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Hand Book (Flower Growing

Technology)
Anthuriums are tropical plants of great beauty and grown either for the
showy cut-flowers or for their unusually attractive foliage. They are very
popular with flower arrangers because of the bold effect and lasting
qualities of flowers when cut. These contribute to the elegance and
attractiveness which are the prerequisites for a quality design. Provided
they are given the right greenhouse conditions they are easy enough to
grow.
The name anthurium is derived from the Green anthos, flower, and oura,
tail, referring to the spadix. These evergreen plants are native to
Colombia, Peru, Central and South America. Brazil and Venezuela and
have been grown in England since the early nineteenth century.
Anthurium is one of the Hawaii's principal cut-flower exports. There are
nearly 200 growers cultivating over 250 acres under natural and
artificial shade.
Morphology and Classification
Anthuriums are perennial plants with creeping, climbing, assurgent or
arborescent stems. Leaves variable, evergreen, net-veined, with a
prominent mid-nerve and lateral nerves, and a well defined nerve at or
near the margin. The hermaphrodite flowers which are small and
insignificant are densely packed on a clyindrical spadix subtended in
large heart-shaped spathe. The spathe may either be flat or slightly
undulated ending with a pointed tip. Spathe and in many cases spadix
are brilliantly coloured ranging from scarlet, red, salmon, orange, pink
to white. Ovary 2-called with 1-2 ovules. Fruits berry.
The genus Anthuriums belongs to the family Araceae. It seems to fall
naturally into two sections or groups, viz. foliage and flowering.
Although most anthuriums flowers, those of the foliage group have
large handsome velvety leaves, may bear conspicuous unattractive
flowers, while those in the flowering group have remarkably showy
spathes and spadices but less handsome foliage.
Species and Cultivars
SPECIES
The genus Anthurium consists of some 500-600 known species, though
there are probably not more than fifty in cultivation and perhaps not
more than ten or fifteen known to the trade. Some of the important
cultivated species belonging to both flowering and foliage groups are
mentioned below.
FLOWERING GROUP
Anthurium andreanum, A. bakeri, A. brownii, A. X ferrierence. A.
ornatum, A. regale, A. regnellianum, A. robustum, A. scherzerianum.
FOLIAGE GROUP
A. clarinervium, A.corrugatum, A. crystallinum, A. holtoniamum, A.
leuconerum, A. magnificum, A. panduratum, A. papilionensis, A.
splendidum, A. veitchii and A. warocqueanum.
Among the various species, A andreanum and A. scherzerianum are
cultivated extensively for the production of flowers. The characteristic
features of these two species are given below.
Anthurium andreanum : Oil cloth flower, Tail flower, Painter's palette
An erect plant with oblong heart shaped leaves, 20-35 cm long and 15-
20 cm wide. The spathe is heart shaped, lacquered reddish orange or
scarlet, 10-15 cm long with a yellow and white pendent spadix. It is
suitable for greenhouse and is widely grown for its handsome foliage
and coloured spathe.
A. scherzerianum : Flamingo flower, flame plant.
The better known and more compact plant with narrow leaves, 15-20
cm long and 4.6-6.6 cm wide. The ovate spathe is brilliant scarlet, white
and spirally twisted spadix is golden yellow. It flowers chiefly from
February to July and needs keeping moist. This is a popular house plant
of the genus.
CULTIVARS
The present day flowering anthuriums are mostly hybrids of different
species, involving mainly A. andreanum and A. scherzerianum.
Price: Rs. 1,000.00 Availability: In Stock
ISBN Number: 8186732721 Writer: EIRI
Board Publisher: ENGINEERS INDIA
RES. INSTITUTE