Pink Anthurium Plant, Laceleaf, Flamingo Flower

Bright indirect to medium light

Water every 1–2 weeks

Anthurium Care

Here’s a little secret: the beautiful heart-shaped “flowers” are not flowers! What makes these durable, easy-care houseplants so appealing are red, white, pink, or purple waxy leaves called spathes that flare from the base of the fleshy spike where the actual tiny flowers grow. These indoor plants are epiphytes, a type of air plant that comes from warm, tropical regions where they either grow on the surface of other plants or in rich organic humus. Therefore, as a houseplant, the Anthurium is extremely durable and requires little care. Simply report with peat moss or a coco coir-based soil mixture, provide bright, indirect sunlight, and allow the soil to partially dry out between waterings. For more robust, repeated “flowering,” allow the Anthurium to rest for six weeks with little water during the winter at approximately 60°F. If you notice that the “flower” is green rather than the colour you were expecting, it may be a new sprout that was forced to bloom when it should have been resting. If a “flower” is fading, it is likely an older bloom that is ready to dry up and fall off.

Common Problems

SYMPTOM: Yellowing leaves
CAUSE: Too much direct sunlight or overwatering

SYMPTOM: New flowers are green instead of red or pink
CAUSE: Too much sunlight

SYMPTOM: Flowers are turning pale green
CAUSE: Underwatering, or temperature stress

SYMPTOM: Leaf elongation
CAUSE: Not enough light, or too far away from the light source