Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Caring for an Anthurium
• Part 2 of 2: Growing Anthurium seeds
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

The genus Anthurium contains hundreds of species of tropical plants, admired for their bright flowers that bloom almost all year round. The anthurium originates from the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. Despite their sensitivity to temperature and humidity, Anthurium plants are relatively hardy and easy to care for when kept indoors. Usually they are sold as cuttings from adult plants, but it is also possible to grow them from seed.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Caring for an Anthurium

1. Prepare a soil mix. Anthurium prefers coarse, well-drained soil. Try to make a mixture with equal parts perlite, peat moss and pine bark. Alternatively, you could mix three parts potting soil with one part coarse material such as orchid bark or lava rock. If the Anthurium plant is at least a year old, they may want an even coarser material, which can be achieved by adding a handful of crumbled aquarium charcoal, coarse river sand or shards of brick.
   • Anthurium plants can only grow outdoors in European growing zones 11 and 12, these correspond to minimum annual temperatures of 4 ° C or higher. So in the Netherlands you have to use a flower pot and let it grow indoors.
2. Plant an anthurium in a 1/3 pot filled with this soil mixture. The Anthurium plant should be kept in a pot slightly larger than itself, otherwise its roots may rot and die. Fill a pot 1/3 with the soil mix you mixed. Usually the roots of the plant above the ground will continue to grow, so start filling the pot to this low level to delay when you need to repot your anthurium to a larger pot.
   • If you are using a potting mix with less coarse material or with poorer drainage, consider putting one or two coats of gravel at the bottom of the pot to improve drainage.
3. Place the plant in a warm or even hot place, with indirect sunlight. Anthurium plants thrive best at daytime temperatures between 27 and 32 ° C. If this is not possible, the plant will generally survive indoors at a temperature of at least 15 ° C, but a higher temperature is better. Make sure it is not in direct sunlight, as this can burn the plant. But keep it in a light spot to get it to flower. A south or east-facing windowsill is a good choice.
   • If the temperature drops below 4 ° C at night, the leaves will turn yellow and it will probably be less likely to grow. The plant does not survive long when the temperature drops below freezing point.
   • Never place plants directly in front of a heater or fan heater. They can burn because of this.
4. Keep the air moist. Mimic the humid, tropical environment where the Anthurium comes from by keeping the humidity in the room at 80% or higher. You can place aquariums or shallow bowls of water and pebbles nearby to help with this. Mist the plant weekly, or if the weather is very dry, daily. Make sure that you also mist parts of the plant that grow over the edge of the pot.
5. Keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet. If necessary, water small amounts at a time to keep the soil from drying out. The soil does not need to be watered more often than every two or three days, even in warm weather, because the plant does not suck up large amounts of water from its roots.
   • If the leaves are turning yellow (not brown and dry), this could be a sign that you are overwatering. If this happens, let the soil dry out before watering again.
6. When the anthurium is hanging, use a stick. Most anthuriums that grow naturally, but only a minority of the plants sold as houseplants, are "epiphytic," meaning that they grow on other plants instead of soil. If your plant looks like a climbing vine and cannot support itself, you can use a stick that the plant can climb up against. You don't have to get an epiphytic anthurium out of the ground; it is not harmful to them.
7. Fertilize your anthurium with care. Newly planted anthuriums certainly do not need fertilizers for the first few months. You can decide to fertilize it anyway to ensure bright colors and good growth. Then use a slow-release 3: 1: 2 fertilizer and dilute it to a quarter of the recommended strength before adding it according to the directions for use.
8. If necessary, repot to a larger pot. Anthurium plants produce new roots higher on the stem every year, so that the roots reach above the edge of the pot. About once a year, or in between watering, lay a layer of peat or sphagnum moss against the lower part of the bare stem. Keep this moist and wait for roots to grow out of the covered part. Then cut the stem with a clean, sharp knife where the soil mixture begins, and repot the buried roots to the new pot, leaving the buried root underground.
   • Remember to put an Anthurium in a pot that is 1/3 filled with soil, so that the stem starts below the rim of the pot.

Part 2 of 2: Growing Anthurium seeds

1. Start with seeds for a bigger challenge. Commercially grown anthuriums are propagated by means of cuttings and grafting. It is also possible to grow them from seed, but if the seed is from a hybrid mother plant, the result may have unpredictable characteristics and be more difficult to grow. Outside the tropical regions, it can be difficult to find even fresh anthurium seeds.
   • If you are tending a cutting or an adult Anthurium, skip this section and go to the next section.
2. Harvest ripe anthurium fruit. Anthurium seeds should be fresh and moist when you plant them. If you don't have an anthurium plant of your own, ask another owner or a garden center if you can have some of the fruit from their plants. On holiday in a tropical American area you could also harvest it yourself from a wild anthurium, but because there are hundreds of species, it can be useful to identify the right species.
   • Warning: the fruit, as well as all other parts of the anthurium plant, are poisonous and should therefore not be eaten.
3. Take out the pulp. The pulp of the fruit, surrounding the seed, can prevent the seed from growing or cause mold. Wipe away as much of the pulp as possible with your fingers, then drop the seed into a cup of water. Leave it there for a few days while the rest of the pulp loosens and floats to the surface.
   • Warning: some of the anthurium species can irritate the skin. It is recommended to use gloves.
4. Prepare potting soil for the seeds. Chop peat moss, available at garden centers, into shorter pieces to make a fine, fluffy material. Mix three parts of this chopped moss with one part river sand or perlite and add a little bit of crushed activated carbon.
5. Place the seeds and potting compost in a flower pot or rack with a transparent cover. Anthurium plants come from the tropics and therefore need a warm, moist environment. There are a few ways you can simulate such an environment:
   • Put the soil mixture in 10 cm flower pots. Place one seed per flower pot on top of the soil, and place a glass jar upside down on each pot.
   • Or cover the bottom of a shallow earthenware container with your mixed soil mix. Spread the seeds evenly on top and cover the tray with a sheet of glass or plastic, leaving some space between the sheet and the soil.
6. Moisten the soil mixture slightly. Lightly moisten the soil mixture, then cover it again with the transparent sheet, as described above, to keep the climate moist. Wetting the mossy mixture can also prevent the seeds from sinking below the surface, which can keep them from sprouting.
   • If you have hard tap water in your area, use bottled water instead.
7. Keep the container in a warm environment and avoid direct sunlight. Keep the potting soil at a temperature of about 25 ° C, in an area where it only has indirect sunlight or partial shade. Within twenty to thirty days, the seeds should germinate and form their first roots and leaves, after which they can be moved to a larger pot and further cared for as described below.
   • Be careful when moving the young plant as the roots may still be fragile. which, as previously described, have been prepared.

Tips

• Anthuriums are susceptible to common types of pests such as mites and aphids, but it is often enough to gently wipe them off the leaves with a damp cloth. They are often gone after a few treatments. Seek advice from a gardener in your area or a garden center if you have more serious infections.

Warnings

• Keep all anthurium plants out of the reach of pets and young children. Contact a doctor or veterinarian if you think a child or pet has eaten an anthurium.
• All parts of the anthurium plant are slightly poisonous. This applies to all species of this family. Ingestion, and in some species even skin contact, can cause irritation and pain, but no medical intervention is necessary unless large quantities have been swallowed or if they are difficult to swallow or breathe.
• Do not try to grow your Anthurium in a pot of water as is sometimes incorrectly advised online.

Necessities

• Grow tray for plants
• Sphagnum moss
• Aquarium charcoal or activated charcoal
• Indoor plant pot of 25 cm
• Potting soil
• Fertilizers with the ratio 3: 1: 2