Anthurium Care Guide - Tips & Mistakes to Avoid

Anthurium Crystallinum/Anthurium Clarinervium: @RootedHues

With their exotic beauty and diverse shapes and colors, Anthuriums are especially popular among plant collectors. Most anthuriums fit into one of two categories: flowering anthuriums or foliage anthuriums.

The flowering varieties have blooming seasons, and often have colorful flowers to distinguish them from the foliage varieties, which tend to have thick, green leaves instead of little colorful spathes.

The different types of anthuriums generally require the same amount of care, and they’re beginner-friendly. Unlike real flamingos, the ‘flamingo flower’ is extremely easy to care for. Just follow these simple tips on how to care for anthuriums.  

Lighting 

Bright lighting is perfect for anthuriums, as long as you don’t let your leaves get sunburnt! If you do notice browning or wilting on the leaves, the anthurium is telling you that it’s getting too much sun. To avoid plant-sunburn, move your anthurium to a spot with indirect lighting.  

Fluorescent lights won’t hurt the plant, so if you’re looking for an office plant, don’t rule out anthuriums! Just remember to avoid putting your anthurium in direct light. 

Temperature and Humidity

The only thing anthuriums get picky about is humidity. Your anthurium loves tropical conditions, so try to emulate that environment.  

If you live in a dry climate, try using a humidifier to give your anthurium 70-80% humidity.  

Temperature should also be moderately warm, about 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit. As long as your anthurium’s environment isn’t at extremes (too hot or too cold can be harmful), you should be good to go!  

Foliage Anthurium: Source

Watering and Misting

Since your anthurium is (hopefully) getting some humidity, it doesn’t need to be watered every day. Watering once a week should give you the perfect middle-ground to avoid over or under watering.  

Give the soil a chance to dry out, but water it once it is dry to the touch. The amount of water your plant needs is similar to the amount of attention you want to give to a new relationship; as long as you don’t drown it in affection/water (but also don’t neglect it completely), your anthurium plant won’t break up with you. 

To avoid root rot, do not water anthuriums to the point of continuously moist soil. If your plant does get root rot, you can save your anthurium by gently rinsing off the affected roots from the plant. If the affected roots don’t fall off the plant, use scissors to remove the affected roots.

You can mimic a tropical, rainforest environment by misting your anthurium plant every few days. Spray evenly and keep it moist, but not soggy. Just remember that misting does not replace watering your plant.  

Fertilizer and Soil

To properly care for anthuriums, you’ll want to use a breathable soil that allows sufficient draining. Basic potting soil and a little bit of perlite should do the trick.  

You can use ¼ strength fertilizer every few months to get your anthurium to bloom. A fertilizer high in phosphorus is the most recommended to get your anthuriums to bloom.

Do not use too much fertilizer- it’s not like duct tape, it doesn’t fix everything; in fact, exceedingly strong fertilizer can be damaging to your anthuriums.  

Potting

Anthuriums don’t need to be repotted often; in fact, repotting every couple years to avoid crowded roots should be plenty for these plants.  

Pests

Despite having thick, strong leaves, pests can still affect the health of your anthurium. If you do notice some pests, simply spray your plant with insecticidal soap.

Pro Tip: You can create your own pesticide concoction with just dish soap and water!

Now you can sit back and enjoy your anthuriums! They don’t require a lot of upkeep once you find the perfect spot for them, and they’ll bloom all year round if you are consistent in your anthurium care. 

Written by
Alexis Brode