About
Anthurium acaule, the Martinican anthurium, is an aroid found only on the Caribbean island of Martinique. Its name has a tangled history and has been used for several other plants.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Listed as a problem for dogs and cats: contains calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth if chewed. General guidance for the genus
- People
- Poisonous if eaten (low severity): calcium oxalate causes drooling, mouth and lip swelling, trouble swallowing and vomiting; sap irritates skin and eyes. General guidance for the genus
- Light
- Bright, indirect light; direct sun can scorch the leaves, and too little light slows growth and reduces flowering. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Water when the surface of the mix feels dry; rainwater or purified water is preferred. Overwatering leads to root rot. General guidance for the genus
- Humidity
- Warm, very humid air; leaf tips turn brown when humidity is too low. General guidance for the genus
- Temperature
- About 18–29 °C (65–85 °F). General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Moist but well-drained, slightly acidic mix. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Stem cuttings or seed. General guidance for the genus
- Hardiness
- Tropical; will not survive winter outdoors outside tropical climates. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
Grows on trees or rocks. Short petioles (2–6 cm) carry long, undivided strap-like blades 40–56 cm long (rarely up to 1.3 m) and 8–10 cm wide. The green peduncle is finely flecked brown; the spathe is 8–11 cm and the spadix 9–15 cm long. Young berries are green.
Distribution & habitat
Endemic to Martinique in the Lesser Antilles.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Martinique
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- About 18–29 °C (65–85 °F).
- Humidity
- Warm, very humid air; leaf tips turn brown when humidity is too low.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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