I have often wondered about this popular, Painter’s Pallette (Anthurium andraenum) plant. Am I correctly considering the red growth and the spike inside it a flower? Turns out that the dense spiral is actually the flower part of this plant; the “spadix”. The red leaf-like underneath is called the spathe or bract. It is similar to a calyx (see my post of several days ago, Deceptive First Impression) which is a cup like whirl at the base of a flower; but different enough to have it’s own name. I get a kick out of having photographed this Painter’s Pallette while taking a short break from my acrylic painting class at the Bonnet House. Copyright 2019 Pamela BreitbergBackside of the Painter’s Palette’s spathe. Copyright 2019 Pamela BreitbergCopyright 2019 Pamela BreitbergA popular plant, the Painter’s Pallette is a houseplant in northern climates and a shaded garden accent in tropical environments. Copyright 2019 Pamela Breitberg
