The king of the Araceae family is the Anthurium Veitchii plant. It is an evergreen, tropical plant that has large, deep green-colored, pendulous leaves. These leaves have pleated blades that reflect light at angles at which the blades seem to shine. The leaves are oval to corrugate in shape.
It is an epiphyte plant that lives by climbing on other trees and plants under the canopy of rainforests. This perennial plant with striking beauty and average size can be grown in a hanging pot indoors or greenhouses. Let’s look into its features and learn about Anthurium Veitchii care.
Common Name
- King Anthurium
Origin and Distribution
This tropical beauty was first introduced in Europe by John Veitch, who owned many nurseries back then, in 1876. This species of anthurium was named after him. King anthurium is native to the rainforests of Colombia.
Anthurium Veitchii Features
Foliage and Stem
This lovely plant is all about its exotic foliage and slender stem. It has humongous leaves that are normally 6.6 feet or 2 meters long. These leaves are deeply and evenly pleated. These enormous leaves are oval or arrow-shaped, growing in a pendulous fashion. It has long herbaceous stems. The number of stems that grow out of a single base depends on the number of leaves. Each leaf is held up by a single, slender stem.
Anthurium Veitchii Indoors
If you grow an Anthurium veitchii indoors, it not only adorns the interior of your rooms but also purifies the surrounding air. Its large leaves have air-purifying features that can remove unnecessary toxins from the air, such as formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene, and xylene. Your indoors will stay fresh and clean always.
Evergreen
King Anthurium is an evergreen perennial plant whose foliage remains functional throughout all seasons. It is not affected by fall; it never sheds its leaves. This gorgeous plant will embellish your indoors all year long with its beautiful leaves. The older leaves only fall when the new ones have budded put and taken their place.
Height
These tropical plants have an average height. They mature at a height of 5-6 feet. Their height greatly depends upon the conditions in which it is grown. Proper sunlight, watering, and maintenance help these plants to attain their maximum height.
Temperature
These perennial plants are not frost-hardy. In the same way, Anthurium veitchii is not tolerant of low temperatures. It cannot survive a really hot day too. It is best if you grow these pretty plants indoors where the room temperature is ideal for their proper growth.
Humidity Tolerance
Anthurium veitchii naturally grows in rainforests. It is surrounded by many trees and other plants. The humidity levels there are quite high. That is why it is pretty much tolerant of high humidity. However, low humidity might be a problem. It is not tolerant to lower humidity.
Drought Resistance
Prolonged periods of water unavailability are not favorable for these tropical plants. Anthurium veitchii is not much of a drought-tolerant plant. However, it can retain some water in its herbaceous stem; it can survive through droughts only for a little amount of time.
Pressure Tolerance
The adorable anthurium veitchii is not a fan of external pressures. Its soft leaves like to grow without any stress or pressure. Keep this plant in a place where it has sufficient space to breathe and grow. Make sure that no heavy object is pressing against its delicate foliage or no external pressure is stopping its growth.
Disease and Pest Resistance
Anthurium veitchii is less likely to attract pests than its fellow species of the Araceae family. However, some pests still like to lurk around this pretty plant. These pests may be:
- Mealybugs
- Spider mites
- Scales
- Thrips
- Whiteflies
Keep checking on your plant for such insects. If you spot any, you can spritz the foliage with Castille soap or neem oil along with water to get rid of them.
It is sad to announce that these lovely plants are prone to certain diseases. It can be either fungal or bacterial infections. Rhizoctonia root rot, bacterial blight, bacterial wilt, pythium, and black nose disease are some of them. As soon as you acknowledge that your plant has been infected by one of these, separate it from other plants so that they don’t get affected too.
Growth
Anthurium veitchii is a slow-growing plant. Its leaves show a visible increase in length only after a month. It can attain a width of 30 cm. The growth rate speeds up when it is provided with all the necessary conditions.
The ideal USDA plant hardiness growth zones for this king anthurium are 10-11.
Toxicity
The gigantic leaves of these splendid plants are just nice to look at, while in reality, they are pretty toxic to humans and animals. The leaves contain crystals of calcium oxalate that are poisonous. Ingestion of these crystals can cause breathing and digestion problems. So keep your pets and toddlers away from this poisonous beauty.
Durability
These plants from the Araceae family are pretty durable but have a lifespan of fewer than five years. If cared for properly, you can make this beaut live with you for even longer.
Maintenance
Maintaining an anthurium is a piece of a cake. You do not need to worry about its needs every now and then. It just needs proper watering and feeding. All the other requirements are just the basics of its pot’s placement. There are no hard and fast rules to grow this tropical beauty.
