded new leaves and dry sheaths; mites create tiny pale marks spread more evenly across the blade. Search both sides of the leaf and inside the dry sheath; these areas need full treatment coverage. Set the plant apart and apply a labelled product to dry sheaths and both leaf surfaces; repeat according to the product instructions and watch the central growth point once a week for the next month.
• Pot tipping and leaf rubbing: Broad leaves and long petioles can destabilise the pot. Support the base early, clear walls and neighbouring foliage, and keep soft velvet leaves free from contact.

If a pet chews Anthurium regale × magnificum

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

The botanical names behind this plant

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.

Magnificum is Latin for “magnificent” or “splendid”. Jean Jules Linden described Anthurium magnificum in 1865 in Catalogue des Plantes Exotiques 19: 2.

Regale is Latin for “royal” or “regal”. Jean Jules Linden described Anthurium regale in 1866 in La Belgique Horticole 16: 200.