Viejo

Anthurium Viejo Enigma.

This Anthurium Viejo Enigma (papillilaminum ‘FS’ x crystallinum ex-Antioqua) is without a doubt one of the most rewarding plants I’ve grown. This plant is another exhibit in my case for “why the days of needing to collect wild origin clones is over”. See my Hybrid Hype Man blog for more on this subject if you want. Do all Viejo Enigmas look like this? Probably not. However Mr. Vannini (the breeder) selects very uniform plants to offer commercially, see image at end of this note for an example of the seed grown material. The emergent leaves harden to the most rich burgundy-chocolate. This plant will also make you a proud plant breeder yourself if you’d like. I’ve set seed on this plant twice successfully producing Arthurium One & Beta. This plant also holds its own in the grow tent where it sits right next to several clonal- crosses of pure papillilaminum and a killer Anthurium luxurians. Anytime a non-plant person comes to check out the collection they always ask about this Anthurium Viejo Enigma growing here.

I think the plant we have here is exceptional but I don’t think it is an outlier. I predict several nice examples will emerge from this seed -batch. If you’re reading this and know of a collector growing Anthurium Viejo Enigma I’d love to see it. For now what I can say is that I love this particular plant and I’m excited to be using it as a breeding plant for my first Arthruium creations. I’m beyond stoked that soon I will be seeing some of this Viejo’s offspring out in the world and I will definitely be creating a showcase for everyone’s Arthurium pics here in the notes.

PARENTAGE.

Anthurium Viejo Enigma is a hybrid created by Jay Vannini using Anthurium papillilaminum ‘Ft Sherman’ as a seed parent and Anthurium crystallinum ex-Antioquia as a pollen parent.

Established offset of the original Anthurium papillilaminum ‘Ft Sherman’. Recently added to our indoor collection here in N.C.

My (F1)Anthurium crystallinum ex-Antioquia

Taking Viejo outside

CARE:

Tent: ACinfinty 10’x5’ gown tent

Lights: full spectrum LED light board (im not tagging a brand here bc I haven’t seen one yet to last longer than 18mos in 80% humidity)

Light strength: this plant can take “brighter” conditions getting 450fc 18/day

Substrate: lechuza pon

Planter: leuchuza self watering cube

Fertilizers: k-lite 1 x month. All our plants get a blend of nutrients that promote slow and steady, DARK growth. Including: kelp, bloom booster, calMag, chelated iron, dolomitic lime, and encapsulated gypsum. These kind of nutrients need to be carefully added and used sparsely in our experience. Do not go buy all that stuff and throw it at your plants. I’m here to share my experience with you if you reach out.

Emerging leaf on my Viejo Enigma growing indoors here in N.C.

Anthurium Viejo Enigma seedling that was offered in our shop. These are very consistent at this size; I can’t wait to see some mature examples other are growing.