Anthurium pallidifibrum Croat

• Genus: Anthurium
• Botanical Background: Described by Adolf Engler in 1898 (Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 25:395). Later reviewed in Croat’s 1986 monograph of Anthurium sect. Leptanthurium.

• Geographical Range: Found in western Ecuador’s subtropical and tropical moist forests.
• Environment: Grows as an epiphyte in humid understory with dappled light on humus-rich substrates. Native temperatures range 15–24 °C; relative humidity often exceeds 70 %.

Leaves

• Long, lanceolate, strap-shaped leaves to 60 cm
• Subcoriaceous, matte-subvelvety dark green above, paler below
• Midrib convex

Inflorescence (Spadix & Spathe)

• Slender pale spadix (10–15 cm) subtended by a narrow green spathe
• Scent mild
• Pollination typically by small beetles and flies

Growth Habit

• Primarily epiphytic with short internodes and creeping rhizome

• Occasionally terrestrial

Light Requirements

• Bright, indirect light

• Avoid direct sun to prevent leaf scorch

Watering & Humidity

• Water when top 2–3 cm of mix dries

• Maintain 50–70 % indoor humidity or higher for optimal growth

Soil & Potting Mix

• Use a humus-rich, well‑draining mix (peat‑based or sphagnum moss with orchid bark)

Temperature & Fertilizer

• Daytime 20–28 °C (68–82 °F), nighttime 15–22 °C (59–72 °F)
• Feed biweekly with balanced liquid fertilizer in spring and summer, monthly in winter

Division and Cuttings

• Propagate by rhizome division or stem cuttings taken below a node
• Ensure each piece has roots and at least one growth point

Seeds

• Seed viability declines after harvest

• Best sown fresh or stored in damp paper towel for up to four weeks

• Germination takes 1–3 weeks on moist sphagnum moss or sterile soilless mix

• Maintain warm, humid conditions

Typical Issues

• Seed viability declines after harvest
• Best sown fresh or stored in damp paper towel for up to four weeks
• Germination takes 1–3 weeks on moist sphagnum moss or sterile soilless mix
• Maintain warm, humid conditions

Treatment Recommendations

• Treat soft insects with insecticidal soap or neem/horticultural oil
• Use miticides for spider mites
• Trim rotten roots and repot to resolve root rot

• Epithet “pallidiflorum” refers to its pale spadix
• Provides microhabitat and food for rainforest insects and small fauna

• Prized for its velvety strap leaves and relative rarity

• Featured in specialist collections and terrariums

Wild Population Status

• IUCN lists as Least Concern (2003)
• Predicted to be threatened by habitat loss (AERP, 2024)

Market Availability

• Moderately rare in cultivation
• Often sold out at specialist nurseries and available via tissue culture or seed