Aphelandra: A Plant Collector’s Dream
My name is Ferb Vu, and I’ve always been drawn to the vibrant and unique in the natural world. That’s why I find myself captivated by the genus Aphelandra, a group of flowering plants that truly stand out. Native to the tropical regions of the Americas, these evergreen shrubs bring a touch of the exotic to any plant collection.
Why I Love Aphelandra
What strikes me most about Aphelandra is the bold, graphic quality of their foliage. The large, simple leaves often feature striking white or silver veins that create a mesmerizing contrast against the deep green. It’s like Mother Nature herself took a paintbrush to these leaves, creating living works of art. And then there are the flowers. Held in magnificent spikes or clusters, they come in a dazzling array of colors – fiery reds, sunny yellows, and vibrant oranges. These blooms add a joyful burst of color that can brighten even the gloomiest day.
But it’s not just their beauty that fascinates me. Aphelandra species also boast a rich history of ethnobotanical use. Some have been traditionally employed for their medicinal properties, while others have played a role in local customs and traditions. This connection to human history adds another layer of intrigue to these already captivating plants.
A Diverse Genus
The genus Aphelandra is surprisingly diverse, encompassing over 200 recognized species. Each one possesses its own unique charm and characteristics. Here are:
- Aphelandra acanthifolia Hook.
- Aphelandra acanthus Nees
- Aphelandra acrensis Lindau
- Aphelandra albert-smithii Leonard
- Aphelandra albinotata Wassh.
- Aphelandra alexandri Leonard
- Aphelandra ameleta Leonard
- Aphelandra anderssonii Wassh.
- Aphelandra antioquiensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra apecoi R.Villanueva, Rob.Fernández & Pillaca
- Aphelandra arborea (Mill.) M.R.Almeida
- Aphelandra arisema Leonard
- Aphelandra aristei Leonard
- Aphelandra arnoldii Mildbr.
- Aphelandra attenuata Wassh.
- Aphelandra aucayacuensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra aurantiaca (Scheidw.) Lindl.
- Aphelandra azuayensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra bahiensis (Nees) Wassh.
- Aphelandra barkleyi Leonard
- Aphelandra benoistii Wassh.
- Aphelandra blanchetiana (Nees) Hook.f.
- Aphelandra blandii Lindau
- Aphelandra botanodes Leonard
- Aphelandra boyacensis Leonard
- Aphelandra bradeana Rizzini
- Aphelandra campanensis Durkee
- Aphelandra campii Wassh.
- Aphelandra caput-medusae Lindau
- Aphelandra castanifolia Britton ex Rusby
- Aphelandra chamissoniana Nees
- Aphelandra chaponensis Leonard
- Aphelandra chrysantha Wassh.
- Aphelandra cinnabarina Wassh.
- Aphelandra cirsioides Lindau
- Aphelandra claussenii Wassh.
- Aphelandra colombiensis Lindau ex Leonard
- Aphelandra colorata (Vell.) Wassh.
- Aphelandra conformis Leonard
- Aphelandra crenata Leonard
- Aphelandra crispata Leonard
- Aphelandra cuatrecasasii Leonard
- Aphelandra cuscoensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra darienensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra dasyantha Wassh.
- Aphelandra davidsonii Wassh.
- Aphelandra decorata (Nees) Wassh.
- Aphelandra diachyla Leonard
- Aphelandra dielsii Mildbr.
- Aphelandra diffusa Wassh.
- Aphelandra dodsonii Wassh.
- Aphelandra dolichantha Donn.Sm.
- Aphelandra dukei Wassh.
- Aphelandra dunlapiana Standl. & L.O.Williams
- Aphelandra elata (Lindau) McDade & E.A.Tripp
- Aphelandra encarnacionii Wassh.
- Aphelandra espinosae Wassh.
- Aphelandra espirito-santensis Profice & Wassh.
- Aphelandra euopla Leonard
- Aphelandra eurystoma Mildbr.
