Borneoa scortechinii

Natural range and habitat of Borneoa scortechinii

Borneoa scortechinii is native to Peninsular Malaysia, growing in lowland and hill forest, often on gully slopes.

Care guide for Borneoa scortechinii

Light. Give partial shade or filtered daylight.

Temperature. Keep temperatures around 18–28 °C throughout the year and avoid prolonged temperatures below 16 °C. Protect the plant from cold draughts and direct heat from radiators or heaters.

Humidity. Keep humidity in the 60–80% range and allow light air movement around the leaves. If the surrounding air stays dry, use a humidifier or terrarium to raise humidity.

Potting mix. Use moisture-retaining houseplant compost that drains freely and a pot with drainage holes. Perlite can help keep the mix airy.

Watering. Feel the surface and lift the pot before watering. Water when the surface begins to dry and the pot is becoming lighter, before the root ball dries out. Soak the mix thoroughly, let it drain and empty the saucer or outer pot.

Feeding. Use a light dose of houseplant fertiliser while new leaves are expanding. Pause fertiliser once active growth has stopped.

Repotting. Replace deteriorated compost. Increase pot size only slightly, and only when the roots need more room.

What to do about Borneoa scortechinii problems

• Leaves droop: Check the root ball before deciding whether to water. If it is dry and the pot is light, water thoroughly and let all excess drain away. If it is already soggy, empty trapped water and wait until the surface starts to dry and the pot becomes lighter. If the leaves stay wilted while the compost is still wet, inspect the roots. Soft decaying roots indicate rot, even though healthy roots can also be brown. If enough firm healthy roots remain, cut away rotten tissue with clean tools, discard it and repot in fresh suitable compost in a clean pot with drainage holes. Keep the surviving roots lightly moist, then return to watering when the surface starts to dry and the pot becomes lighter.
• Leaf tips or edges turn crisp brown: First check whether the root ball has dried too far. Rewater a dry root ball thoroughly and let it drain. If the roots are already moist, look for hot, dry moving air around the foliage. Move the plant away from that airflow and use a humidifier or humid enclosure if the room remains dry.
• Sticky deposits or white waxy clusters appear: Check the leaf undersides and joints for sap-feeding insects; sticky deposits can be honeydew and waxy clusters can be mealybugs. Isolate the plant if insects are present and remove a small visible infestation gently with a cloth or tweezers. For a persistent infestation, use only a pesticide whose label covers the identified pest, this plant and indoor use, following its dose, application and repeat-treatment instructions.

Borneoa scortechinii 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.

About the name Borneoa scortechinii

The genus name Borneoa refers to Borneo. Scortechinii honours Benedetto Scortechini.

Sin Yeng Wong and Peter Charles Boyce established the genus Borneoa in 2024 in Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography (Webbia), volume 79, page 266.

Joseph Dalton Hooker first described it as Schismatoglottis scortechinii in 1893 in The Flora of British India, volume 6, page 537. Sin Yeng Wong and Peter Charles Boyce later placed it in Borneoa as Borneoa scortechinii in 2024 in Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography (Webbia), volume 79, page 269.