Anthurium Plant: 3 best ways to get more flowers

Anthurium plants are a genus of approximately 1,000 perennial plants found in Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean. While they can be grown in the garden in warm climates, anthuriums are best grown indoors as houseplants or in greenhouses because they require special care. They grow slowly or moderately, depending on how much light they get without getting sunburned.

They are also known as flamingo flowers because of their unique tropical shape and bright red, green, and white colors. They can bloom continuously for long periods of time, making them delightful indoor plants all year. Colorful, heart-shaped waxy spathes and red or yellow tail-like flower spikes distinguish the blooming varieties. Other varieties have large, deeply veined leaves. Many anthuriums are climbers, and they all require a high level of humidity and warmth to thrive. With proper care, an anthurium can live for about 5 years indoors, but by propagating your plant, you can have a healthy anthurium indefinitely. Anthurium is toxic to both humans and animals.

Anthurium Plants Information

Common Names	Anthurium, tailflower, flamingo flower, laceleaf
Botanical Name	Anthurium spp.
Family	Araceae
Plant Type	Herbaceous, perennial
Mature Size	12-18 in. tall, 9- to 12-inch wide
Sun Exposure	Partial
Soil Type	Well-drained
Soil pH	Acidic
Bloom Time	Spring, summer, fall, winter
Flower Color	Red, pink, white
Hardiness Zones	11-12 (USDA)
Native Area	Central America, South America, Caribbean
Toxicity	Toxic to humans and pets

Anthurium Plant Treatment

Anthurium plants prefer bright, indirect light and dislike direct sunlight, except in the winter months or in plants that have been carefully acclimated. Temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for wild anthuriums, and the foliage types prefer even higher temperatures. The plant will suffer if temperatures fall below this level.

Anthuriums in pots prefer a rich but well-draining potting mix that is kept moist but not wet. A potting mix designed for orchids, with a few handfuls of sand and peat moss mixed in, is ideal.

In nature, many anthurium plants are “epiphytic,” meaning they grow on other plants rather than in soil. Give your plant a stake or a small trellis to climb on if it is unable to support itself.

Indoors or out, anthuriums prefer sun to shade. They thrive in direct, bright light. Avoid direct sunlight.

Anthurium plants in the soil prefer a coarse, well-draining potting mix. Anthuriums thrive in orchid soil that has been supplemented with sand and peat moss.

Water

The soil should be kept slightly moist but never completely dry. Place the pot in a tray filled with water-soaked rocks or gravel. The plant’s water can drain there, helping to maintain higher humidity levels around the plant. Allow the soil’s surface to dry out before watering again. This happens about once a week indoors. When watering outside on hot days, every two or three days is sufficient.

Humidity and temperature

All anthurium plant species are native tropical plants, and simulating those conditions will give you the best chance of success. This plant thrives in high humidity and temperatures ranging from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. These plants can be grown outside in zones 11 to 12 but will likely die if temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mist the plant daily to keep humidity levels high in dry climates or during dry winter months. During the dry months, you may need to run a humidifier constantly.

Fertilizer

Using liquid fertilizer on your anthurium is both safe and recommended throughout the growing season. Use a phosphorus-rich fertilizer, dilute it to 1/4 strength, and feed the plants once a week. The phosphorus-rich fertilizer will aid in the flowering of your anthurium. The phrase “weekly, weakly” refers to how frequently to fertilise and the strength or concentration of fertiliser to water.

Types of Anthurium Plant

Anthurium andreanum: a common species with heart-shaped leaves that grow to about a foot in length and red, white, pink, or variegated flowers; distinguished by a straight flower spike.
Anthurium scherzerianum: the most forgiving anthurium, with a curling orange flower spike and arrow-shaped leaves.
Aspergillus crystallinum: a rare species with deep green, velvety leaves with prominent white ribs; the leaves can grow to be 2 feet across.
Anthurium faustomirandae: A less common species that grows to be a monster-sized plant with cardboard-stiff leaves and can grow to be over 5 feet tall; almost exclusively a greenhouse plant.

Pruning of Anthurium Plant

When a plant’s leaves are dying or wilting, it devotes its energy to reviving those leaves. By removing browning leaves, you can help your plant focus its energy on producing new leaves and flowers. If they are difficult to pluck, trim them with sterile hand pruners. Cut faded flowers off at the base to remove them. If you want the plant to produce seeds, only leave faded flowers on longer.

Spend some time shaping your plant; snip off any stray leaves or shoots that make the plant appear unbalanced. Leave at least three or four leaves on the plant.

