About
Anthurium scandens, the pearl laceleaf, is a climbing epiphyte with white berries and the widest range of any anthurium, from Mexico to south-eastern Brazil and the Caribbean.
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
A climbing epiphyte with green, elliptic leaves and white berries. The most common and variable species in the genus, with several subspecies. Its spathe folds back at flowering, unlike the erect spathe of the similar A. trinerve.
Distribution & habitat
Mexico to south-eastern Brazil, and Caribbean islands including Haiti, Puerto Rico and Jamaica.
History & etymology
The epithet scandens means climbing. A root tincture is used in some areas as a folk medicine.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Mexico, Brazil, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Jamaica
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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