About
A very popular indoor houseplant, *Spathiphyllum wallisii* is known for its graceful, glossy, ovate leaves and distinctive white spathe flowers. It is a perennial that forms dense clumps and is widely cultivated in various forms.
Field notes
Morphology
It is a herbaceous perennial that produces flowers in the typical aroid structure: a spadix subtended by a spathe. The spadix is generally cream or ivory when young and turns green; the spathe is white or white with green nerves distally from the margin, turning green with age. Leaves are basal, glossy, somewhat deeply veined, ovate, and acuminate, with long petioles that allow them to arch gracefully.
Distribution & habitat
Its wide natural range includes parts of Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and northern South America.
History & etymology
The specific epithet is named after Gustav Wallis, a German plant collector. It was first described in 1877.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Colombia, Mexico
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy