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Anthurium
Q. I bought an Anthurium plant and it
had no instructions on whether or not it
likes sun or shade or anything for that
matter. Any information that you can
give me about this plant will be appreciated.
We live in the Panhandle of Florida.
A. This family of plants is hardy for indoor house plant care and growing but not that easy
as they prefer the high humid conditions of a jungle and our homes are usually far from that in the winter! For years their large leaves
some shaped like elephant's ears have graced gardens all over the world. They will thrive outside year-round in your zone
but will not tolerate winter temperatures much less than 55 degrees F. They are from jungles with high overgrowth therefore filtered light. Shade or protect your plant during the summer
but supply plenty of light in the winter. A spot with morning sun would be ideal [East facing]. The need well-drained fertile soil
so loosen the garden bed and enrich with composted humus or leaves. An inch of mulch around them would help. Mist during the hot times or the leaf edges will crisp. Feed once a month with a general outdoor garden foliage plant food. You will see flowers yearly once the plant has become established. They are heart-shaped waxy and last over two weeks!
Q. My Anthurium is doing great. I would
like to encourage blooms though. I have
not seen blooms since last summer. Is there
a way I can get any blooms at all? Oh and
on one of them the leaves are getting brown
tips that take over the whole leaf. What
can I do to prevent it?
A. The problem is humidity. You need to raise it to get more flowers and to stop that edge burning. The direct sunlight in the PM is harsh so please protect it during those times either with a blind or sheer curtains. They like light
but prefer the AM bright light. I want you to place a large saucer under the pot. Fill it with an inch of gravel pebbles
or fine stones and set the plant right on top but not down deep into it. Keep water in the saucer to a level right below the bottom of the pot. This will evaporate off and give humidity to the foliage. You can even set 8 ounce cups of water on the plant shelves for more evaporation. Clean them weekly so that diseases do not grow inside. Give the plant a fertilizer that is a bloom-booster with a large middle number in the formula. Once every two weeks will promote flowers.
Q. I have recently bought an anthurium
plant which hardly has 6 to 7 flowers and
have planted it in a 7" pot with peat
at the bottom and coarse red sand on the
top. My problem is the plant growth is very
slow not a leaf has grown in a month nor
the plant withered. So please send me the
correct planting procedure and care tips
for healthy growth of the plant. I live
in southern part of India.
A. Anthuriums are relatively easy to grow
have attractive foliage and under the proper
environment produce long lasting flowers
year-round. They are durable and will survive
as an indoor foliage plant for a long time
even under adverse conditions. They grow
best with day temperatures 78-90 F and night
temperatures 70-75 F. Temperatures above
90 F may cause foliar burning faded flower
color and reduced flower life. Night temperatures
40-50 F can result in slow growth and yellowing
of lower leaves. Anthuriums will not tolerate
frost or freezing conditions. They prefer
a growing media that is coarse and well-drained.
Use a 1:1:1 ratio of peat moss pine bark
and perlite. Plants when they are young
should be planted in a mix that is not quite
so coarse to retain moisture and not overpotted.
Soil should settle around the roots and
the root system should fill the pot before
plant is moved to a larger pot size. While
Anthuriums are able to handle dryness around
the root ball they need to be watered thoroughly
and allowed to dry slightly before watering
again. Allowing the plant to dry out will
greatly slow down the growth cycle and cause
the tip burn and root damage while overwatering
can also cause root damage and sudden yellowing
of leaves. Indoor Anthuriums will take as
much light as provided but not direct sunlight.
Lower levels of light will slow down or
cease flower production. The foliage type
species will tolerate lower light levels
as they grow in some of the shadiest areas
in their natural habitat. Leaves emerging
under lower light may stretch or become
distorted. Use a slow release fertilizer.
If top fertilizing use a light solution
of a 3:1:2 ratio N-P-K diluted 1/4 strength.
Anthuriums are susceptible to the usual
pests as other indoor plants such as aphids
scales mealybugs and thrips. Thrips and
mealybugs are found on new upper growth
aphids feed on the flower buds and scales
are fond of the tough leaves. The best method
of insect control is to monitor plants and
treat before out of hand. There are "insecticidal
soaps" as Safer's which work well on
soft insects but scales need a stronger
insecticide. Under low humidity conditions
spider mites may show up. Try to stay clear
of the use of chemicals with periodic wiping
of the foliage plus a gentle water spray.
Do not forget the leaf undersides.
Q. I was given an Anthurium Gemini and
was told that it is easy to care for but
I beg to differ. I was given this plant
in June and now (Nov.) it has about 5 green
leaves and four of those are brown. The
base of the plant/stems is completely brown
and dried out so I decided to take it out
of the pot to get the dead part off and
maybe it would do better. When I finally
got the plant out there were so many roots
they had grown in a circular pattern like
the pot. I also noticed bugs crawling around
in the soil. Should I plant it in a larger
pot (I believe it's in a 6" pot) or
is this plant beyond saving?
A. First you need to repot and break apart the circular roots as they can strangle the plant. Use fingers or a knife to slit and pull apart and then pot into a slightly larger pot with all new fresh potting mix. Water well
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