[Aroid-l] ?? Water-loving Anthurium species

From: Devin Biggs <dbiggs at xantusidesign.net> on 2009.09.27 at 05:13:50(20077) Julius, Thanks very much for those insights. I really hope that I can get a hold of some species Spathiphyllum, but I don't have any real solid leads yet. The common hybrid cultivars that I have tried so far are some of the best plants for growing in ripariums, but the shorter- statured commercially available ones are rather limited. The link below goes to a shot of my tank that includes several Spathiphyllum as background foliage. There are also several large Cryptocoryne and Anubias in the abovewater portion. http://hydrophytesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/2-ix-09-crypts-tank-i-m.jpg I haven't tried any Anthurium yet. I should purchase a few Home Depot plants that look like amnicola crosses just to see what they will do. I really would like to get some species. I plan to put together an inquiry for Ecuagenera to see if they might be able to turn anything up and I should also get in touch with Windy Audry. I'm sorry I'm ignorant what is the Deni Bown book? Thanks very much for considering my questions. Regards, Devin +More >Dear Devin, > >A few snippets of info:. >Re: Spathiphyllum cannifolium, I know about this species, as in my homeland this is the only species which occurs naturally. I have seen it growing (very large groups of crowded plants groing VERY close one to the other) in ''beds'' of gravel brought down by the rivers (in T`dad I have only seen it growing on the banks/sides of rivers, never in jungle far from a stream or river) and deposited on curves, say gravel 4" thick and with water slowly perculating/flowing through it. After a swollen river/high water event, you often see that these unstable gravel beds have been cut into by the water`s flow, and many plants are washed downriver to establish themselves, others are left with exposed roots washing in the river, no harm seems to have been done. >During the days of ''high water'' some of the lower growing beds of Spathiphyllum will be completely under water with little or no future harm seen. The plants growing under these conditions look healthy, but because of the relatively depauperate condition of this gravel substrate they grow in, they seldom attain the size and sexual condition of other plants growing on slightly higher and more fertile ground , say about 2-3' above the river, blackish very fertile soil. These can be close to 6' tall. They bear thousands of blooms in season, and from the literature I read where the unopened blooms (blooms only!) used to be collected and cooked as food. Like the collection and use as food of the newly emerging leaves and blooms of Caladium bicolor, one has to live close by a huge wild population of either of these plants, and have a keen awareness of the ''seasons''/rainfall to be able to take advantage of collecting these food resources, available in only a small ''window' > ' of weather/opportunity. >Concerning the Anthuriums and other plants you seek, especially A. amnicola, if I were you I`d try contacting our friends in Hawaii (Windy Aubry comes to mind!), as this species was said to be very difficult to grow under most g/house conditions most of ''us'' would use. In Hawaii, the breeders got hold of this species, and they, probably having the $$, grew it like an aquatic, and it is a parent of MANY of the ''new'' Anthuriums sold commercially, ''Lady Jane'' comes to mind. I don`t know of anyone at present who may have this in his collection! Maybe someone will write in. >I THINK Dr. Croat had an article in an Aroideana one before the latest specially on this group of Anthuriums? Do you get Aroideana?? >I see in Deni Bown`s EXCELLENT book on ALL aroids, on pg. 158 she makes mention of several other Anthurium sps. which may be as good as A. amnicola for your methods, such as A sytsmae from Panama. >This has become too long a ''tome'' for aroid-l, so IF you`d like, more later re: your methods, size limitations because of size of Aquarium, etc., let me know! > >Good Growing, > >Julius Boos >WPB, FLORIDA. _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

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