Light
Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux
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Araceae
Anthurium watermaliense ('The black Anthurium', 'Black prince')
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Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
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Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Anthurium watermaliense ('The black Anthurium', 'Black prince')
Quick Care Guide
Watering
Water when ~30–50% dry
Substrate
Airy + fast-draining • Light moisture buffer • Bark-based • Medium-chunky
Temperature
Ideal: 18–27 °C • Avoid below: 15 °C
Humidity
Humid 60–80 % +
Growth habit
Short-stemmed terrestrial or epiphytic Anthurium.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
Average
Max size indoors
Max. height: 100 cm • Max. spread: 80 cm
Toxicity & safety
Toxic
Origin & habitat
Cultivar of Anthurium watermaliense; species native from Costa Rica to Colombia
Outdoor growing
Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Anthurium watermaliense
Anthurium watermaliense is the accepted species behind the common names Black Anthurium and Black Prince, both used for its dark violet-purple spathe. The foliage itself is glossy green, deeply lobed and held from a short, thick-rooted crown.
The plant can grow terrestrially or occasionally epiphytically in wet tropical habitats. In cultivation, it needs steady moisture, warm conditions and an open substrate that keeps oxygen around the roots.
Recognising Anthurium watermaliense
- Foliage: Deeply lobed, cordate leaves with a glossy to semi-glossy upper surface.
- Inflorescence: Dark violet-purple spathe, often the reason for the Black Anthurium nickname.
- Growth habit: Short-stemmed Anthurium with thick roots and a self-standing crown.
- Cataphylls: Protective leaf sheaths can wear into fibres around the stem.
- Origin: Native from Costa Rica to Colombia in wet tropical habitats.
- Root structure: Dense roots need moisture and air rather than compact, saturated substrate.
Leaves, roots and spathe of Anthurium watermaliense
Anthurium watermaliense has lobed, glossy leaves with a paler underside and a compact stem that stays close to the pot. Mature plants can produce a dark spathe that may appear almost black in certain light, although botanically it is better described as deep violet-purple.
The thick roots need moisture and oxygen at the same time. A bark-rich aroid mix keeps the root zone open, while regular but measured watering prevents the crown from sitting in stale, saturated substrate.
Indoor care for Anthurium watermaliense
- Light: Bright filtered light keeps the leaves firm and reduces scorch risk on glossy surfaces.
- Watering: Keep the mix lightly moist, then let excess water drain fully after each watering.
- Substrate: Use an airy organic aroid mix with bark, coarse fibre and mineral structure.
- Humidity: Moderate to high humidity keeps new leaves and inflorescences from drying at the edges.
- Temperature: Warm, stable conditions are important; cold wet roots can decline quickly.
- Potting: Keep the crown slightly above the substrate surface so the short stem stays dry and ventilated.
- Feeding: Feed lightly during active growth and flush the pot occasionally to reduce salt marks on leaf edges.
Leaf, root and spathe issues on Anthurium watermaliense
- Soft yellowing leaves: Check drainage and root condition, especially if the substrate feels dense or sour.
- Brown edges: Low humidity, inconsistent watering or fertiliser salts can mark the leaf margins.
- Damaged spathe: Dry air, handling or transport can crease or dry the dark spathe.
- Pest marks: Inspect new growth, petioles and leaf undersides for thrips, mites and mealybugs.
Plant safety with Anthurium watermaliense
Keep Anthurium watermaliense away from pets and small children. Like other Anthurium species, it contains calcium oxalate crystals that can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
Botanical notes on Anthurium watermaliense
Anthurium watermaliense was described by L.H.Bailey and Nash and published in 1914. It is an accepted Araceae species native from Costa Rica to Colombia. The genus name Anthurium refers to the tail-like spadix of the inflorescence.
Buy Anthurium watermaliense online from Foliage Factory for glossy lobed leaves and the deep violet-purple spathe behind its Black Anthurium common name.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
FAQs about Anthurium watermaliense
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