Anthurium Plant Propagation

Anthuriums send out “air roots” to indicate that they are ready to propagate. Anthurium roots are fleshy, almost knobby or tuberous in appearance. They’ll begin to protrude from a stem above the soil line in the pot. This can happen at any time of year. Plants that have stopped blooming or have reduced their bloom frequency should be propagated.

how to propagate Anthurium Plant from air root cuttings or stem cuttings:

A clean pot, fresh well-draining soil, and a sharp, sterilised knife or pruners are required. You can use rooting hormone to improve your rooting success if you want.

In fresh potting soil, plant the cut end of the stem or the air root. Water the soil thoroughly and keep it moist. Place the pot in a warm, but indirect, location. It should take between 4 and 6 weeks to notice new growth.
Anthurium Seed Growing Instructions

Plant the cut end of the stem or the air root in new potting soil. Water the soil thoroughly to keep it moist. Place the pot in a warm location with indirect light. It should take 4 to 6 weeks to notice new growth.

How to Grow Anthurium Plant from Seed

Anthurium can also be grown from seed. However, it can take up to four years before you see flowers, which may deter those looking for a colourful plant. This seed prefers moist vermiculite as a planting medium. Press the seeds lightly into the vermiculite, about an inch apart. Cover the plant with a clear plastic bag to hasten germination. Place the plant near a window, but not directly in front of it. If water accumulates within the plastic, open one side and let some air in; the plant needs to breathe. When you notice new growth, remove the plastic cover completely.

Anthurium Plant Potting and Repotting

It is time to repot an anthurium when it fills its pot with roots and begins to send out abundant air roots. Repotting an anthurium is usually necessary every two years or so. Transfer the plant to a new pot that is no more than 2 inches larger than the old one.

Get a container that corresponds to your watering habits. Overwaterers should purchase a terra cotta pot that allows water to seep out. If you have a habit of forgetting about your plants, use plastic or ceramic to keep them moist. Whatever your habits are, you will require a container with multiple drainage holes.

Fill the new pot with about 1/3 potting mix, then place the plant on top of the soil and lightly pack additional soil around the base, up to the level the plant was buried in its old pot. As new air roots emerge above the soil over the next few weeks, gently pack more potting mix around the exposed roots.

Overwintering Anthurium will not survive the winter in non-tropical zones. If your plant spends the winter outside, bring it inside as soon as the temperature falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant will require a sunny window, temperatures around 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and high humidity. This plant thrives in a bathroom setting.

Pests That Are Common in Anthurium Plant

These plants are susceptible to the same pests as most houseplants: mealybugs, spider mites, whiteflies, and scale. Aphids cause distorted mottled leaves to form over time. If you notice an ant trail on your plants, you may have an aphid infestation. Ants feed on the sticky residue of aphids.

Spider mites can be found on leaves with yellow stippling. Thrips, like mealybugs, cause mottled leaves and feed on new growth. If the insects remain on the plant, they will fade, become limp, stop producing new growth, and die. Natural insect control often involves using short, sharp bursts of water to dislodge and often drown the pests. Stubborn insects may respond to natural and non-harmful horticultural soap or oil sprays. These pests can be treated with horticultural oils and soaps.

How to Make Anthurium Plant Bloom

Anthuriums are particular. However, their one-of-a-kind flowers make the extra effort worthwhile. Each flower can last for about six weeks and may reappear every few months. There may be no blooms. If your plant has wet soil, inadequate lighting, or is overly root bound. To get this plant to bloom, it will require high humidity and weekly feedings with a high-phosphorus fertilizer. Other conditions can be tweaked, such as using a different potting mix (the orchid mix is good) and removing plants from nearby draughty windows or HVAC vents.

Anthurium’s Common Issues

This plant has some unique requirements, but once you find its sweet spot and establish a routine, Anthurium plant is a simple plant to care for.

Leaves Turning Yellow

Anthurium leaves may turn yellow if exposed to too much direct sunlight. The presence of bleached and brown tips also indicates that it is exposed to too much light. Reposition the plant further away from the window. Yellowing leaves can also be caused by bacterial wilt.

It has the ability to change the color of stems and leaves from yellow to bronze.

Leaves that flop

Rhizoctonia is a fungus that can colonize the roots and lower stems of plants. Because of the waterlogging, young, delicate stems become weak and floppy.

Types of Anthurium Plant by flower colors

• pink anthurium plant
• white anthurium plant
• red anthurium plant
• black anthurium plant
• purple anthurium plant
• blue anthurium plant
• white anthurium plant
• green anthurium plant
• yellow anthurium plant
• rainbow anthurium plant