Anthurium "Oaxaca"

For years, I had absolutely no idea what variety this is.  I purchased it in a small roadside mercado in the outskirts of Oaxaca in December, 1979.  Most of the specimens they had were far too big to import.  This one was an offset they were willing to uproot and prepare for me.  It has grown quite well and is now about 4 feet high. 

It flowers consistently and has been virtually indestructible compared to so many other Anthurium.  Despite drought (I forget to water), bugs (spider mite world wars as well as mealy bug), too little light (my unlit drafty basement for 6 weeks during construction) cold (why can't I take it out during Long Island's April?) the plant appears to recover any insult I can hurl at it.  In all honesty I did manage to kill one once.  I left it out and the overnight temperature was in the low 20s.  I can't guarantee this but highly suspect that freezing solid is not good for an Anthurium.   

I received email from someone suggesting the heritage of the plant.  It was tentatively identified as Anthurium.x ferrierense, a cross between ornatum and andreanum.   There certainly are some similarities with some of the photos I was able to find of that on the web - but there are differences too.  The leaves appear to be considerably larger in respects to the flower size, the spathe appears to be more upright, the spadix is pink rather than yellow.  Granted, these could be clone differences - or else this isn't that plant.  Hopefully, the undisputed Anthurium expert will have a definitive ID once his specimen blooms.  It may well be an as yet unidentified species.

In 2002 I submitted the plant to a tissue culture firm in Florida.  It was slow going at first but they did manage to establish a culture and have distributed the plant under the name Anthurium "Oaxaca".  One specimen in their greenhouse is approximately 6 feet high with inflorescences 6-8 inches in height.

In early 2008, it was available for sale on Ebay.  Friends in Florida have successfully grown it as a landscape plant.   During the 2008-09 winter, Sarasota temperatures dropped to 29°F one night.  The Anthurium andreanum in that yard were showing frost damage.  The two "Oaxaca" in my friend's yard survived unscathed.

These photos are a bit grainy having been taken with a nearly first generation digital camera back in 1999.  I have yet to learn if this is an unknown cross or an as yet unnamed species.

click the images for close-ups of the flower.