Anthurium Care Guide: How to Grow Anthuriums

Anthurium (of the Araceae family) is a tropical plant hailing from South America and Central America that is also known by the common names tail flower, flamingo flower, and laceleaf. Notable for their vibrant coloring—usually green and red or green and pink—their flowers are actually just modified leaves known as spathes.

Anthuriums thrive when ensconced in shade and humidity. In the wild, they grow routinely as epiphytes (i.e. on other plants and trees rather than in the soil itself). Although they come with some unique plant care requirements, anthuriums are well suited to being houseplants in climates less becoming to their environmental necessities.

There are hundreds of types of anthuriums, but here are three of the most common varieties:

1. 1. Anthurium andraeanum: Sometimes referred to as a Painter’s Palette, these bright pink anthurium plants originated in Ecuador and Colombia. Capable of removing a variety of harmful gases from the air, they’re ideal for oxygenation, and their long lifespans make them exemplary houseplants for anyone not looking to redecorate anytime soon.
2. 2. Anthurium scherzerianum: These Costa Rican “pigtail plants” often boast large, reddish leaves resembling flattened bell peppers. As with other anthurium plants, a spadix (a spike found in the center of the plant) is responsible for shedding most of the seeds for further regeneration.
3. 3. Anthurium crystallinum: The striped pattern on this anthurium’s leaves may make it look less flowery than other anthuriums, but this variety features vibrant green shades.

Growing and caring for anthuriums is easy with consideration to proper lighting, watering and other factors. Follow these steps to ensure a healthy growth cycle:

1. 1. Give them heat and humidity. Anthurium grows best in warm environments with high humidity levels, but you must take care to avoid overwatering. If you’ve planted yours indoors (or outdoors in a drier climate), it’s important to mimic the moisture of its native rainforests as best you can. Turn the humidifier up or mist the plants’ flowers (their modified, colorful leaves) on a regular basis.
2. 2. Let the light in. Anthurium plants require a tightrope walk of sorts when it comes to providing them with just enough light. Bright indirect light is ideal if you want as many blooms—commonly called flamingo flowers—as possible, so keep indoor plants in a room with low light or outdoor plants in a shady segment of your garden. While little to no direct sun means fewer flowers following the plant’s growing season, too much direct sunlight will burn the leaves.
   
3. 3. Fertilize appropriately. New flowers grow more abundantly on anthuriums in a mixture of peat moss, orchid mix, perlite, and/or regular soil, along with the right mix of nutrients. In the spring and summer months, use a fertilizer with a high level of phosphorus once a month (if using a regular, granular fertilizer) or biweekly (if using a liquid fertilizer) at the base of the plant. High levels of nitrogen and potassium are also recommended when fertilizing. If you see brown leaf tips or yellow leaves on your anthurium plants, it can be a sign you’re being too conservative with your fertilizer.
4. 4. Repot when necessary. Given how eagerly they grow year-round, it’s an essential aspect of anthurium care to bring out bigger containers and new potting soil when they outgrow their initial homes. When you notice their roots appearing around the surface of the potting mix or sticking out through drainage holes, repotting your plants into a container an inch or so larger than your current one will ensure they continue to thrive.
5. 5. Keep an eye out for pests and maladies. Anthurium flowers are subject to some of the same assailants and diseases you’re likely accustomed to in other parts of your garden. Aphids and mealybugs are attracted to the waxy, colorful leaves (also called spathes or bracts) of these plants, but they can be eliminated through the careful use of pesticides. Similar to bromeliads—another common houseplant native to the tropical and subtropical climates of the Americas—anthuriums are prone to root rot if not cared for properly.
6. 6. Handle with caution. Anthuriums are toxic to humans and pets if ingested, and it’s worth noting the sap can also cause skin irritation and other allergic reactions. Place the plant out of reach of your pets, and even though it may be tempting to touch the inflorescences or the colorful leaves, it’s best to avoid doing so—if you must handle the plant, use caution.

Anthurium propagation is easy: Cut stems—not the leaves or flowers—and plant them into a growing medium, such as soil mixed with perlite. Putting stems into a vase filled with water is another option that will allow roots to grow, eventually propagating a new and colorful anthurium plant for you to care for and admire.

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