I am always interested in other people's plants and how they grow them because I am nosy and always looking for tips and new ways to do things. One of our new members @philodendres recently obtained a very cool very neat pretty rare plant at the IAS Show and Sale that I hope they will share their growing progress with us.

It is Anthurium metallicum, one of the velvet leaved Anthuria. A paper was published in the 2005 IAS Journal 'Aroideana' Vol 28 pp. 81-15 detailing the rediscovery and reintroduction to horticultural science of 2 plants from Colombia, Anthurium gustavii and Anthurium metallicum. This paper was co-authored by Jorge Jacome and Dr. Thomas B. Croat.

In it, the paper states that A. metallicum was first discovered over 150 years ago but that its origin was never well known. It was narrowed down finally to have an origin in Colombia in the Department of Cundinamarca, a geographical area in the Andes that covers over 8700 sq miles and sits at an elevation of about 8600 feet above sea level and includes the capitol city Bogota. The plant is found as a terrestrial and sometimes a hemiepiphyte growing 'erect and semi-erect' in ravines and along the borders of trails.

This begs the question for people like us in Florida who live 8659 miles below this plant's natural habitat and elevation....does it adapt well to being grown at sea level in arguably much more heat and humidity? As this is a somewhat difficult to obtain plant in the US and costly, I would be interested in hearing about the progress made by our forum member, his methods of cultivation and how the plant reacts here. It is one I would like to possibly collect if one happened to come my way. I hope philodendron will share!

Anthurium willifordii


Anthurium pendulifolium (younger plant, gets bigger ha ha)


Anthurium superbum

Why does the elevation matter to the plant? Is it the oxygen levels or specifically the heat and humidity like you mentioned?
Also (sorry, more nerd questions) if a plant is grown from a seed in Florida, for example, would it not adapt to those conditions as it never really knew any different?

Elevation is more of a heat/cold + humidity thing. Lowland and mid-level species grow in what you typically think of as 'rainforest': warm to hot temps, very humid, lots of rain which may or may not actually get to the plants.

But in some areas the 'rainforest' becomes more variable and can include premontane wet/dry forest as well as montane wet/dry forest (premontane roughly + foothills of mountains, montane= in the mountainous areas). These areas of higher elevation are cooler, and the humidity is more cloud-forest. Light is also lower because it is blocked by clouds. These are the regions referred to as 'cloud-shouldered'.

Just like there are some species of orchids that are uniquely adapted to thrive in the cloud forest (there are some dendrobiums, draculas, masdevallias, and many other species) conditions that are cooler with temps that rarely go over 75 degrees, there are also other epiphytes that are adapted the same way. Heat is not their friend.

Some adapt to more lowland conditions, some have a harder time. I myself would probably not attempt to grow any of the very expensive upper elevation types that have not been proven to survive down here at sea level in the Florida heat unless I was rich enough to construct a cloud forest environment. I tried some of the supposed 'more heat tolerant' species of masdevallia and dracula orchids in my greenhouse and they just melted in the heat.

Another high elevation plant that comes to mind that I killed was Brugmasnsia sanguinea, the only true 'red' brugmansia. High elevation cool grower, melted in the heat here very quickly.

Also another reason I have never been tempted to try to grow Gunnera, which thrives in places like Seattle and coastal Oregon

Very interesting. It doesn't sound like a cloud forest would be easy to duplicate

Some plants from his elevation have been acclimated I guess over the years and do ok.

Maybe silly, but couldn't they be grown indoors in higher humidity to duplicate the temps in the natural environment? That's close to the temps that humans like

Some people are trying that. But its actually still too dry a lot of times. I have a friend who is having a hard time with an Anthurium metallicum in a cool to intermediate mist terrarium. If you can keep your house at about 70-72F and 100% humidity on a daily basis go for it!

A. podophyllum never ceases to amaze me with its wonderfully lacy leaves

Sure that will amaze any aroiders....
whishfull wishes here...

Oh my, I love the leaves of that Anthurium podophyllum .... so pretty!!

Anthurium veitchii today

Beautiful! I love the texture of the leaves.

This is my favorite for the pleated leaf. They can get 6 feet long. My record so far is about 3 feet

Hats off to you. I've been reading about anthurium in general and how particular they can be about their conditions. Sounds like they take their temps and humidity a bit more seriously than the next plant.

This big pink Obake has the most lovely dark rose blush.

Beautiful! I love any plant with pink or red, don't know why. Is that the leaf for this particular plant in the background?

Yes. Obakes are a little different from regular Andreanums. They have the same growth habit but much larger spathes and leaves. Most are pink or variations.

Gina1960 said:I am always interested in other people's plants and how they grow them because I am nosy and always looking for tips and new ways to do things. One of our new members @philodendres recently obtained a very cool very neat pretty rare plant at the IAS Show and Sale that I hope they will share their growing progress with us.

It is Anthurium metallicum, one of the velvet leaved Anthuria. A paper was published in the 2005 IAS Journal 'Aroideana' Vol 28 pp. 81-15 detailing the rediscovery and reintroduction to horticultural science of 2 plants from Colombia, Anthurium gustavii and Anthurium metallicum. This paper was co-authored by Jorge Jacome and Dr. Thomas B. Croat.

In it, the paper states that A. metallicum was first discovered over 150 years ago but that its origin was never well known. It was narrowed down finally to have an origin in Colombia in the Department of Cundinamarca, a geographical area in the Andes that covers over 8700 sq miles and sits at an elevation of about 8600 feet above sea level and includes the capitol city Bogota. The plant is found as a terrestrial and sometimes a hemiepiphyte growing 'erect and semi-erect' in ravines and along the borders of trails.

This begs the question for people like us in Florida who live 8659 miles below this plant's natural habitat and elevation....does it adapt well to being grown at sea level in arguably much more heat and humidity? As this is a somewhat difficult to obtain plant in the US and costly, I would be interested in hearing about the progress made by our forum member, his methods of cultivation and how the plant reacts here. It is one I would like to possibly collect if one happened to come my way. I hope philodendron will share!

Hello hello again, @gina1960 !! I am here to show you my FAVORITE plant at the moment. It is an Anthurium andreanum x veitchii I picked up at this 2021 IAS.

I will have to try this cross. I have andreanums and LOTS of veitchii!!!!