Anthurium: care, soil, repotting, and propagation

Anthurium, also known as the flamingo flower, is a plant that looks expensive yet surprisingly requires little care. Glossy leaves, lacquered red spathes, and flowering that can last for months. The problem usually appears only after a few months, when the flowers stop blooming or turn black — and almost always, the cause is the same thing: the wrong substrate. The guide below covers everything, from the right soil to propagation.

What is anthurium?

Anthurium andraeanum belongs to the Araceae family — the same family as peace lilies, monstera, and philodendrons. It grows in the tropical forests of Central and South America, where it lives as an epiphyte: attached to tree bark rather than rooted in soil. This detail explains almost everything that follows about its substrate and watering.

What we call a “flower” is not actually a flower. The glossy red part, with a lacquered appearance, is the spathe — a modified leaf. The true flowers are the tiny dots on the spadix, the straight central spike. The spathe can remain decorative for 6–8 weeks, and a healthy plant produces new spathes almost all year round.

Anthurium or anturium?

Both spellings are used in Romanian. The correct botanical form is anthurium — from the Greek anthos (flower) and oura (tail), referring to the shape of the spadix. Anturium is the phonetic adaptation, commonly used in speech and in shops. They refer to the same plant.

Colors and varieties

• Red — the classic Anthurium andraeanum, the most widespread and resilient.
• White — a white spathe with a yellow spadix; preferred for bright interiors and formal gifts.
• Pink and salmon — more delicate shades, slightly more sensitive to direct sunlight.
• Burgundy and almost black — varieties such as Black Love, decorative but slower-growing.
• Anthurium crystallinum — grown for its leaves, not its flowers: velvety, with silver veins. It requires much higher humidity.

The substrate for anthurium: the part that determines everything

This is where most plants are lost. Because anthurium is an epiphyte, its roots are thick, fleshy, and accustomed to being exposed to air, not sitting in compact soil. Universal potting soil used on its own will kill it — it retains too much water, becomes compacted, and suffocates the roots.

A potting mix that works, in approximate proportions:

• 2 parts finely chopped pine bark (1–2 cm pieces)—the airy base
• 1 part perlite—for drainage
• 1 part peat or orchid potting mix—for minimal water retention
• optional: a handful of horticultural charcoal—prevents the potting mix from turning sour

The ideal pH is slightly acidic, between 5.5 and 6.5. If you do not want to mix it yourself, a ready-made orchid potting mix loosened with a little all-purpose potting soil is the best approximation available commercially.

Quick test: lift the pot after watering. If the water passes through the potting mix within a few seconds and drains out the bottom, it is fine. If it pools on the surface, the potting mix is too dense.

Anthurium care

Light

Bright indirect light. An east- or west-facing window, or 1–2 meters from a south-facing one. Direct summer sun burns the undersides of the leaves and leaves faded spots that do not recover. In insufficient light, the plant survives but stops producing new flowers—it only grows leaves.

Watering

Water when the top 2–3 cm of the potting mix has dried out to the touch. In practice: every 5–7 days in summer, every 10–14 days in winter. Use room-temperature water, preferably left to stand for 24 hours or filtered—chlorine and salts in tap water burn the leaf tips.

Let excess water drain completely and empty the saucer. Fleshy roots rot within a few days in standing water, and recovery from that is difficult.

Humidity

This is a classic tropical plant: it needs 60–80% humidity, while a heated apartment in winter has 30–40%. Solutions, in order of effectiveness:

• Place the pot on a saucer filled with damp gravel—the water must not touch the bottom of the pot.
• Group tropical plants together; they increase each other’s humidity.
• Mist the leaves, not the backs—the water leaves spots on the underside and speeds up blackening.

Temperature

21–29°C in summer, minimum 16°C in winter. Avoid cold drafts and placing it directly above a radiator. Below 15°C, the plant stops growing and the leaf edges turn black.

Fertilizing

Balanced liquid fertilizer for flowering plants, at one-quarter to one-half of the dosage on the packaging, once every 2–4 weeks, only in spring and summer. Anthuriums are sensitive to salt buildup—it is better to use too little than too much. None in winter.

Repotting anthuriums

Every 2–3 years, in spring, or when the roots are visibly growing through the drainage holes.

