Anthuriums are striking tropical plants, but caring for one well starts with knowing which kind you have.
The easy flowering types, the flamingo flowers, are grown for their glossy, colorful spathes and are forgiving houseplants. The velvet-leaf foliage types are grown for dramatic veined leaves and are more demanding, mainly about humidity.
The good news is that both share the same underlying needs, because both are epiphytes from tropical forests. Once you understand that, the rest follows.
Short answer
Give an Anthurium bright indirect light, a chunky airy mix, and water when the top inch or two of soil dries, never letting it sit soggy. Provide good humidity, average is fine for flowering types, but velvet-leaf types need 60 percent or higher. Feed monthly in the growing season, and use a phosphorus-rich feed to encourage flowers on the blooming types.
This guide covers light, watering, soil, humidity, feeding, propagation, and the common problems, with notes throughout on where the flowering and foliage types differ. If you are still choosing a plant, my roundup of the best Anthurium varieties compares ten popular flowering and velvet-leaf types by look and difficulty.
What is an Anthurium?
Anthuriums are tropical plants in the aroid family, native to Central and South America. Most grow as epiphytes, perched on tree trunks and branches in the forest canopy rather than rooted in the ground.
That single fact explains most of their care: their thick, fleshy roots are built to cling to bark and absorb moisture from humid air and rainfall, not to sit in dense, wet soil.
The genus splits into two camps for the home grower. Flowering Anthuriums, led by Anthurium andraeanum, are grown for their waxy, colorful spathes (the “flower,” which is actually a modified leaf) and a tail-like spadix.
Foliage Anthuriums, like clarinervium, crystallinum, and the Queen, are grown for their thick, velvety, dramatically veined leaves; their flowers are unremarkable. The care rhymes across both, but the foliage types are fussier about humidity, so I will flag the differences as we go.
Anthurium care at a glance
Here is the whole routine in one table before the detail.
| Need | What Anthuriums want |
|---|---|
| Light | Bright indirect light, no harsh direct sun |
| Water | When the top inch or two of soil is dry, never soggy |
| Soil | Chunky, airy, fast draining, with orchid bark and perlite |
| Humidity | 60 percent or higher, especially for velvet-leaf types |
| Temperature | 18 to 27 degrees Celsius, 65 to 80 Fahrenheit |
| Feeding | Monthly in the growing season, phosphorus-rich for bloomers |
| Toxicity | Toxic to pets and people if eaten, sap irritates skin |
How much light does an Anthurium need?
Anthuriums want bright indirect light, and for the flowering types, light is the single biggest factor in whether they bloom.
A spot near an east or west window, or a few feet back from a brighter south-facing one, is ideal. Avoid harsh direct sun, which scorches both waxy spathes and delicate velvet leaves.
For the flowering types, bright indirect light is what powers flower production: in low light they survive but produce few or no spathes. For the velvet-leaf types, good light keeps the leaves large and well-colored, while too little light makes new leaves come in small.
If you do not have a bright enough window, Anthuriums respond well to grow lights.
Light and flowering
If your flowering Anthurium has healthy leaves but few flowers, the most likely fix is more bright indirect light, not more fertilizer. Light is the main trigger for blooms.
How often should you water an Anthurium?
As epiphytes, Anthuriums want their roots moist but never waterlogged, since their fleshy roots rot quickly if they sit in soggy soil.
Water when the top inch or two of soil has dried out, then water thoroughly until it drains and empty the saucer. Aim to keep the mix evenly moist through the growing season, but let that top layer dry between waterings.
The velvet-leaf foliage types like fairly steady moisture and dislike drying out fully; the flowering types tolerate a little more drying between waterings. Because their roots are sensitive, many growers pot Anthuriums in clear pots so they can see the moisture level, and use room-temperature water.
A note on water quality: Anthuriums prefer slightly acidic, low-mineral water. If your tap water is hard or chlorinated, letting it sit out for 24 hours, or using filtered or rainwater, helps prevent the leaf-tip browning that hard water can cause.
The overwatering trap
Yellowing leaves and constantly wet soil mean overwatering and likely root rot, the most common way Anthuriums are lost. Let the top of the soil dry before watering again, and always use a pot with drainage and an airy mix.
The best soil for Anthuriums
Because they are epiphytes that grow on bark, Anthuriums want a chunky, airy, fast-draining mix, nothing like dense potting soil, which suffocates and rots their roots.
A good Anthurium mix is something like equal parts orchid bark, perlite, and a peat-based or coco coir potting mix, with a handful of horticultural charcoal if you have it. This gives plenty of air around the roots while holding just enough moisture.
The charcoal also helps keep the mix slightly acidic and filters impurities. Always use a pot with drainage holes, and refresh the mix every two to three years when you repot.
Humidity and temperature for Anthuriums
Humidity is where the two groups diverge most, and where velvet-leaf types make or break.
Anthuriums come from humid tropical forests and prefer humidity of 60 percent or higher, which is more than most homes provide.
Flowering types are reasonably tolerant of average household humidity, though they appreciate more. The velvet-leaf foliage types are the fussy ones: in dry air their leaves brown at the edges, and the largest velvet species are happiest at 70 percent or more.
Raise humidity with a room humidifier or a wide pebble tray, rather than relying on misting, which only helps briefly and can mark the leaves. A bright bathroom or kitchen, where the air is naturally more humid, can be a good home for a fussy velvet type.
Keep all Anthuriums warm, roughly 18 to 27 degrees Celsius (65 to 80 Fahrenheit), and away from cold drafts and from hot, drying air from vents and heaters.
