Flamingo flowers (anthuriums) are among the most popular houseplants. They are famous for their beautiful foliage and for their stunning flowers all year round. Is your flamingo flower getting brown leaves? This can be a cause for concern. Luckily, this article will help you identify the problem and get your plant back on track.
Causes of brown leaves on flamingo flowers
If your flamingo flower is getting brown leaves, there are causes and fortunately there are solutions too. By the end of this article, you will know exactly what is wrong with your plant and what steps you can take to fix the problem.
Too much direct sunlight is not good
Many people assume that anthuriums love lots of sun, but in reality they do much better in bright, indirect light. Too much direct light is probably the most common cause of brown leaves on anthuriums. Strong direct sunlight causes heat damageon the leaves of your plantand causes brown spots on the leaves.
The solution consists of it, place the plant away from the window in a bright location where it receives little or no direct sunlight during the day. After moving your plant to a more suitable location, allow your plant to acclimate to the new conditions and wait until it shows new, healthy growth before cutting off the unsightly brown leaves.
Flamingo flower gets brown leaves due to overwatering
Overwatering is the most common problem you will face when caring for your houseplants and is certainly one of the most common causes of brown leaves on flamingo flowers. If the plant grows in damp, poorly ventilated soil for a long period of time, brown leaves will also occur.
You shouldtake the following stepsto save your plant:
- Carefully remove your plant from the pot and examine the roots for signs of rot.
- Use sterile scissors to remove the rotten roots. These are brown/black, mushy, smelly and brittle. All rotten roots must be removed.
- Gently loosen the soil around the healthy roots and then wash away any remaining soil so that the roots are completely exposed.
- Repot your anthurium into a clean pot and use fresh potting soil. Use a loose, well-draining potting mix. A mixture of peat or coconut fiber, perlite and pine bark is ideal.
- Monitor soil moisture and water thoroughly when the top two inches of soil feels dry.
Overfertilization as a cause of problems with the plant
Overfertilization is another fairly common cause of brown leaves on flamingo flowers. It almost always begins with the well-intentioned gardener trying to provide his plant with everything it needs to grow big and beautiful. Unfortunately, excess fertilizer salts are bad for both the foliage and theroots of your planttoxic, so caution is advised.
The first signs of overfertilization are brown leaf spots and brown leaf tips. Your plant may also become stunted and not grow as expected because the roots are stressed and damaged.
If your anthurium's brown leaves are due to over-fertilization,you should take some measuresto save your plant.
- Rinse the floor with plenty of water. This dissolves excess fertilizer salts and flushes them out of the soil.
- Stop fertilizing for at least 6 months until your plant grows new, healthy foliage again.
- If you have used granular fertilizer or the buildup in the soil is very severe, you may consider repotting the plant in fresh soil. While this places additional stress on the plant, it may be the only way to save a severely overfertilized plant.
- Anthuriums only need a small amount of fertilizer to stay healthy. You might also consider adding 10% compost or worm castings to the potting mix, which would largely eliminate the need for additional fertilization for at least two years.
Check regularly for pests
Pest infestations can cause your flamingo flower to have brown leaves. This is usually due to direct damage from pests that feed on the leaves. Look for irregular brown or yellow spots on the leaves or even holes in the leaves.
Thrips and aphids are the main pests you can see on anthuriums. To determine whether the brown leaves are affected by pests, you just need to look closely for the pests themselves.
The most importantfor pests on houseplantsis to recognize them earlyn. In general, you should check your plants for signs of pests every time you water them. Check both sides of the leaves, the stems and even the soil. Pests such as thrips, aphids and mealybugs are easy to spot if you are observant, but spider mites are often very difficult to detect until an infestation has become a major problem.
Isolate the affected plantas soon as you notice a pest infestation to prevent it from spreading to other plants. Remove as many pests as possible by hand or use a hose, faucet, or showerhead to wash the pests from the leaves. Treat your plant with isopropyl alcohol, neem oil, or horticultural oil spray at weekly intervals to eliminate most pests.
What diseases are common for flamingo flowers
Fungi such as Fusarium, Pythium, Phytophthora, and Calonectria, as well as bacterial diseases caused by Xanthomonas and Pseudomonas, can cause your flamingo flower to have brown leaves. Many of these diseases cause irregular brown spots or spots on the leaves of anthurium plants. If you see rapidly spreading, irregular brown spots with no visible pests, you should assume they are due to disease.
Prompt treatment is important, as advanced disease leads to plant death. It is best to cut off all affected foliage as quickly as possible with sterile pruning shears. Topical treatments are usually ineffective and are not recommended as an alternative treatment option. If the majority of your anthurium's leaves have brown spots or spots caused by the infection, it is best to discard the plant.
Avoid low humidity
Low humidity causes a number of changes to the leaves. Your flamingo flower will develop brown leaves in the form of brown tips and leaf edges when the humidity is low. Low humidity is particularly a problem in centrally heated homes in winter or when temperatures are high.
Monitor the humidity in your home to prevent brown leaves on your anthurium. Try to maintain a humidity level of at least 40% year round.
There are many ways,increase the humidity in your home. Here are some good options;
- Place your plantsin groups - the increased transpiration creates a moist microclimate around your plants.
- Place a shallow bowl of water next to or under your plants. This increases humidity through increased evaporation.
- Place your plants in a bathroom or kitchen where the natural humidity is higher than other rooms.
- Use an electric humidifier. Although other measures help, using a humidifier is the best option.
Underwatering can result in brown leaves
This is one of the most obvious causes of a flamingo flower turning brown leaves. The damage is more likely to affect the old leaves, which may turn brown and fall off. The youngest leaves are also affected and can develop brown tips and edges. Anthuriums can also wilt badly if they don't get enough water. Identification is easy because the soil is dry to the touch and the pot is light due to the lack of water content.
Water your anthurium as soon as possibleThe top 1 to 2 centimeters of soil feel dry. Soak the soil thoroughly and allow the excess water to drain for a few minutes before returning the plant to its normal location.
Cold stress can harm the plant
Anthuriums are tropical plants that thrive best at temperatures of 15-30°C. Outside this range, they suffer leaf damage due to cold stress, which manifests itself as brown leaves. Often this initially appears as an indistinct, patchy yellowing, which soon turns brown and spreads to the restof the affected leafspreads. Leaf discoloration caused by cold stress worsens over the course of several weeks after the plant is exposed to unbearably low temperatures. Even just a few hours of cold can cause cold damage.
The solution is this, monitor the temperature your anthurium is exposed to. It can take several months for an anthurium to recover from cold stress. Avoid trimming damaged foliage until you see new, healthy leaves growing.
Old leaves are completely normal
From time to time, a lower anthurium leaf may turn brown. This is completely normal and part of the process by which the plant redirects its resources to new growth. As long as your plant only loses 1-2 leaves this way, you can be sure there is no major problem.