1. Choose a pot only 2–3 cm larger in diameter. Anthurium blooms better when its roots are slightly crowded; a pot that is too large means the growing medium stays wet and the roots rot.
2. Remove the plant and gently clear the old growing medium from the roots by hand.
3. Cut off soft, brown, or foul-smelling roots. Healthy roots are white or cream-colored and firm.
4. Plant in fresh growing medium at the same depth. Aerial roots that remain above the surface can stay that way—this is normal.
5. Do not water for 3–4 days after repotting, so any cuts can heal.

Propagating anthurium

By division—the reliable method

When repotting, look for side shoots that already have 2–3 leaves of their own and roots. Separate them by hand or with a disinfected knife and plant them in small pots with the same type of growing medium. For the first 2 months: partial shade, moderate watering, and no fertilizer.

By stem cuttings

If the plant has grown tall and lost its lower leaves, cut off the top with 2–3 aerial roots and plant it directly. The remaining stump usually produces new shoots.

Propagation by seed is possible, but it requires manual pollination, consistent humidity, and 2–3 years until the first bloom. It is not practical at home.

Benefits—and what is a myth

Anthurium was included in NASA’s 1989 study on indoor air quality, where it absorbed ammonia, xylene, and formaldehyde. The correct qualification: the tests were conducted in sealed laboratory chambers. In a ventilated apartment, a single plant has no measurable effect on air quality.

What it actually does: it releases moisture through its leaves and increases local humidity, which matters in winter near a radiator. It also remains one of the few indoor plants that blooms continuously, rather than seasonally—the main reason it is given as a gift.

Toxicity

Anthurium contains calcium oxalates. If ingested, it causes burning and swelling of the mouth, excessive drooling, and vomiting in cats and dogs; in young children, it can irritate the lips and tongue. It is not fatal, but it is unpleasant. The sap can also irritate sensitive skin—wear gloves when pruning or repotting.

If you have pets that can reach the pots, a non-toxic alternative is the spider plant.

Common problems

The edges of the leaves turn black

The most common complaint. Causes, in order of likelihood: excess fertilizer (accumulated salts), water sprayed directly onto the spathe, air that is too cold, or drafts. Flush the growing medium with plenty of water once every 2–3 months and halve the amount of fertilizer.

Yellow leaves

Overwatering or growing medium that is too dense. Check whether the pot drains, and if the medium is compacted soil, replace it with the bark mix described above.

Brown, dry tips

Air that is too dry or chlorine in the water. Switch to standing water and increase humidity.

It no longer blooms

Insufficient light in 80% of cases. The rest: a pot that is too large, phosphorus deficiency, or a plant that needs a rest period—6 weeks at 16–18°C with reduced watering usually triggers new flowering.

Pests

Spider mites and mealybugs, both encouraged by dry air. Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth and check the undersides of the leaves and the bases of the petioles monthly.

Frequently asked questions

What soil is suitable for anthurium?

An airy growing medium, not plain all-purpose soil. Recommended mix: two parts finely chopped pine bark, one part perlite, and one part peat or orchid growing medium, with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Anthurium is an epiphyte—its roots need air.

How often should anthuriums be watered?

When the top 2–3 cm of the growing medium is dry: every 5–7 days in summer and every 10–14 days in winter. Excess water must drain completely, and the saucer should be emptied.

Why do anthurium flowers turn black?

Most often due to excess fertilizer and salts accumulated in the growing medium, water sprayed directly onto the spathe, or air that is too cold. Flush the growing medium with plenty of water and reduce fertilization.

Is anthurium toxic?

Yes, it contains calcium oxalates and is toxic if ingested by cats, dogs, or young children. It causes burning in the mouth and vomiting, but it is not fatal.

How long does an anthurium flower last?

A spathe remains decorative for 6–8 weeks, while a healthy plant produces new spathes almost all year round if it receives sufficient indirect light.

Is it spelled anthurium or anturium?

The correct botanical form is anthurium. “Anturium” is the phonetic adaptation used in Romanian—it refers to the same plant.

Where to find anthuriums in Bucharest

We have anthuriums in several colors and sizes at our flower shop in Obor, Șoseaua Ștefan cel Mare 234. We deliver throughout Bucharest and Ilfov on the same day for orders placed by 4:00 p.m. See the indoor plant collection.