How to fertilize an Anthurium
Anthuriums are light feeders, and the right approach supports either flowers or foliage depending on your plant.
Feed monthly through the growing season, spring and summer, with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength, and stop in autumn and winter when growth slows. For the flowering types, a fertilizer higher in phosphorus (the middle number) encourages more spathes.
Avoid overfeeding, since salt buildup burns the sensitive roots and browns the leaf tips. If you see a white crust on the soil or pot, flush the pot thoroughly with water to clear it.
How to prune and care for the flowers
This step applies mainly to the flowering types, and it is simple.
On flowering Anthuriums, remove spent spathes once they fade, cutting the stem back near the base, to encourage the plant to produce new blooms rather than seed. Trim away any yellow or browned leaves as they appear.
On the velvet-leaf foliage types, many growers actually remove the small, unremarkable flowers as they form, so the plant channels its energy into growing larger, more dramatic leaves. Always wear gloves when cutting, since the sap can irritate skin.
How to propagate an Anthurium
The easiest and most reliable way to propagate an Anthurium is by division, rather than cuttings.
At repotting time, gently lift the plant and look for natural offshoots or clumps around the base. Carefully tease these apart by hand, or cut with a sterile blade, making sure each division has its own healthy roots and at least a few leaves.
Pot each section into fresh, airy mix, set the crown level with the soil surface, water lightly, and keep it warm, bright, and humid while it establishes. Spring and summer are the best times, when the plant is actively growing.
Common Anthurium problems and how to fix them
Most Anthurium troubles come down to humidity, watering, or light. Here is how to read them.
Why are my Anthurium leaves browning at the tips or edges?
This is the classic sign of low humidity, especially on velvet-leaf types, or a buildup of salts from hard water or fertilizer. Raise the humidity, flush the soil occasionally, and switch to filtered or sat-out water if your tap water is hard.
Why are my Anthurium leaves turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves, especially with wet soil, usually mean overwatering and possible root rot. Let the soil dry out more between waterings, make sure the mix is airy and the pot drains, and check the roots if it continues. An occasional yellow lower leaf is just normal aging.
Why won’t my Anthurium flower?
For the flowering types, too little light is almost always the reason. Move the plant to brighter indirect light, keep it warm, and feed with a phosphorus-rich fertilizer in the growing season. Remember the velvet-leaf types are not grown for flowers, so do not expect showy blooms from them.
Why does my velvet Anthurium have small new leaves?
Small new leaves on a foliage Anthurium usually mean not enough light or humidity. Increase both, give it bright indirect light and 60 percent or higher humidity, and new growth should come in larger.
Why does my Anthurium have pests?
The dense velvet leaves of foliage types are prone to spider mites and thrips, especially when humidity drops. Inspect leaf undersides regularly, treat at the first sign with neem oil or insecticidal soap, and keep humidity high, which is the best long-term prevention.
A note on toxicity
Anthuriums are toxic to pets and people if eaten. All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause mouth irritation, drooling, and stomach upset in cats and dogs, and the sap can irritate skin on contact.
Unlike the pet-safe Hoyas, these are not a plant to grow within reach of curious pets, so keep them on high shelves, and wear gloves when pruning.
Choosing your Anthurium
Once the care makes sense, the fun is choosing which to grow. If you want an easy, colorful, blooming plant, the flowering flamingo flower types are forgiving and rewarding.
If it is the dramatic foliage that draws you, start with clarinervium or crystallinum, the most achievable velvet-leaf types, before working up to the larger, fussier King and Queen. Be honest about whether you can provide the high humidity they need.
For a full comparison of popular flowering and foliage types by look and difficulty, see my guide to the best Anthurium varieties. It walks through ten of them and points you to the right one for your space and experience.
Which kind of Anthurium are you growing, a flowering flamingo flower or a velvet-leaf type, and what is it doing? Leave a comment below and I will help you work out what it needs.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water an Anthurium?
Water when the top inch or two of soil has dried, keeping it evenly moist but never soggy. As epiphytes, Anthuriums hate sitting wet, so good drainage matters more than a fixed schedule. Velvet-leaf types like steady moisture, while flowering types tolerate a bit more drying.
What humidity do Anthuriums need?
They prefer 60 percent or higher, which is more than the average home. Flowering types tolerate average humidity better, but velvet-leaf foliage types genuinely need high humidity or their leaves brown. Use a humidifier or pebble tray rather than relying on misting.
Should I mist my Anthurium?
Misting is not the best way to raise humidity, since it only helps briefly and can leave marks or invite fungus on velvet leaves. A room humidifier or a wide pebble tray is far more effective for the steady humidity Anthuriums want.
What soil do Anthuriums need?
A chunky, airy, fast-draining mix, because they are epiphytes that grow on tree bark in the wild, not in dense soil. A blend of orchid bark, perlite, and some potting mix or coco coir works well and prevents the root rot that kills them.
Why are my Anthurium leaves turning brown at the tips or edges?
Usually low humidity, especially on velvet-leaf types, or a buildup of salts from tap water or fertilizer. Raise the humidity, flush the soil occasionally, and consider using filtered or sat-out water if your tap water is hard.
How do I propagate an Anthurium?
The easiest method is division. At repotting, gently separate natural offshoots that each have their own roots and a few leaves, and pot them up individually in fresh airy mix. Spring and summer are the best times.
Are Anthuriums toxic to pets?
Yes. All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals and are toxic to cats, dogs, and humans if eaten, and the sap can irritate skin. Keep them out of reach and wear gloves when pruning.
