The anthurium, also known as the flamingo flower, is a showy houseplant with bright red or white flowers and large, glossy leaves that give it an exotic look. The flowering period lasts around six to eight weeks, spread throughout the year, with a three-month rest period in between. There are about a thousand types ofAnthurium, a perennial plant found in Central America, northern South America and the Caribbean. Although flamingo flowers can also be grown in the garden in warmer areas, their special care requirements make them better suited to growing indoors or in a greenhouse. Find out how you should care for your anthurium here!
Planting flamingo flowers – tips
Care instructionsfor anthuriums can bederive from the plants' natural habitat: the tropical rainforests. These plants thrive best in a warm, bright place with high humidity, such as a bathroom or conservatory. Whenever the top few inches of soil are dry, you should water the houseplant. Repotting should only be done in spring when the roots of the plant have filled the container.
Plant the root ball slightly above the soil surface in a mixture of peat-free general-purpose and soil compost or in a high-quality houseplant or orchid compost.
Caring for anthurium – finding the right location
Your flamingo flower will thrive in a location that receives plenty of bright, indirect light. The ideal temperature for anthuriums is between 15 and 20°C, away from drafts and radiators. You can increase the humidity in a room,by the plantsplace close to each other.
Anthurium care: get good soil
If you want to grow anthuriums in pots, you should use a rich but well-drained potting mix that is kept slightly moist but not soggy. Flamingo flowersthrive bestin a potting soil specially made for orchids, which consists of equal parts sand and peat moss.
In their homeland, many flamingo flowers grow on the roots of other plants rather than on the ground. Give your plant a stake or small trellis to climb on if it can't support its own weight.
Watering flamingo flower
The soil should always be slightly moist and should never dry out completely. Place the planter in a bowl of moist pebbles or gravel. There, excess water can drain away from the plant and increase the relative humidity in the immediate area. Don't water again until the soil feels dry. About once a week when the flamingo flowers are indoors. If you keep the plant outdoors, you will need to water it twice a week in hot weather.
Caring for and fertilizing anthurium
Throughout the entire growing seasonYou can and should use liquid fertilizer for your flamingo flower. Use a high-phosphorus fertilizer diluted 1/4 and feed the plants once a week. With the help of fertilizer you canAnthuriums in bloombring.
Propagate flamingo flowers
Repotting is an excellent opportunity to divide your flamingo flower and move it to new locations. Carefully separate the plant into sections and transplant each section into its own container. You can also propagate your plant by cutting off a portion of a stem that is about 10 centimeters long and has at least two pairs of leaves. To propagate new plants from root cuttings, simply remove a piece of aerial root, use a bit of rooting powder and plant the piece in a small container of compost.
Prune the houseplant
When the leaves of a flamingo flower wither, this houseplant invests all of its resources in trying to bring it back to life. If you remove the browning leaves, the plant can put its resources into developing new leaves and flowers. If the leaves are difficult to remove by plucking, you can use sterilized hand pruners. Cut off dead flowers on the stems to make room for new flowers. If you want to promote seed production, you must leave the spent flowers on the plant longer.
Take some time,to get your plant into shape, by removing any leaves or branches that do not contribute to the overall aesthetic. Leave at least three or four sheets.
Caring for anthurium – common pests and diseases
Over time, aphids cause distortion and uneven leaf coloring. Spider mites may be the cause of the yellow spots on your leaves. In addition to mealybugs, thrips are also responsible for spotty leaves because they feed on young plants. The plants will wilt, become limp and unable to develop new growth if the insects remain. The pests can be controlled naturally with short, quick bursts of water that drive away and often drown the insects. Oils and soaps intended for use in horticulture can be effective against particularly stubborn insects.
Anthuriums tend to have yellowing leaves when exposed to too much direct sun. If the tips of the leaves turn brown or fade, this may indicate too much exposure to light. Do not place the plant directly in front of the glass. Bacterial wilt, another cause of yellowing leaves, cannot be ruled out. Stems and leaves can change from a yellowish green to a bronze hue.
