Anthurium dressleri
Panama to northwestern Colombia.
First described by Thomas B. Croat. (1978)
Compact dark velvety heart-shaped leaves with subdued to contrast veins, thick texture, and often ribbed or winged petioles.
Compact upright velvet Anthurium with leaves arising from a short stem; usually grown as a collector species rather than a beginner houseplant.
Named for Robert L. Dressler, botanist associated with tropical plant research.
Accepted Anthurium species. POWO lists it as an epiphyte from the wet tropical biome. In cultivation, “types” and locality/clone names should be handled separately rather than merged into the species row.
Best in steady warmth, high humidity, bright filtered light, and very airy moisture-retentive media. Avoid letting the root zone become cold, dense, or stagnant.
Repot only when needed into a chunky bark/perlite/coco or similar aroid mix. Keep the crown above the mix and avoid oversized pots.
Monthly at quarter to half strength during active growth. Flush occasionally if using mineral fertiliser.
- Leaf edge crisping in low humidity; root loss from stale wet media; cold stress; spider mites or thrips on tender new growth.
- A famous velvet Anthurium species that is heavily used in collector breeding, which is why “dressleri” appears in many hybrid names.