painter's-palette (Anthurium andraeanum) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Painter's-palette is a tropical evergreen plant from Colombia and Ecuador, grown in the United States as a houseplant and cut flower. The glossy, heart-shaped part that looks like a flower is a modified leaf, and the tiny flowers grow on the straight spike at its center. Painter's-palette is also called flamingo flower.

Appearance

Appearance: It is an evergreen perennial and that commonly grows 1–1.5 ft (30–45 cm) tall in a pot. Its dark green leaves are glossy, heart-shaped, and can reach 8–12 in (20–30 cm) long.
Flowers: The wide, waxy surrounds a straight cream or white covered with tiny true flowers. With good indoor care, it can bloom several times during the year, and each display may last about four weeks.
Fruit: It can make elongated fleshy berries, but indoor plants rarely fruit.

Look-alikes

pigtail plantAnthurium scherzerianum

Painter's-palette usually has a straight spadix. Pigtail plant (Anthurium scherzerianum) has a curled or corkscrew-like spadix, narrower leaves, and a smaller overall form.

Why they get mixed upBoth are popular houseplants with colorful spathes and a prominent central spadix.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: humid tropical forest
warm indoor rooms
greenhouses
Range: It is native to Colombia and Ecuador. In the United States it is grown mainly indoors, though it can live outdoors year-round in the warmest parts of the country ( 11–12).
Preferred conditions: Give it bright indirect light, warm temperatures, high humidity, and moist but well-drained potting mix. Direct sun can scorch the leaves.

Growing it

Care: Keep it around 65–80°F (18–27°C) and water when the top 1 in (2.5 cm) of mix feels dry. Cold drafts and waterlogged soil can damage it.
Propagation: It can be propagated by division or stem cuttings.
Toxicity: All parts contain . Chewing can cause mouth pain, swelling, drooling, and trouble swallowing, while sap can irritate skin and eyes; keep it away from children and pets.

Name and classification

Varieties and forms: Cultivars offer red, pink, orange, white, green, and multicolored spathes. Florist anthuriums include cultivars derived from this species as well as hybrids with other Anthurium species.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: The name painter's-palette refers to the broad, flat spathe.

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