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Anthuriums, commonly known as tailflower, flamingo flower (for the pink-white colouration of many varieties), and laceleaf, boast unique shape and gorgeous flower colour combinations. Anthuriums are among the most popular tropical houseplants available at Boombox Club and around the world today and it’s easy to see why! Easy care and low maintenance, caring for these beauties is an absolute delight. Discover the wide range of Anthuriums and top tips for Anthurium care in our guide below!
The Anthurium Genus
The Anthurium genus is native to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, though many of the modern-day species, such as White Champion and Anthurium Rainbow, were created by selective cultivation elsewhere in the world. In 1860, when the flower was already in cultivation as a house and garden plant, there were 183 recognised species of Anthurium. Today, there are many more than that! Popular species include Anthurium Zizou, Anthurium Clarinervium, and Green Passion. There are more than a thousand others!
That’s 1,000 Anthurium varieties that display a high degree of variation from one another in leaf shape, flower shape, and flower colour. Anthurium varieties are myriad and all of them are a wonderful, sturdy, and relatively low-maintenance addition to the home. Prized for centuries for these properties, horticulturists and botanists have, through their Anthurium care, selectively bred the most desirable traits into whole new species, specially tailored to the needs of human home decor!
About the Anthurium
The variety of colours. The choice of unique flower shapes. The large, waxy leaves. It’s no wonder Anthuriums are so well-loved by flower-keepers and gardeners!
The bright colours of Anthurium flowers, often red or violet and with many other varieties also available, express a plethora of shapes and sizes. Beneath the flower, the large glossy leaves express deep venation. Depending on the specific species of Anthurium, the leaves may be elongated, pointed, rounded, or oval-shaped. The leaves typically occur in clusters. Proper Anthurium care will bring all these qualities to their sharpest and most beautiful, making Anthurium great as either a centrepiece or an accent in an arrangement depending on the species and traits selected.
Many species of Anthuriums are epiphytic, meaning that they grow on other plants or trees as a means of physical support. They derive their nutrients from the air, rain, and soil rather than from their host, or phorophyte. Other Anthuriums are terrestrial, growing on the ground and supporting their own weight.
Anthurium care means understanding the specific needs of the Anthurium variety that you own and getting the most out of your Anthurium plant care practices.
The Benefits of Anthurium
Anthurium plant care is rewarding for many reasons. Anthurium plants make great air scrubbers, capturing dust from the air and refreshing the oxygen in your home room through photosynthesis. With regular misting and occasional cleaning of dust build-up, most Anthurium varieties make excellent micro-air purifiers. There is also evidence that Anthurium care and other types of plant care can help improve memory!
Anthurium Placement and Care Tips
Anthuriums thrive indoors in a bright, warm spot away from radiators and direct light, or outdoors, though Anthurium should only be kept outdoors in the summer in mild and shady conditions away from any wind. Most species of Anthurium prefer indirect light which means you have more places you can pop your Anthurium around the house. Some species, such as the White Champion, have sturdier leaves and can withstand more direct light - it is a worthwhile exercise to research the specific needs and tolerances of the Anthurium variant you choose!
Fertilise your Anthurium plant only during the growing season (spring and summer) by adding the fertiliser to water and applying every four to six weeks.
Best Anthurium Care Practices Include:- Allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings.
- Mist occasionally with a water spray bottle for additional humidity to replicate the natural, tropical climate of the Anthurium genus.
- Fertilise your Anthurium plants once a month during the growing season.
- Bloombox Club Top Tip: It is best to use recently collected rainwater to mist and water your Anthurium. If this is not possible, filtered water is preferable to hard water! This is to help prevent hard water spots from appearing on your leaves.
Most varieties of houseplant Anthurium grow to 30cm to 45cm when fully mature. Make sure to repot them into larger pots as they grow, and ensure that they have an appropriately sized area to grow in to avoid branch deformation or the need to move the plant to a new location!
Watering your Anthurium
For proper Anthurium plant care, allow the top inch of soil to dry before watering. This prevents overwatering the plant and reduces the risk of drowning the root system or causing rot or parasitic infection to thrive. Try our recycled-plastic watering can - it's perfect for hydrating your Anthurium plant in an environmentally-friendly way!
The best Anthurium carers will regularly mist their Anthurium plants with a water mister spray. This serves the dual function of providing water to leaf-drinking plants, preventing the soil and substrate from drying out, and washing captured dust from the leaves and stems of the Anthurium plant, which captures dust out of the air on its glossy, waxy leaf skin.
Anthurium is a hardy plant with the sole demand that it be kept hydrated. So long as most Anthurium varieties are watered regularly and appropriately they will tolerate a wide range of conditions and create few additional demands on their keepers and tenders.
Similarly, they are a hardy and rugged plant, capable of withstanding sudden shifts in conditions that may cause wilting in more sensitive plants, so long as it is properly watered. Regular watering really is the key to Anthurium care!
Propagating your Anthurium
Propagation is an important part of Anthurium care as an over-large plant will become unhealthy and difficult to manage. Propagate your Anthurium plant by dividing it.
To do this, remove the plant from its pot and observe the root system. Find offshoots and other easy-to-separate roots. Break these roots away from the main plant to reduce the size and collect the offshoot roots. Plant the offshoots in a separate bowl and they will grow into a whole new Anthurium plant!
When you are done, repot the mother plant and enjoy your healthy, happy Anthuriums. Find out more here.
Taking Care with your Anthurium - Animal Toxicity
Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals in anthurium plants can cause a reaction in people and animals on contact with skin or if ingested. Anthurium should be considered toxic and not a pet-safe houseplant.
Wrapping Up
Anthurium care has been a venerable staple of the house plant and gardening world for centuries. In that time many beautiful and unique species have been created by selective breeding of Anthurium varieties, as you know now! There is an Anthurium plant for every arrangement and combination and no house plant set up is complete without one!
Anthurium plant care is easy, so long as you are able to water them regularly, and the rewards you get in the beautification of your living space and the purification of air cannot be understated! A hardy and beautiful plant that can work together with other houseplants to pull together outstanding arrangements, Anthurium may be the breakthrough plant you are looking for to bring life and freshness to your living space!
Begin your journey in the world of Anthuriums with Boombox Club today!
