Anthurium Care Guide

Light

Medium to bright, indirect light. Anthuriums love bright, filtered light but will scorch in direct sun, so keep them out of harsh afternoon rays or the leaves can burn.

Water & humidity

In the warmer months, keep the soil lightly moist but never soggy. If you are unsure, less is more. In winter, let the top two to three centimetres of soil dry out before you water again. Anthuriums enjoy a little humidity, so a bright kitchen or bathroom suits them well.

Feeding

Anthuriums are slow, steady growers. Each leaf lasts for months and new growth comes along slowly, so they do not need much feeding. A balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength, twice through the growing season, is plenty.

Repotting & soil

In the wild, anthuriums are epiphytes that grow in the crooks of trees with their roots in the open air, so they like good airflow and sharp drainage. Pot them into a free-draining mix, such as orchid mix blended with regular potting soil, and only move up a pot size once the roots have filled the container.

Common problems

• Yellowing leaves usually mean too much water. Let the soil dry a little more between waterings and make sure the pot drains freely.
• Brown, crispy leaf tips point to dry air or under-watering. Lift the humidity a little and check your watering routine.
• Few or no blooms often comes down to too little light. Move the plant somewhere brighter, but still out of direct sun.
• Scorched or bleached patches mean too much direct sunlight. Shift it back from the window.

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