Garden

Anthurium Care

With their bright heart-shaped flowers and deep green leaves, Anthurium is indeed a great choice for a decorative indoor plant. Yes! Their leaves, white, red, pink, or purple waxy leaves make this plant so appealing.

Anthurium Care:

These leaves are called spathes that flare from the base of the flashy spike. Anthurium is an easy-care house plant, but it requires proper care and maintenance, so you have to take proper care of it. Since these plants cannot bear extreme cold or heat so in most countries, they are used as a decorative indoor plant.

Where does Anthurium grow?

A native to the tropical rainforest of Argentina, Uruguay, and Mexico, these fantastic flowers belong to the Araceae family. You can say that tropical America hosts over 800 species of these plants.

It’s time to reveal the truth. The first thing in this plant that grabs your attention is its red waxy heart-shaped flower. Well, technically speaking, these are not flowers. In fact, these are modified leaves flaring from the base of the fleshy spike where the tiny flowers actually grow.

This decorative plant is extremely durable but requires proper maintenance, as already stated above. It may blossom year-round if you take proper care of it.

Do you know there are more than 800 varieties of Anthurium around the world? If you are interested in growing Anthurium, then start with seeds. Now you may be thinking that where you can get the seeds from? Well, you can obtain seeds from a ripe Anthurium fruit.

All you have to do is to take out the pulp and remove the seeds. One thing that is important to mention here that you may suffer from skin irritation while taking out the pulp, so you should use gloves during the process.

If you don’t want to grow it with seeds as it can be a tedious process. If you are in a hurry, then grow them from an existing plant. The best way to grow them is to purchase an existing plant. Make sure that the pot you choose is larger than the plant and has holes to allow water to drain.

Warning:

Anthurium is poisonous if ingested, so you must be careful if you have kids and pets in the house. Also, the sap can cause irritation, so be careful.

How to take care of Anthurium?

No matter what type of Anthurium you are growing, you need to take proper care of it. Here are a few tips that can help you taking care of this beautiful plant:

  • Lighting:

Anthurium needs light to grow but make sure that the leaves don’t get sunburns. Direct sunlight can scorch the plant. If you see wilting on the leaves, it is an indication that the plant is getting too much sun. So, keep it in a place where it gets indirect light.

  • Water:

If the Anthurium is getting enough humidity, it does not need to be watered every day. Watering it once a week should be enough to prevent over or under-watering. If you will keep watering the plant, the soil would never become dry, and water will start draining from the hole. Give the soil a chance to dry out. Once it is dry to the touch, you can water it.

Bear in mind, the more light and warmth Anthurium gets, the more water it needs. So, it is highly important to check the dryness every few days.

A question may be arising in your mind that how would you know that Anthurium needs water? Well, it shows the signs that it needs water. If you notice droopy or puckering leaves, it is an indication that the plant needs water. Also, the plant feels lighter on picking up when it is thirsty. So, whenever there are signs of thirst in the plant, pay attention.

  • Temperature:

Don’t worry about the temperature. Anthurium can grow at the temperature you have in your house. However, you need to be careful of temperature extremes because it can wilt in the hot temperature, and the leaves will get burned. If the temperature drops below 500, it may stop growing. So, make sure that the temperature of the room where you put the Anthurium is moderately warm.

  • Fertilizer:

Plants need fertilizers, but too much fertilizer can do more harm than good. You should use ¼ strength fertilizer every few months to get the plant to bloom. You can use a fertilizer high in phosphorus during the growing season. Just bear in mind that too much fertilizer does not fix anything.

  • Humidity:

The only thing Anthurium is picky about is the humidity. It thrives on humidity. If you live in a dry climate and the humidity level is less than 50%, try using a humidifier. The humidifier will increase the humidity level by up to 60%.

  • Pest:

Just like any other plant, pests can affect it. If you notice some pests the simply spray out the insecticidal soap.

Some more tips:

  • You should keep Anthurium in a bigger pot as the crowded roots can stunt its growth.
  • If you see any roots growing from the stem, there is no need to worry as they are just the aerial roots. You can cut them if you do not like their look. However, make sure you do not hurt the plant.
  • Using a fertilizer high in phosphorus is beneficial for the plant as it promotes blossoms in the flowering varieties.
  • Do not under or over water the plant and make sure it is in a place where the temperature is moderate.
  • When the flowers fade, and you want to remove them cut them at the base of the flower stem.
  • If the leaves are turning yellow, it means that the plant is getting too much sun so put the pot in a place where it gets indirect light.
  • Anthuriums do not need much pruning.

No matter where you are growing Anthurium, make sure it is getting enough light and water. Take care of the plant if you want it to last longer.

usanewshome Team

VP Quality Control Murry Ruddiman, hailing from Sheet Harbour enjoys watching movies like Topsy-Turvy and Yoga. Took a trip to La Grand-Place and drives a Bugatti Royale Berline de Voyager.

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