Anthurium Care
Understanding the Proper Anthurium Care
In order to ensure that your beautiful decorative house plant doesn’t die off prematurely, it is a good idea to learn all you can about the proper anthurium care. We are going to take a look at the physical characteristics of the plant, as well as its planting requirements and any insects that may particularly affect this plant.
Let’s start off by talking a bit about the physical aspects of the plant. The most noticeable—and most favored—part of the plant is, of course, the flowers. These heart-shaped flowers come in four varieties of color: purple, white, pink, and red. They are extremely vibrant and can last up to eight weeks. Many people specifically choose this plant for its ability to brighten up a room, but the flowers aren’t the only aesthetically appealing aspect of this plant. It also produces many large heart-shaped leaves that match the flowers perfectly! The dark green leaves have a very sleek appearance and are smooth to the touch. If your exercise your anthurium care correctly, this plant could bloom on a near continuous basis.
Now, grasshopper, in order to exercise good anthurium care, you must first learn the ways of the anthurium. Although the anthurium is a fairly easy plant to maintain, there are still a few things that you need to bear in mind to ensure that your houseplant really flourishes. For instance, the anthurium plant really doesn’t need a lot of room to spread its roots out. Because of this, a six inch pot should be more than sufficient for maintaining your plant as long as the pot has good drainage. Look for a pot that has holes in the bottom and comes complete with a draining plate. The amount of water your anthurium receives is very important. All plants need water, but some need more or less than others. This particular plant does not need a lot of water, and in fact it would do better to have less water than to be overwatered. It may sound a bit confusing at first, but a good rule to keep in mind is to allow the soil to dry (to the touch) between watering. Simply press the pad of your finger down onto the soil and if it feels moist, it’s probably not quite time to water it yet.
Sunlight can be a difficult aspect of growing a houseplant regardless of what type of plant you grow. Unless you have a conservatory or a green house attached to your house, you may find it difficult to select the right spot for your plant. In the anthurium’s case, it needs bright sunlight, but it should not be placed in direct sunlight. Try to select a table, desk, or counter top where it can get a pretty decent amount of sunlight without coming into direct contact with sunlight. Keeping this plant on an open window ledge in the summer probably isn’t a good idea. If you want the plant to bloom throughout the entire year, you may want to consider buying plant food designed to encourage blooming. This food should be administered every two months or so.
The one pest that you need to worry about with the anthurium is the gnat. Unfortunately, this plant seems to attract the little flies quite well! You can avoid gnat infestations by ensuring that the decorative pot (if you have one) is kept clean and dry. Also, ensure that the drainage plate is cleaned out regularly. Gnats like moist and dark environments, so keeping the container nice and clean will make sure that the conditions don’t attract gnats.
Let’s give a brief re-cap of the responsibilities of anthurium care: five or six inch planting pot, plenty of bright sun without exposure to direct sunlight, and light watering with good drainage. Many people find this an ideal houseplant because it doesn’t require constant care and it offers a vibrant touch to your home’s atmosphere. What more could one want in a plant?