- Aphelandra fasciculata Wassh.
- Aphelandra fernandezii Leonard
- Aphelandra ferreyrae Wassh.
- Aphelandra flava Nees
- Aphelandra formosa (Bonpl.) Nees
- Aphelandra galba Wassh.
- Aphelandra garciae Leonard
- Aphelandra gigantea (Rizzini) Profice
- Aphelandra gigantiflora Lindau
- Aphelandra glabrata Willd. ex Nees
- Aphelandra golfodulcensis McDade
- Aphelandra goodspeedii Standl. & F.A.Barkley
- Aphelandra gracilis Leonard
- Aphelandra grangeri Leonard
- Aphelandra grazielae Profice
- Aphelandra guayasii Wassh.
- Aphelandra guerrerensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra gunnarii Wassh.
- Aphelandra hapala Wassh.
- Aphelandra harleyi Wassh.
- Aphelandra harlingii Wassh.
- Aphelandra hartwegiana Nees ex Benth.
- Aphelandra haughtii Leonard
- Aphelandra heydeana Donn.Sm.
- Aphelandra hieronymi Griseb.
- Aphelandra hintonii Wassh.
- Aphelandra hirta (Klotzsch) Wassh.
- Aphelandra huilensis Leonard
- Aphelandra hylaea Leonard
- Aphelandra hymenobracteata Profice
- Aphelandra impressa Lindau
- Aphelandra inaequalis Lindau
- Aphelandra jacobinioides Lindau
- Aphelandra juninensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra killipii Leonard
- Aphelandra kingii Wassh.
- Aphelandra knappiae Wassh.
- Aphelandra kolobantha Lindau
- Aphelandra kuna T.F.Daniel & McDade
- Aphelandra lamprantha Leonard
- Aphelandra lasia Leonard
- Aphelandra lasiandra (Mildbr.) McDade & E.A.Tripp
- Aphelandra lasiophylla Leonard
- Aphelandra latibracteata Wassh.
- Aphelandra lawranceae Leonard
- Aphelandra laxa Durkee
- Aphelandra leonardii McDade
- Aphelandra liboniana Jacob-Makoy
- Aphelandra lilacina C.Ezcurra
- Aphelandra limbatifolia Lindau
- Aphelandra lineariloba Leonard
- Aphelandra lingua-bovis Leonard
- Aphelandra longiflora (Lindl.) Profice
- Aphelandra loxensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra luyensis Lindau
- Aphelandra lyrata Nees
- Aphelandra macrophylla Leonard
- Aphelandra macrosiphon Lindau
- Aphelandra macrostachya Nees
- Aphelandra maculata (Tafalla ex Nees) Voss
- Aphelandra madrensis Lindau
- Aphelandra margaritae É.Morren
- Aphelandra marginata Nees & Mart.
- Aphelandra martiusii Wassh.
- Aphelandra maximiliana (Nees) Benth. ex Lindau
- Aphelandra merelloae T.F.Daniel & McPherson
- Aphelandra micans Moritz ex Vatke
- Aphelandra mildbraediana Leonard
- Aphelandra modesta (Mildbr.) Wassh.
- Aphelandra molinae T.F.Daniel
- Aphelandra mollis (Nees) Leonard
- Aphelandra mollissima Wassh.
- Aphelandra montis-scalaris Lindau ex Pilg.
- Aphelandra mucronata (Ruiz & Pav.) Nees
- Aphelandra neesiana Wassh.
- Aphelandra neillii Wassh.
- Aphelandra nemoralis Nees
- Aphelandra nitida Nees & Mart.
- Aphelandra nuda Nees
- Aphelandra obtusa (Nees) Wassh.
- Aphelandra obtusifolia (Nees) Wassh.
- Aphelandra ornata (Nees) T.Anderson
- Aphelandra panamensis McDade
- Aphelandra parviflora Leonard
- Aphelandra parvispica Leonard
- Aphelandra paulensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra pepe-parodii Wassh.
