Anthurium gracile
Trinidad to Central and South Tropical America.
First described by Rudge ex John Lindley. (1834)
Relatively narrow, simple green leaves on slender stems; mature inflorescences can produce attractive red berries.
Small to medium epiphytic Anthurium with a finer, more open habit than the large bird’s-nest or velvet species.
gracile means slender or graceful.
Accepted Anthurium species. POWO lists it as an epiphytic subshrub from the wet tropical biome. It is grown more for its delicate habit and bright red berries than huge leaves.
Use a small pot or mount-style airy mix and avoid keeping it soggy. Bright filtered light and humidity help it grow and fruit well.
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.
- Drying too hard in tiny pots; root rot if kept dense and wet; missed watering during hot weather; pests hiding around inflorescences.
- Often appreciated for its strings of red berries, which is a nice change from the usual “look at my giant leaf” Anthurium drama.