Family: Araceae

Anthurium warocqueanum is an epiphytic creeper native to Columbia. It is known as a popular, but notoriously difficult to care for house plant. There are no reports of invasiveness or naturalization with this plant so far. However, it is able to grow in many elevational ranges and thrives in tropical climates, making it very suitable for Hawaiʻi’s environment. It also is unpalatable to animals due to the calcium oxalate crystals it contains. Lastly, it spreads easily vegetatively and by seed, all of which create risk of the plant naturalizing and becoming invasive.

High Risk Traits:

• Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Unpalatable to animals
  
• Contains calcium oxalate crystals; potentially toxic to animals and people if ingested
  
• Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by offsets
  
• Self-fertile
  
• Seeds dispersed by birds and people

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of invasiveness or naturalization to date
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Seeds recalcitrant, and not likely to form a persistent seed bank