Anthurium crystallinum 'Silver Blush' - 12cm pot / 25cm
Anthurium crystallinum 'Silver Blush' looks like someone took a velvet heart and got dangerously enthusiastic with the silver pen. Honestly, I support the decision.
The silver spreads around the veins in broad, luminous washes, sitting against deep green foliage with that soft, sumptuous Anthurium finish. Turn the leaf towards the light and the pattern takes on a completely different mood. This is a plant you end up looking at from several angles while pretending you're doing something useful.
The crystallinum species comes from Panama and Colombia, where it grows in wet tropical forest, including on trees. 'Silver Blush' brings the collector's attention right down to the surface of the leaf: the contrast, the veining, the way a fresh leaf slowly expands and settles into its colour.
I would give it a warm, gently lit spot beside something dark and glossy, then watch the silver absolutely steal the scene. A beautiful choice for anyone building a collection around extraordinary foliage.
A bouquet lasts a week. I'd rather adopt a plant that keeps making these.
