Anthurium Plant Care

The Anthurium plant is hardy if you live ten or higher in the USDA hardiness zones. The most common Anthurium flowers are the red ones, but you can find them in other shades.

One thing is for sure it adds color to your living space. But still, be aware if you have the flamingo flower, they are a bit fussy.

Still, the majority of them need the same conditions and care.

What is Anthurium Plant?

Over 1000 perennial plants in the Anthurium genus grow in Central America and Northern and South America. You even find the tail flower growing in the Caribbean. While you can grow them as outdoor plants in warm temperatures, you can also grow them as indoor plants.

The Anthurium plant grows at a moderate rate and has a unique tropical shape to grow year-round as they bloom throughout the year. The blooms can vary depending on the varieties of tropical plants you have.

You find them growing with heart–shaped leaves or red to yellow tail-like spikes. In contrast, other plants have profoundly veined foliage. The flower is long-lasting in a bright green, white, red, pink, or purple color.

Many plants are climbers and need high humidity with warmth, but they are toxic to humans and pets.

How to Care for Anthurium Flowers

The flamingo flower thrives in bright light with partial shade as they do not enjoy direct sunlight. The only time the Anthurium loves direct light is in winter. So, with suitable soil, water, and light, you can ensure that your plant will survive.

Ideal Soil Mix for Flamingo Flower

Anthurium plants are epiphytic in nature that requires moist, well-draining soil that allows the excess water to drain freely. Ensure that your flamingo lily is in a pot with enough drainage holes. You can use an orchid mix with some added sand and peat moss.

If you cannot make a soil mix with added sand and peat moss, you can use a 1:1 ratio of orchid mix with regular houseplant potting soil. It will provide your Flamino flowers with a similar environment to remain happy.

Light Provision

You can grow Anthurium in different light levels, but they do best in bright indirect light compared to direct sun. Still, if your plant grows in lower light, it will grow slower and have fewer flowers.

But when you grow it in bright indirect light, it will become a flowering houseplant. Too much sunlight will result in the leaf tips becoming brown. Alternatively, it can be grown outdoors in medium light to prevent brown leaf tips.

Watering Needs to Prevent Root Rot

Anthurium grows best in moist soil but not too wet, and it should not dry out completely. Hence, your Anthurium andraeanum needs regular watering. But an important note is not to overwater your flamingo flowers to avoid root rot.

So, to care for an Anthurium, it needs close monitoring to provide it with the proper care. A potting mix in a container with good drainage allows for moist soil without retaining too much moisture.

Always leave the water to seep out of the tray and throw the excess water away. When the top of the soil is dry to the touch, you can water your plant again.

Temperature and Humidity Need

Your flower thrives in temperatures above 60° F, and some prefer warmer climates to flourish. Nonetheless, it will suffer when the temperature drops below the required level.

So, you can place your flamingo flower in a warm spot close to a sunny window with some dappled shade.

But keep your tropical plant away from draughts and radiators. The tail flowers thrive in a highly humid environment like a bathroom or work well to group plants together to help raise the moisture.

Pruning

Furthermore, if your plant looks wilted because of dying leaves, we recommend removing the dead foliage. You can help your plant focus its energy on creating new roots and flowers when removing brown leaves. Also, remove spent blooms if you do not want your plant to produce seeds.

Fertilizing Anthurium

We recommend using a liquid feed during the growing season of spring and summer. You can use a high phosphorus fertilizer diluted to a quarter of strength to feed your plant every week. The rich phosphorus content will encourage blooms.

How to Propagate Your Anthurium Plants

So, when do you know you can propagate your Anthurium plant? Well, they will send out fleshy aerial roots and appear knobby. The roots will jot out from the stem above the soil at any time.

It helps to propagate your plant if it has stopped blooming or you notice a decrease in the blooms. Hence, you can use root cuttings or even stem cuttings.

To do this, you need a sterilized pot with enough drainage holes. You can also use a rooting hormone optional. Next, cut off the air roots with sharp pruning shears or select a six-inch-long stem with three sets of leaves.

Dip the cut end into the rooting hormone and plant that end into the potting mix and keep the soil moist. Place your container in a warm spot with indirect light and prevent soggy soil. You should notice new growth in about four weeks.

Anthurium Varieties

The Flamingo flower is not the only Anthurium species you can find, as some other plants in the family make for great indoor plants.

Anthurium sherzerianum

It is a forgiving species with curling orange flowers on spikes, and it has arrow-shaped leaves.

Anthurium crystallinum

It is a less common species with a deep green velvet leaf with white ribs. The leaves can grow up to two feet across.

Anthurium faustinomirandae

The plant has monster–sized leaves that are cardboard stiff growing up to five feet long. It is an exclusive greenhouse plant.

Anthurium clarinervium

The plant is grown for its spectacular foliage, which is dark green with white veins, and it has pink flowers.

Common Pests

As with most houseplants, your Anthuriums can be bugged by spider mites, scale, whitefly, and mealybugs. If you find a trail of ants on the leaves, it is a sign of an aphid infestation as they feed on the sticky residue.

If the leaves look yellow, they can be from spider mites, while thrips can cause molted leaf-like mealybugs. You can often control these pests with a sharp blast of water to dislodge them from the foliage.

If they are stubborn, then a horticultural soap or even oil sprays can help remove them naturally. Other concerns are yellowing leaves resulting from too much light. You can move your plant away from the window.

Yellowing leaves can also result from bacterial wilt, and the stem color will also change to yellow or bronze. If your plant is not getting enough light, the glossy green will change to dark green.