Anthorrhiza recurvispina

This ant plant belongs to the little-known genus Anthorrhiza . It differs from the better-known Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia in the arrangement and structure of its flowers and inflorescences, combining characteristics of both genera.

Anthorrhiza recurvispina originates from southeastern Papua New Guinea. The form offered here comes from Rossel Island (Yela) in the Louisiade Archipelago (Milne Bay Province).

The caudex of A. recurvispina is rounded to oval, rather irregularly shaped, and in nature the plant usually hangs upside down from large trees in the lowland rainforest. Its surface is covered with numerous small and occasional larger holes with raised edges. It forms a few sparse root spines on the caudex but is mostly spineless. The sparsely branched stems are robust, up to about 50 cm long, and bear thick, leathery leaves. The caudex can become enormous in nature, reaching over 50 cm in diameter! Cultivated plants tend to remain smaller.

The most striking feature of this species is its alveoli, in which the flowers grow. These alveoli are covered with numerous (but soft) spines, giving the species its name. These depressions and spines protect the developing, delicate flowers until they are ready to open. The flowers are white, about 2 cm in size, and only open for a few days. After a short time, elongated, orange fruits develop from the flowers.

Anthorrhizae grow surprisingly quickly with good fertilization, often faster than many other ant plants. This bizarre, large species is a highlight in any larger terrarium or grow tent.



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Anthorrhizae are so-called "ant plants" from the Rubiaceae family. They are widespread from Southeast Asia to Australia and from Papua to the Solomon Islands, and usually grow epiphytically on trees. They belong to the myrmecodomen ant plants, meaning they provide nesting sites for ants. Their thickened stem, also called the "caudex," is riddled with numerous tunnels and chambers inhabited by specialized ants, mostly from the genus Philidris . The ants do not create the chambers or the entrances themselves; these are formed solely by the plant, regardless of whether ants are present or not.

The plant has a mutually beneficial relationship with the ants that live in it. The ants protect the plant and their nest, and fertilize it with leftover food, droppings, and other waste. The plant contains several different types of chambers: some with smooth walls and others with warty walls. The warty chambers, in particular, are specially adapted for absorbing nutrients. The ants use the smooth chambers for nesting and the warty chambers as a waste disposal site, thus supplying the plant with nutrients. In some highly specialized ant-inhabiting plants, the ants even pollinate the flowers and plant the seedlings!

Over many years, the colonies of ants and ant-attracting plants spread across a tree, and other epiphytes associated with ants, such as Hoya , Dischidia , Lecanopteris , and orchids, also join them. A so-called " ant garden " is created.

Not every ant-friendly plant is actually inhabited by ants in nature. In fact, there are numerous species where ants have never been detected! This also means that no ant-friendly plant necessarily needs an ant colony to survive or thrive. All of our cultivated ant-friendly plants are, of course, ant-free! The caudex forms exactly the same way as it does in nature, even without ants.



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You will receive a young plant in a 5.5cm pot (see picture 3 in the gallery).