🌱 Understanding Anthurium Abbreviations: What Those Letters in the Names Really Mean

If you’ve ever scrolled through listings or plant tags and seen something like Anthurium ‘Papi (FAS1)’ or Anthurium (CF1), you’re not alone in wondering—what do all these abbreviations actually mean?

In the world of aroid and Anthurium collecting, these shorthand codes tell a story—of breeders, hybrids, seed batches, and lineage. Once you learn to read them, they give you a peek into a plant’s family tree and its collector value.

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🔤 Common Anthurium Abbreviations & Their Meanings

Let’s decode some of the most common ones you’ll see floating around in plant circles, auction listings, and private collections:

1. FAS – For Aroids Sake

If you’ve ever seen something like FAS1, FAS2, or FAS3, that’s short for For Aroids Sake, a well-known breeding line or seed batch designation.

The number (1, 2, etc.) represents the generation or batch number.

Example: Anthurium ‘Papi (FAS1)’ = “first seed batch of the ‘Papi’ line from For Aroids Sake.”

2. CF – Clone Form or Collection Form

“CF” is one of the oldest abbreviations used across plant collecting. In Anthuriums, it often means:

Clone Form → A plant that’s a specific clone or line bred from a parent.

Collection Form → Sometimes used for plants collected from the wild or specific population.

Example: Anthurium warocqueanum CF1 = a first clone or collection form line of that species.

3. x or × – Hybrid Cross

That little “x” or “×” between two names shows a hybridization between species.

Example: Anthurium forgetii × crystallinum = a hybrid cross between forgetii and crystallinum.

Sometimes breeders label it like A. forgetii x (CF2) to show which seed line or batch the pollen came from.

4. SP – Species (Undescribed or Unknown)

“SP” is short for species, and it’s used when a plant hasn’t been officially identified or described yet.

Example: Anthurium sp. Colombia = “An unknown or undescribed Anthurium species collected in Colombia.”

5. NOID – No Identification

Collectors use “NOID” when a plant’s ID is lost or uncertain.

Example: Anthurium NOID hybrid = we know it’s an Anthurium hybrid, but the exact parentage is unknown.

6. SG – Seed-Grown

Used to indicate the plant was grown from seed, not tissue culture or division.

Example: Anthurium crystallinum SG = a seed-grown plant, each one unique.

7. TC – Tissue Culture

This shows the plant was propagated in vitro, usually meaning it’s genetically identical to the parent and mass-produced.

Example: Anthurium magnificum TC = tissue-cultured magnificum clone.

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🌿 Why These Abbreviations Matter

To new collectors, they might look like random letters—but to experienced growers, abbreviations tell you:

Where a plant came from (breeder or collector)

How it was propagated (seed, clone, TC)

What generation or lineage it belongs to

Understanding them can help you track quality, avoid mislabeled plants, and find unique genetics if you’re breeding or collecting for form, size, or color.

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🧬 Example Breakdown

Let’s take this one:

> Anthurium “Emerald Queen (FAS2 SG)”

“Emerald Queen” → the cultivar or hybrid name

FAS2 → second generation from For Aroids Sake breeding line

SG → this particular plant was seed-grown, so it may differ slightly from siblings

This little code tells you almost everything about the plant’s story.

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💡 Final Tip

If you’re ever unsure about an abbreviation on a tag or listing, ask the seller or breeder. Many collectors have their own internal codes to track seed batches or experimental crosses. Over time, you’ll start recognizing breeder tags and understanding which ones hold rarity or special value.

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In short: those abbreviations aren’t random—they’re the Anthurium world’s version of a family tree, a provenance tag, and a collector’s fingerprint all rolled into one. 🌿