Lets Talk About Anthuriums
Lets talk about anthuriums, shall we? This very large genus of plants is having a moment this year of 2024. But not necessarily all anthuriums. The growing trend seems to be the collection of anthuriums that are velvety, dark, variegated, or just seemingly oddly shaped. These descriptions encompass a wide variety of plants from the dark and mysterious Carlablackiae and Antolakii, long and luxurious Pallidiflorum and Vittarifolium, somewhat unusually shaped Moronense and Pinkleyi (these create beautiful hybrids by the way), as well as variegated anything. $$$$$
While this genus of plants can have absolutely gorgeous leaves, one thing a new anthurium collector must learn is that in your home environment they can grow like absolute garbage. I mean terrible. Unless you happen to live in the exact environment from which these plants hail, it may be that you are in for a bit of a challenge, and it can be devastating. I probably shouldn’t even be allowed to have these plants given where I live, but I like them, so I have a lot of them and here we are.
So, how do you care for anthuriums if you don’t live in Ecuador or Peru? Before I begin to answer this question, I should first insert a disclaimer. DISCLAIMER: I am in no way a botanist or a professional. I am a healthcare provider and I grow and sell houseplants – many, many houseplants and most of what I have to share has been learned through trial and error in my given environment.
If you do choose to grow anthuriums in your home, there are a few key points to keep in mind when growing the above types of plants in the home environment:
1. Airflow. Many people are under the assumption that the most important component of anthurium care is humidity and yes, humidity is important, but in my experience, above everything else, you need to have adequate airflow. Keeping your leaves from having stagnant moisture is the best way to prevent bacterial and fungal infections, and leaf rust. (Debbie Downer here – you’re still going to experience these issues, but maybe just not as bad) Many of us also keep these plants in converted greenhouse cabinets and grow tents. If this is the case, you absolutely must be sure to install some high-quality fans to promote air circulation.
2. Humidity. Now we can address this need. The popular velvet leaf anthuriums are rainforest plants where the air is heavy and thick with moisture. While the natural elevation of each type of anthurium may differ, one thing that remains relatively consistent is high levels of humidity. They like it, they need it, they can’t grow well without it. That being said, some have found success acclimating their anthuriums to “ambient” humidity in their homes. Ambient here is in quotes as home relative humidity levels differ and some that have attempted this will tell you their leaves initially suffered tremendously before successfully acclimating. Acclimation to ambient also takes time and is a gradual process, therefore you shouldn’t expect to take a Warocqueanum out of the rain forest, place it on your living room shelf straight away, and have it maintain its luxurious leaves.
3. Temperature. This is another important factor in anthurium care, but it can vary widely depending on the elevation of the particular species’ natural habitat. One thing that I’ve found to be true is that they don’t much care for being too hot. When exposed to hot environments for extended periods, particularly without the relief of cooler night time temperatures, your anthuriums may suffer from stress and melt. Again, the optimal natural temperature for your anthurium may vary by species and natural elevation. Generally, 65°-85°F (18°-29°C) is a good range, but do your research as some anthuriums, as in those from cloud forest elevations, prefer cooler temperatures than others.
4. Light. Obviously these plants need light to survive, but whether you are placing your anthurium near a window for real sunlight or under grow lights, you probably won’t want that light to be direct. Again, do some research about your specific species, but a large percentage of these plants grow under some sort of canopy. Your anthurium could be an epiphyte that attaches itself to other trees for support and is shielded from the sun by the tree’s canopy of leaves, or it could be a terrestrial anthurium that grows on the ground of the rain forest. Either way, they aren’t getting direct, leaf-scorching sunlight. Use caution and perhaps choose an east-facing window for some morning sun or place an adequate distance from any grow lights.
5. Pests. We’ve all been there or will be there at some point. Those nasty little sh*ts that make you freak out and lose your sanity over the health of your expensive plant collection. You could have a handful of fungus gnats flying around and just being generally unsightly and annoying or a whole infestation of plant killing thrips. You may not even be able to see that you have a pest infestation but are noticing deformities and discoloration on your beautiful leaves. Either way, you are going to want to treat your problem for the sake of your individual plant’s health or the health of your whole collection. With the plethora of pest treatment options available to treat individual types of bugs, I am not going to discuss all of the treatment options here. This is a topic where you will need to find what works for you from systemic granules to foliar sprays, to predatory mites. I can say that I have personally found Captain Jack’s Dead Bug to be particularly sanity saving and I use this both for periodic pest prevention and when I even think I see a nasty little critter and end up freaking out and treating every plant in the vicinity. If you do choose to use a treatment or preventative spray, one rule of thumb that is good to know is DO NOT SPRAY EMERGENT LEAVES. You may well know that anthurium emergents are particularly fragile and spraying with pest prevention can cause lasting scars and leaf damage.
In closing, do your research. Learn about the plant’s natural environment and do your best to mimic this while still keeping your home comfortable for humans and pets. Oh, and anthuriums are toxic so please don’t let your pets eat them.
Also, do not let your anthuriums break your heart. Plants are not perfect in the wild, nor will they be in your home. The photos you see on Instagram are likely staged and edited, and what you don’t see is the poster chopping off all of the unsightly leaves before snapping their glorious picture and then editing in post.
Lastly, grow what you love.