- Aphelandra peruviana Wassh.
- Aphelandra phaina Wassh.
- Aphelandra pharangophila Leonard
- Aphelandra phlogea Leonard
- Aphelandra phrynioides Lindau
- Aphelandra pilosa Leonard
- Aphelandra pinarotricha Leonard
- Aphelandra plowmanii Wassh.
- Aphelandra porphyrocarpa Leonard
- Aphelandra prismatica (Vell.) Hiern
- Aphelandra puberula Leonard
- Aphelandra pulcherrima (Jacq.) Kunth
- Aphelandra pumila G.Nicholson
- Aphelandra quadrifaria Leonard
- Aphelandra reticulata Wassh.
- Aphelandra rigida Glaz. ex Mildbr.
- Aphelandra rosulata (Lindau) Wassh.
- Aphelandra rubra Wassh.
- Aphelandra rugosa R.Villanueva, Rob.Fernández & Pillaca
- Aphelandra runcinata Klotzsch ex Nees
- Aphelandra rusbyi Britton ex Rusby
- Aphelandra scabra (Vahl) Sm.
- Aphelandra schiedeana Schltdl. & Cham.
- Aphelandra schieferae Leonard
- Aphelandra schottiana (Nees) Profice
- Aphelandra schunkei Wassh.
- Aphelandra scolnikiae Leonard
- Aphelandra seibertii Leonard
- Aphelandra sericantha Leonard
- Aphelandra silvicola Leonard
- Aphelandra sinclairiana Nees
- Aphelandra speciosa Brandegee
- Aphelandra stephanophysa Nees
- Aphelandra steyermarkii Wassh.
- Aphelandra stipulacea (Lindau) McDade & E.A.Tripp
- Aphelandra storkii Leonard
- Aphelandra straminea Leonard
- Aphelandra sulphurea Hook.f.
- Aphelandra superba Lindau
- Aphelandra taborensis Leonard
- Aphelandra terryae Standl.
- Aphelandra tetroicia Wassh.
- Aphelandra tillettii Wassh.
- Aphelandra tomentosa Lindau
- Aphelandra tonduzii Leonard
- Aphelandra trianae Leonard
- Aphelandra trichota Leonard
- Aphelandra tridentata Hemsl.
- Aphelandra tumbecensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra variegata C.Morel ex Planch.
- Aphelandra villonacensis Wassh.
- Aphelandra viscosa Mildbr.
- Aphelandra vitellina (Lindau) McDade & E.A.Tripp
- Aphelandra wasshausenii Profice
- Aphelandra weberbaueri Mildbr.
- Aphelandra wendtii T.F.Daniel
- Aphelandra wurdackii Wassh.
- Aphelandra xanthantha Leonard
- Aphelandra zamorensis Wassh.
Growing and Caring for Aphelandra
While Aphelandra plants may seem exotic, they’re not overly demanding when it comes to care. Here are a few key tips I’ve learned over the years:
- Light: Provide bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaves.
- Water: Keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings.
- Humidity: These tropical plants thrive in humid environments. Consider using a humidifier or placing the pot on a tray of pebbles filled with water.
- Temperature: Maintain a warm temperature, ideally between 65-80°F (18-27°C). Avoid cold drafts.
- Fertilizer: Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season.
With proper care, your Aphelandra plants will reward you with their stunning foliage and vibrant blooms.
More Than Just a Pretty Face
Beyond their ornamental value, Aphelandra species also contribute to the ecosystem. Their flowers attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds, playing a vital role in supporting local biodiversity. Additionally, some species have been found to possess medicinal properties, with potential applications in treating inflammation and infections.
As I continue to explore the world of Aphelandra, I’m constantly amazed by their beauty, diversity, and ecological importance. These plants are a true testament to the wonders of the natural world, and I encourage everyone to discover the magic of Aphelandra for themselves.
