Anthurium

Botanical name           : Anthurium andreanum

Origin                                     : South America

Introduction

Anthurium botanically discribes as an erect plant with lobed,

heart shaped leaves.The inconspicuous flower is hermaphroditic

with a two carpel led ovary and four anthers. The sepals and petals

are rudim entary. The stigma appears as a rounded protuberance on

the Spadix when it is mature.

The major factors contributing to the success of Anthuriums as a cut

flower crop are wide adapfability in floral decorations, the flowers are

long lasting. They are exotic and tropical in origin.

Varieties

sweet heart                 Miringi

Ivary                            pink champion

Piuroi                        Robino

Cocacola                    white champion

Paradiso                    Rapido

Avored                      Caranaval

Eternity                     Choco

Crimson red              Terra

Fantasia                     Safari

Midori                       Tropical

Climate

Anthurium grows from sea level up to about 4000 feet elevation under warm and mild temperatures in the wet zone. The most suitable areas are in the mid-century where the temperatures are mild. Plants prefer a high humidity for vigorous growth,70% is ideal.

Growing medium

Any one of the following mixture can be used

(a)  Leaf mould – 2 parts

Cattle manure – 1 part

                Sand – ½ part

(b) Coir fiber dust – 2 parts

        Cattle manure – 1 part

                   Sand – ½ part

(c)  Pieces of coconut – 2 parts

Cattle manure – 1 part

Sand – ½ part

(d) Weed shavings – 2 parts

Cattle manure – 1 part

Sand – ½ part

Propagation methods

By stem cutting, auxiliary shoots,seeds.

Propagation by seeds

 

Pollination is done when the spadix secretes a viscid substance and becomes stockly to the touch. This is usually happen about 7-10 days after the spathe unfurls. Young flowers with spathe still unfurled are coveredwith polythene bags to prevent contamination.poller from another desirable loweris obtained and pollination is accomplished around 10.00am by rubbing the pollen on the sticky spadix with the help of a camel hairbrush or with the fingers . this process may have to be repeated daily for a few days if all the flowers in the spadix are to be effectively pollinated. After pollination, the polythene bag should be repplaced.

If pollination and fertilization are succesful , the spadex begins to  fhicken gradually and take on a warty apperance. The berries take about 5-6 months to reach maturity. Mature berries are either yellow or orange in colour and they protrued from the spadix, each berry has one or two seeds embedded in a gelationus sap.

Anthurium seed planting

The ripe berries are collected and the seeds are extracted by gently pressing the berries in water. They are washed in servel changes of water and are immersed in a dilture solution of potasium permanganate  for  a few minutes . Sowing is carried out immediately after this treatment.

A shallow  pot or seed pan is carefully prepared for seed sowing a layer of crocks  is placed at a bottom of the pan followed by a layer of decaying leaves the  pan is now filled with an anthurium potting mixture leaving a space of about one inch from the top of the pan.

The potting mixture is firmed and leveled with a piece of plant . on this ,a a harf inch- inch layer of small brick pieces and charcoal in equal prooporation in spread. Seeds are sown thinly on this layer. The pan is now kept in a shallo receptacle of water and kept under relatively heavy shades.

Seeds will commence germination  almost immediately after sowing  when the seedlings have prroduced about two leaves each the pan may be removed from  the receptable containing water and thereafter the seedlings are wateredin the normal way.

Four or six months after sowing , the seedlings are pricked out into individual polythene bags or transplanted 2 to 3 inches, apart in beds containing a suitable anthurium compost mixture . seedlings in seed  pans polythene bags and in beds  bay be fed with a suitable liquid fertlizer . urea is also a very good stimulant for young seedlings.

 

Pest and diseases

pest	Crop parts	Control method
Leaf  eating caterpillars	Sedlings adult leaves flowers	Spraying D.D.T 50 percent water wettable powder
Slugs and snails	Sedlings adult leaves	Methaldehyde mixed with rice barn
White ants	_	Pouring a solution of intox 8 into the soil
Mites	leaves	Spraying mixture of diazinon 60% and thiovit of water
Mealy bugs and scales	_	Spraying diazinon 60 malathion 50% or E.C
Sucking bugs	Suck leaves	Spraying malathion

Shade 

For optimum performance, shade levels ranging from 60 to 75 percent are recommended.

Factors to decide harvesting flowers

1.     The flower stalk just below the point of attachment  to the spathe must be hard like wire

2.     At the time of harvest the spadix should have pased the stickly stage in part of full.

3.     The spathe should be strong and should have gronn to it full from and size.