There are seemingly endless reasons to love anthuriums—they’re practically the perfect plant, and it’s so easy to care for them. And in a way, anthuriums care for us too—they purify our air, filtering out harmful toxins! It’s no wonder they’re one of the most popular houseplants worldwide. But here in Fort Lauderdale, we have the added bonus of growing them successfully outdoors too!
Anthurium andraeanum have ultra-vibrant flowers with a single, glossy petal, or “bract,” which envelops a thick, golden stamen. The flowers come in a spectacular assortment of colors, like tangerine orange, candy apple red, amethyst purple, bubblegum pink, and vanilla cream.
They have a pretty long shelf life, so if you take good care of them, your anthuriums will be with you for years and years! They’re one of the few flowering houseplants that continually produce loads of blooms, with each flower lasting for up to six weeks at a time. You can add them to bouquets, so if you’ve got several of them growing in the garden, cut a few and use them in mixed arrangements.
Remember that there are good bugs out there! If there is no damage and the plant looks healthy, this friendly insect may just need to be relocated so that it’s not in your houseplants.
Anthurium Care: Watering Requirements
Anthuriums do like their soil a bit more on the moist side, but be careful not to overwater them. Too much stagnant moisture in the soil can lead to root rot and fungal problems. Let the soil surface dry out a bit before watering again, and make sure their soil is loose and well-draining. Outdoors, if you’re finding the soil is drying too fast, and you’re having trouble keeping up with watering, apply a layer of mulch to help retain moisture.
Once per month, add some water-soluble fertilizer that’s high in phosphorus. This will help your anthuriums produce more of their beautiful blooms!
Where Is The Best Place to Plant Anthuriums?
Anthuriums are tropical plants, so they’re used to big, leafy tree canopies blocking out the hot sun. If you want your anthuriums to be as vivid and glossy as possible, you’ll want to place them somewhere that doesn’t receive any direct, intense sun. Too much sun will crisp up their leaves and can even inhibit flowering.
If your anthuriums are outdoors, try to mimic their natural environment and place them underneath some shady trees or somewhere that receives a little bit of morning sunlight but full shade in the afternoon.
Anthurium Care Indoors
For indoor care, a north- or east-facing window will provide softer, indirect light that won’t scorch your anthuriums’ leaves. West- and south-facing windows may be a bit too sunny unless you’ve got a sheer curtain to soften the light. Alternatively, you can place your anthuriums several feet from a bright window, away from any direct light beams.
While our humidity in Florida is perfect for anthuriums outdoors, the air in our homes is often much drier. If the flower and leaf tips become crispy and brown, you may need to bring in some extra humidity. Their leaves need to stay supple and hydrated if we want them to keep filtering out those toxins from the air!
Misting your plants with a spray bottle will help keep them looking sleek, shiny, and nourished. You can also keep them on a pebble tray filled with an inch of water—this delivers water vapor directly to their leaves. Giving their leaves a wipe-down once a week lets them absorb more sunshine and gives them a shiny look. Keep them away from any cold drafts from the air conditioner; it stresses them out!
Whether you’d like to add anthuriums in your landscape or you’d like to care for them indoors as houseplants, Living Color Garden Center has the best selection of anthuriums for sale near Fort Lauderdale. Visit us soon to see all the stunning colors and different sizes available now!