6 minutes
Anthuriums, also known as “flowers of love,” are a popular ornamental plant. Learn how to take care of it and get the most out of its beauty.
Anthuriums and their various shades express kindness, joy, strength, and happiness. It is one of the preferred flowers to give as gifts due to its durability in optimal conditions, which can last up to 6 weeks. Discover in this article 4 common problems in anthuriums and how to care for them.
This South American native plant genus is home to more than 600 species, whose flower colors range from red, white, purple, hot pink, and apple green to orange, black, and yellow.
The name in Greek means tail flower (anthos means ‘flower’ and oura means ‘tail’). It is also popularly called love flower, thanks to the shape of its heart-shaped leaves. One of its greatest peculiarities is that its flowering is constant.
Common problems in anthuriums
Let’s see, then, what can be the 4 most common problems in anthuriums. If we know how to recognize them in time, we will take better care of the plant.
1. The flowers or spathes fall or wilt
When an anthurium is cared for properly it can flourish throughout the year. and each bloom lasts about 3 months. If the flowers begin to wilt, it is best to cut them completely. This causes the plant to provide that energy to a healthy flower and not waste it on one that is already dying.
Since anthuriums will not re-bloom on the same stem, you can remove already wilted flowers from the base of the plant with clean, sterilized scissors to prevent the spread of disease.
2. Dry and withered leaves
Anthuriums are very popular in the world of decoration thanks to their durability. However, if you start to notice that the leaves and spathes are drying out and wilting quickly, It may be that you are not watering the plant enough. It is advisable to water them twice a week in summer and once in winter.
Other causes may be excessive air currents that, accompanied by poor watering, cause the leaves to dry out and lose moisture. A good tip is to avoid placing anthurium pots near open windows or other sources of ventilation.
3. Lack of spathes and small leaves
When anthuriums stagnate and stop blooming, producing only small leaves, it may be a sign of a lack of compost. Get a organic fertilizer to your liking and add it little by little to the pot until you see improvement.
Liquid houseplant compost can also be added to irrigation water. Do this every 14 days to encourage their growth.
4. Leaf spots
Although it is true that anthuriums need constant humidity to survive and enhance their vitality, when there is excessive watering, the health of the plant can be affected, to the point of making her die. The first symptom of this problem is that the leaves turn a yellowish color.
The most advisable thing in this case is to take the pot to a warmer place and not overdo the weekly waterings.
For its part, if en the leaves of the anthurium begin to appear brown or whitish spots, it may be a sign that the plant is being attacked by a fungus or insects clike the aphids. In these cases, you have to act quickly and try to fumigate the leaves with an ecological fungicide.
How to care for an anthurium?
All plants take special care to get the most out of them; be it light, humidity levels or fertilization methods. Anthuriums are no exception to the rule.
Although it is an easy plant to care for and maintain, Like all living beings, it has its own peculiarities to help promote its growth and health in general. Here are some tips to avoid the most common anthurium problems.
Humidity is key
There are some plants that, due to their arid origin, only need to be watered once a week in order to maintain their health and growth. However, this is not the case of anthuriums, since being from tropical climates, need a constant supply of water to keep your leaves firm and vibrant in hue.
Watering twice a week, spraying water a couple of times a day and creating a humid environment are key to keeping the exotic beauty of anthuriums intact. Do not worry. The water will not spoil the spathe.
On the contrary, it is necessary so that it can grow firmly and does not fall as the days go by. Just make sure the pot has a good filtration system, and don’t overdo it.
They need sunlight
Anthuriums are plants with a great sensitivity to cold, so they require constant indirect sunlight for a correct and healthy flowering. It is advisable to place the pot in a bright place or sow them directly outdoors in a garden.
If we leave our anthuriums in a part of the home where there is always shade, the spathes and the leaves will begin to dull and lose their vitality, causing them to fall off. If you like to keep them indoors, a good idea is to take them out for a while in the afternoons to charge them with energy and then bring them in.
You have to transplant them
In order for the anthuriums to continue their normal growth and flowering, it is necessary to transplant them when we notice that the roots come out through the hole of filtration or when we perceive that after a while it begins to stagnate. Find a pot that is 3 to 5 centimeters wider and transplant carefully.
It is advisable to carry out this procedure in summer. Try to use a soil as similar as possible to that of the original pot.
Anthurium requires a very light and loose medium with a pH around 6.5. Once transplanted, the soil level should be the same as the original. Water the plant to settle the substrate and if necessary add a little more.
Take care of your anthuriums and avoid their most common problems
Anthuriums are one of the most beautiful plants in homes and offices around the world. Just try to meet their needs and let its colorful beauty fill you with joy and vitality.
Take into account these four problems that attack them and encourage yourself to follow these recommendations to make your spaces cozy and pleasant places.
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