Dormancy
Plant dormancy periods are inevitable. Every plant has to go dormant at some time in its life cycle to conserve energy and save it from harsh conditions. Just like that, anthurium veitchii is a winter-dormant plant. It stops growing at the onset of colder months till the beginning of the next growing season.
Anthurium Veitchii Care
Anthurium veitchii care includes weekly watering, 60% humidity, and 70-85% bright, filtered sunlight. It must be grown in well-draining soil. The soil should be slightly acidic to neutral. The optimum pH levels are 6.1 to 7.3. This gorgeous plant must be placed in cooler temperatures, ranging from 15°C to 26°C.
Water requirements
This king Anthurium does not require regular watering. It needs to be watered only once a week. Checking the dryness of the topsoil is important. If the upper 2 inches of the soil is still drenching with water, wait for another 2 to 3 days before watering it. Do not water your Anthurium if its topsoil is still wet.
The humidity of the environment and watering frequency are inversely proportional. If the humidity levels around it are high, its watering requirement automatically drops.
Soil requirements
Well-draining soil with proper aeration should be used to grow an Anthurium Veitchii. The soil must be partially acidic or partially neutral. The optimum pH range for this plant’s lush growth is 6.1-7.3. Good aeration ensures that extra water does not stand in soil and drains down the drainage holes. The best potting mix is Sphagnum moss. This plant can also be grown in complete sphagnum moss. Charcoal and perlite can be added to the soil to increase its aeration.
Sunlight
Naturally, these plants grow as epiphytes on other trees. These are protected from the direct sun through the tree’s canopy. If grown indoors or in home gardens, these must be placed under a shade so that they receive indirect sunlight. 70-85% of daily light exposure is necessary for the proper growth of this Anthurium king veitchii.
Temperature Requirements
Anthurium veitchii prefers cooler surroundings. The ideal temperature range for these pendulous plants is 15°C to 26°C. This plant grows at a faster rate at cooler temperatures. If the temperature falls below 15°C, move the pot inside your walls to protect it from chilly injuries.
Humidity
These beautiful plants are native to the rainforests of Colombia. These are adapted to high humidity levels. These need similar levels of humidity for their proper growth in houses. The humidity indoors must be greater than 60%. This humidity is far greater than the normal humid levels in houses. You should regulate the humidity indoors by installing a humidifier or by using a pebble water tray. Placing its pot in a group with other plants also helps.
Fertilizer
These plants naturally grow as epiphytes that get their nutrients from other trees and plants; they extract nutrients from the soil only when they are grown indoors in pots where there is no other plant to creep on. However, it is important to fertilize the soil often. The best fertilizer is the one that contains all the essential nutrients, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Nitrogen. All these nutrients must be added in a correctly measured amount, not too much nor too little. This fertilizer must be added every week or so.
Grooming and Pruning
This king plant is popular for its gorgeous and stunning leaves. Its enormous leaves need occasional pruning and grooming. You can prune your plant whenever you like. It is better to prune it before the growing season. The best way to prune it is by cutting off the dead leaves from top to bottom.
Re-potting
This Anthurium veitchii grows better if it is planted in an Orchid pot. It does not need re-potting for 2-3 years until its roots start to grow out of its drainage holes.
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Propagation
Propagating Anthurium veitchii is as easy as propagating other aroids. It can be propagated through stem cuttings or stem divisions. Just follow the below-mentioned simple steps, and you can efficiently grow a new mini-anthurium.
- Take a sharp knife or sharp scissors.
- Sterilize its blade by rubbing it with alcohol or by holding it above the fire for several minutes.
- Cut a part of the stem by using this blade.
- It is better if that part of the stem has some roots and a node.
- Place this stem cutting in sphagnum moss for some days.
- New roots will grow in just 3-4 weeks.
- After the roots attain a length of several inches, move this young planting to whatever pot or container you like.
- It is best if you plant it in an orchid pot.
Anthurium veitchii Seeds
Propagation can also be done by using Anthurium veitchii seeds. However, it is not an easy task to get your hands on the genuine seeds of these lovely plants. You can also use the seeds of your own plant by pollinating it.
If an anthurium is propagated through its seeds, it is possible that the offspring may have somewhat different characteristics than its parent plant. It might differ in texture, color, flowers, and size.
Final Thoughts
Pendulous plants with large, green leaves and lesser care requirements are the weakness of all plant lovers. Everyone would want such a lovely plant in their houses, either hanging in a pot in their living rooms or on their porches. Anthurium veitchii is a similar plant with all these qualities. It is a low-maintenance plant that can be grown everywhere, from your living room to your home garden to a greenhouse. This beautiful plant adorns every spot in a house with its fresh-green foliage.
