The sap isn’t deadly to humans or animals, just very unpleasant. But those with pets or small children should keep these plants well out of nibbling range.įortunately, if one of your less cautious family members has eaten an Anthurium or Peace Lily leaf, they shouldn’t suffer any serious or lasting harm. This won’t be an issue as long as you use gloves when trimming the plant and don’t try to eat it. This chemical can irritate the skin, and if swallowed, it leads to nausea, difficulty swallowing, and a burning sensation in the mouth. Like many aroids, they produce calcium oxalate crystals in their leaves and sap. ![]() One other similarity to remember: both Peace Lilies and Anthuriums are mildly toxic. These plants have roots that require lots of oxygen, and they’ll fare poorly in a soggy, dense medium. These plants thrive in the same type of potting mix: a loose, well-draining blend of coarse ingredients. The similarities between Peace Lilies and Anthuriums extend below the surface. This makes them popular choices for adding a touch of greenery to a bathroom. Keep them in well-lit rooms but away from windows because the direct sun can cause color fading and sunburns.īoth plants prefer a similar temperature range – between 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit – and both like humid air. Growing ConditionsĪnthuriums and Peace Lilies both prefer indirect or filtered light in large quantities. They accomplish this by producing aerial roots, which help them cling to nearby objects and absorb moisture from the air. That means they can climb up other plants and forgo the soil entirely, getting all the water and nutrition they need from rain, vapor, and falling scraps of vegetation. Peace Lilies and Flamingo Flowers also remain in bloom for longer than most houseplants, typically around two months, and can produce blooms year-round in the right conditions.īoth Anthurium and Spathiphyllum sometimes live as epiphytes. ![]() The inflorescences produced by these two species don’t just look similar – they also behave in much the same way, appearing first as slender, tightly folded spears and opening wide as they mature. We’ll look at a few – though by no means all – of the things they have in common. These two types of plants are similar in many ways, and they occupy neighboring branches on the aroid family tree. Anthuriums are in this group as well, and so are many other well-loved houseplants, including Philodendrons, Monsteras, Arrowhead Vines, Pothos, and ZZ Plants.ĭon’t feel too bad if you assumed a Peace Lily was just a species of Anthurium with white flowers. Members of this family are often called aroids, and there are over three thousand of them. This setup – a large, bright spathe displaying a small, cylindrical spadix – is characteristic of the Araceae family of flowering plants. In essence, each bloom on a Peace Lily is cupping a whole bouquet of miniature flowers! The combined structure is called an inflorescence. The actual flowers are the small nubs covering the spike (called a spadix) that grows up in front of the spathe. The large white “petal” of a Peace Lily is actually a specialized leaf called a spathe – hence the Latin name for its genus, Spathiphyllum. ![]() The blooms of a Peace Lily bear a passing resemblance to the white flowers that appear in grocery stores during the Easter season, but their anatomy is wildly different. That distinction is reserved for members of the Liliaceae family, which includes classic species like the Madonna Lily and the Tiger Lily. Despite these cosmetic differences, however, these plants have near-identical care requirements.ĭespite the name, a Peace Lily isn’t what botanists would call a true lily. Anthurium leaves are more heart-shaped, and the colorful portion of the bloom tends to lay flatter, while the bright white spathe of a Peace Lily typically curves up like the hood of a cobra. You can spot some of the differences by inspecting the foliage and flowers. “Peace Lily” is the common name of the genus Spathiphyllum, while Anthuriums form a distinct genus of their own. ![]() Both are aroids – members of the Araceae family, which includes many popular houseplants. Are they different species? Or is Anthurium a lesser-known type of Peace Lily?Īnthurium and Peace Lily are different plants, though they are closely related in evolutionary terms. The striking blooms of Anthuriums and Peace Lilies are very similar in structure, with a bumpy central spike rising from the base of a single large petal, and both plants thrive in very similar growing conditions.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |