Re: anthuriums from ecuador

From: Riley2362 at aol.com on 2002.04.03 at 17:10:49(8439) Hi Tsuh Yang, A note on your Ecuadorean aroids from Ecuagenera. There are growers on this list who are far better qualified to answer your questions than I, but ... in their absence I'll contribute some thoughts. Although many of them are indigenous to higher altitudes in southern Ecuador, they are cultivated either in their 2300 meter nursery or the much lower altitude nursery in the Amazon basin. Both locations have very high humidity, relative to your apartment, and the main variance is in temperature. They cultivate many of the aroids at lower elevations because they grow faster and require little maintenance, even when they are originally from higher elevations. Only a few, like the "black anthurrium" really require cooler temperatures, at least seasonally which is why that one seems tricky to grow. The A. veitchii and A. warocqueanum that I am growing from there are both growing in a 65-85 temperature range and seem happy with the moderate h! umidity as long as their feet are constantly moist in long fiber sphagnum. They do seem to depend on their basal roots more than one might expect for epiphytes so do not let them dry out. Anyone in the Chicago area might want to visit Ecuagenera at the Illinois Orchid Society show at the botanic garden 12-15 April. Several of the orchid growers bring "other" plant material with them for display and sale (we are slowly breaking them down!). Cheers - Michael Riley

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