Anthurium metallicum

Metallic Anthurium

Wild SpeciesVery Rare Species
££££ · CollectorVery LowColombia to Ecuador (humid tropical forest, epiphytic)
Metallic Anthurium

Morphology

leaf ShapeElongated, narrowly cordate to lanceolate, peltate attachment
leaf Length30-60 cm
leaf Width12-28 cm
petiole ColorSlender, green
venationStrong midrib with prominent pale primary veins giving metallic contrast
textureVelvety with metallic sheen
variegationNone
growth HabitCompact epiphyte with short internodes and modest aerial roots

About

Anthurium metallicum, described by N.E. Brown, is a rare epiphytic or hemiepiphytic Anthurium from the humid shaded forests of Colombia and Ecuador. What distinguishes it immediately is the extraordinary metallic quality of the leaf surface — elongated, narrowly cordate to lanceolate blades of velvety dark green, with a strong midrib and prominent pale primary veins creating a luminous, almost burnished contrast against the dark lamina. The leaves attach with a peltate base, adding to the architectural drama. Short internodes and modest aerial roots keep the plant compact, and new growth often emerges with a distinct metallic sheen before darkening. Among the velvet anthuriums, metallicum holds a reputation for being simultaneously one of the most visually stunning and one of the most difficult to source.

Climate Profile

OriginColombia to Ecuador (humid tropical forest, epiphytic)
HumidityVery high humidity (80-90%)
Temperature18-27°C
LightLow to medium indirect light
FamilyAraceae
GenusAnthurium

Market Analysis & Price Guide

Historical auction metrics and live online retailer listings updated weekly.

AA PriceEstimate
£300+
No price data — rarity tier shown above
Retail Price
Not tracked
Not currently stocked by tracked UK retailers
Market Trend
Price direction over the last 90 days

How prices are calculated: The AA Price uses verified eBay UK completed auction data — we take the trimmed mean (removing the top and bottom 20% of prices) to produce a fair-value guide that excludes outlier sales. When recent auction data is unavailable, the AA Price falls back to the current UK retail average from tracked stockists. Retail prices are scraped from active UK plant shop listings and reflect what you would pay buying directly from a retailer today. All prices are in GBP and updated automatically.

No eBay auction history available yet for this plant. Data is collected automatically as sales appear on eBay UK.

Field Notes · Vol. 119 July 2021

The Weight of a Name

There are plants that earn their names immediately upon first sight, and *Anthurium metallicum* is emphatically one of them. That surface — dark velvety green with a pale primary venation that catches the light like hammered pewter — stops you completely. The peltate leaf attachment is an additional curiosity, lending the whole plant a slightly otherworldly quality, as if it belongs to some alternate evolutionary timeline. Native to Colombia and Ecuador, it lives epiphytically in humid shaded forest, doing its best impression of something jewelled and ancient. Sourcing one took the better part of a year and the goodwill of a contact in Bogotá. Worth every moment of waiting.

Written at AroidAtlas research station— Aroid Aaron

Quick Facts

growth HabitEpiphytic to hemiepiphytic, compact
mature SizeMedium (40-70 cm)
lightLow to medium indirect light
humidityVery high humidity (80-90%)
temperature18-27°C
difficultyAdvanced
growth SpeedSlow
View Care Guide
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