Full Specimen Plate
Anthurium watermaliense
Black Anthurium
Quick Facts
Morphology
About
Anthurium watermaliense is grown less for its foliage than for its flower — a deeply lobed, glossy dark green leaf sets off a spathe so deeply pigmented it reads as near-black, giving rise to its "Black Anthurium" common name. It is a terrestrial to hemiepiphytic cloud-forest species from Colombia and Ecuador, and while it can be grown for foliage alone, most collectors seek it out specifically for a mature specimen in bloom.
Native Range
Colombia
Market Analysis
Auction History & Retail Data
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Before You Buy
Species-specific things to check when evaluating a listing
- Check root health — firm, white to tan roots, avoiding black or mushy ones
- If buying for the flower, confirm with the seller whether the plant has bloomed before, since juvenile plants may not flower for years
- Inspect leaf undersides for scale and mealybugs
Propagation Guide
Growing More Plants
6-12 months
Cultivar character is preserved through vegetative cuttings
Divide established clumps at the root mass; seed-grown plants take considerably longer to reach flowering size.
Care Guide
Growing Conditions
Chunky, highly aerated aroid mix: 40% orchid bark, 30% perlite, 20% potting compost, 10% charcoal.
Keep lightly moist; avoid letting the substrate dry out completely between waterings.
65-85% preferred — a cloud-forest species that struggles in dry indoor air.
Balanced liquid fertiliser at quarter strength every 4 weeks in spring and summer.
Every 18-24 months, or when roots fill the pot.
Common Problems
No flowering
Plant is immature, or insufficient light/nutrients
Mature plants need several years and consistently good light/feeding to reach flowering size
Brown leaf edges
Low humidity
Increase ambient humidity — this species is more humidity-sensitive than common Anthurium hybrids
Bought for the Bloom
Watermaliense is unusual among collector Anthuriums in that the point of the plant is arguably its flower rather than its foliage — that near-black spathe is genuinely striking and the reason the species commands the prices it does. Patience is required; a juvenile plant purchased for foliage alone may take years to reach blooming maturity.