Anthurium scherzerianum
Costa Rica.
First described by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott. (1857)
Narrow to lance-shaped glossy leaves with colourful spathes and a distinctive curled, pigtail-like spadix.
Compact upright subshrub/epiphyte that can form a neat leafy clump in cultivation.
Named for Karl von Scherzer, Austrian explorer and naturalist.
Accepted Anthurium species. POWO lists it as a subshrub or epiphyte from the wet tropical biome. It is notable for the curled or spiral spadix.
Keep warm with bright filtered light and good humidity. Water when the upper mix begins to dry, but keep roots airy rather than wet and heavy.
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.
- Poor flowering in low light; root rot from overwatering; cold damage; leaf spotting if kept wet and stagnant.
- The curled spadix makes this species easy to recognise compared with the straighter-spadix florist Anthuriums.