Photo by Bryn WallaceAnthurium Care Guide
It’s no surprise that anthurium boasts common names like “Flamingo Flower” and “Hawaiian love plant”, given their vivid, heart shaped flowers. Like a number of other plants including the poinsettia, the showiest part of its flower is actually a modified leaf, in this case called a spathe, appearing most frequently in shades of red, pink, yellow and white. These plants are an excellent choice for gardeners looking to add a punch of bright color, from their blooms or in some cases, vivid and interesting foliage, to a corner of their house.
Sunlight
In ideal light conditions, your anthurium may continue to bloom year round. Once you find a place with good sunlight, ideally a few feet from a sunny window, caring for your plant will become very simple. You may need to move your plant a little farther away from the window on cold nights. Bright, indirect sunlight for at least six hours a day is ideal. If your anthurium shows browned leaf tips or bleached leaf color, try reducing its sun exposure by moving it farther from the window or placing it behind a sheer curtain.
Watering
You can follow our standard watering guidelines for Anthuriums, checking the soil periodically and watering thoroughly when the top inch or two of soil is dry. Place your finger into the soil. If it feels moist, you can wait a few days before watering. When you water your plant, do so until the water drains out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the container. If your plant receives more sunlight, you will probably find it needs water more often than anthuriums that receive less light.
As tropical plants, Anthuriums perform best in humid conditions that mimic their native environment. Particularly in the winter, when our heaters are running and the air is dry, you may want to place them on a humidity tray, move them to a humid space such as a bathroom, or mist them periodically.
Soil and Fertilizer
A standard potting mix is just fine for Anthuriums, but if you have a tendency to overwater, you can add additional perlite or bark to improve soil drainage and aeration. A standard houseplant fertilizer also works well, such as Jack’s Houseplant Special Fertilizer (15-30-15). You can use this fertilizer every other time you water your Anthurium, stopping during the winter.
Repotting and Pruning
Anthuriums will need to be repotted about every 2-3 years in a pot one size larger than their previous pot. If you see aerial roots filling the pot and emerging out the top of the soil, it’s time to repot your plant. You can cut the aerial roots without harming the plant, but this is generally a good indicator that its time to repot. When pruning aerial roots or faded flowers, use a pair of sharp, clean clippers. Prune spent flowers at the base of the stem.
Pests and Toxicity
Common houseplant pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, whiteflies and scale may all affect anthuriums from time to time. If you see any of these, blast the affected area with water to remove them or use insecticidal soap or neem oil and applied with a towel to the leaves of your plant. If the issue persists, you can bring photos of your plant into our clinic, or samples of the pest and affected foliage in a plastic bag, and we will diagnose the problem and come up with a care plan for you.
If you have children or pets, please keep in mind that anthuriums are toxic to pets and humans. The sap from the plant will irritate skin and eyes and the leaves are poisonous if ingested. If you have any small children or animals prone to tasting your plants, you will need to remove it to a safe location.
Drooping Leaves and Stems
Overwatering your anthurium will result in the leaves and stems drooping. If you see this occurring with your plant, let it dry out about half way down the soil, making sure that the roots are not sitting in water, and then resume normal watering.
Bryn Wallace