Anthurium plowmanii Care and Propagation Guide

The best Anthurium plowmanii care and propagation guide which gardeners can use to grow both indoor and outdoor Anthuriums. One of the most popular and eye-catching species in the aroid family is Anthurium plowmanii.

Anyone who has seen this plant growing and flowering will know why it is so popular. Common names: Guzman’s Virescence, Green Anthurium or Plowman’s anthurium. The latter name can be applied to several other species of Anthurium, but the species described here is anthurium plowmanii .

Anthurium plowmanii Facts

A. plowmanii is endemic to Panama and Costa Rica, where it prefers wet forests or rainforests at low elevations up to around 800 m (2600 feet). At the time of its discovery, in 1876 by John G. Andersson, this species was thought to be extinct.

In 1964 it was rediscovered in Costa Rica and it is now well known from several areas there. Anthurium plowmanii is also found in very small quantities in western Panama, but the populations are far too small for commercial export. Some botanists believe that Anthurium danae (a similar species) is the same as A. plowmanii .

Anthurium plowmanii Flowers

A. plowmanii is a medium-sized, terrestrial species with oval-shaped leaves which grow up to 25 cm (10 inches) long and are dark green in color. The petioles of this plant are a rusty red, and each leaf arises from a spadix on a short scape.

The flowers are also greenish-white with some purple at the base of the petals. These plants do flower sporadically through most of the year, but some clones seem to flower more frequently than others.

Anthurium plowmanii is closely related to A. andraeanum and A. camagueyanum , both of which can be found in Costa Rica and Panama as well, but neither one is as abundant as the other two we mentioned here.

The flowers of Anthurium plowmanii are relatively long-lasting compared to other anthurium species, which is a good thing as this plant does not have many leaves and therefore needs to rely on its flowers for most of the year.

Watering Anthurium plowmanii

As with all anthuriums, Anthurium plowmanii requires a wet growing environment and can even be grown in water. This is not one of the plants that you can neglect and expect the plant to remain healthy and flourishing.

Anthurium plowmanii Soil

There is some debate over whether or not the soil should be acidic or not, but most growers recommend between 5.5 and 6.5 on the pH scale. So, it is probably best to choose the middle ground of around 6 for growing this plant in soil.

Fertilizing Anthurium plowmanii

It is also important that Anthurium plowmanii is well-fed in order for it to flower successfully. Although you can grow this plant in a simple soil mixture of bark and peat moss, it will flower more abundantly if you add fertilizer to the potting media.

A liquid fertilizer such as fish emulsion is good for this plant because it can be applied near the roots.

Although Anthurium plowmanii can grow well on its own roots, it does better when it is grafted onto a rootstock of Anthurium crystallinum or A. andreanum. This will help increase the number of flowers that form.

Propagating Anthurium plowmanii

Anthurium plowmanii can be propagated from leaf cuttings and perhaps even from flower stalks with some care. It is also possible to divide mature clumps of this plant that have grown too large.

Anthurium plowmanii Diseases and Pests

Like most anthuriums, Anthurium plowmanii is susceptible to several diseases and pests, but none of them are life-threatening.

Anthurium plowmanii is susceptible to root rot, and it can also be affected by several other soil-based fungi as well. These infections can be treated with fungicidal drenches or sprays which can be bought at most local garden centers and nurseries.

Anthurium plowmanii can also attract aphids, mealybugs, and even spider mites, but these can be dealt with using insecticidal sprays which are widely available at most nurseries.

Anthurium plowmanii For Beginners

A. plowmanii is an ideal plant for beginning gardeners because it can be grown outdoors in mild climates, which makes this species easy to care for. They are also easy to cultivate indoors on windowsills, in greenhouses, or even outdoors in hanging baskets.

A. plowmanii is one of the easiest anthuriums to grow, but you must remember that it is a lowland species and therefore does not do well when exposed to temperatures that are too cold.

If you live in a cold area, then this is probably not the ideal plant for your garden or greenhouse. Anthurium plowmanii is a truly outstanding species of anthurium, but it cannot produce its many flowers without the proper growing conditions.

Anthurium plowmanii requires a lot of water, warmth, and humidity to grow its best and flower profusely. If you can provide these three necessities, then your plant will be happy and reward you with its beauty and abundance of flowers!