A common ingredient in eye-catching floral arrangements, anthuriums make a striking addition to the indoor garden. These beauties are fairly easy to grow, giving you a colorful display for weeks.
Known for their tropical looking flowers, anthuriums come in a wide range of colors, including pink, orange, salmon, pale yellow, orange, red and even green. Treat these plants well, and you can enjoy blooms throughout the year. For best results, keep the following growing tips in mind.
Provide sufficient light. The key to getting anthurium to bloom indoors is adequate light. For healthy growth and flowering, bright light is best. Place anthurium in a southern or eastern window. Western windows tend to have harsh light, so place plants a couple of feet away from the windows, or shade them with sheer curtains or blinds. If you only have northern windows or overall low-light conditions, use full-spectrum lighting.
Water properly. Anthuriums need to approach dryness prior to watering. Avoid keeping them continually moist. Grow them in potting soil that has good drainage. When repotting, add orchid bark or pumice to the potting soil.
Provide humid conditions. Anthuriums come from tropical climates where the air is moist. If you live in a dry climate, place the plants over humidity trays. Misting once or twice a day also helps, as does grouping plants together.
Fertilize. For healthy growth and flowering, apply an organic fertilizer every other month. The fertilizer should be low in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium, such as 5-10-10. Click HERE for a great one to try.
(Chas Metivier)Keep an eye out for pests. Although anthuriums tend to be relatively disease resistant and pest-free, they can occasionally get spider mites, which are common in dry conditions. Prevent these troublesome pests from taking hold by misting anthuriums daily.
Prune out spent flowers. Encourage anthurium to produce more blooms by promptly pruning out the flowers when they brown. Trim them out at the base of the floral stem.
Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, The American Gardener, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story Series, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.
