Anthurium Plant Care Instructions

Anthurium has more than 1,000 species including the popular “Flamingo Flower” genus and hybrids from nurseries like ours. This opens the door for an almost unlimited variety of colors, variegations (color patterns), and sizes so you can enjoy building a collection that is uniquely yours.

This tropical houseplant is a moderate care level, but it isn’t overly difficult when you know what to look for and how to adjust the sun, water, and potting mix to ensure the foliage remains vibrant and the flowers striking reds, pinks, creams, purples, and other colors. This starts with knowing where they come from so you can create a space that helps it to thrive, then learning how to detect common health issues so you can resolve them before they impact your Anthurium plant.

Fun fact: The colorful “flower” of the Anthurium plant isn’t actually the flower, it is a lead called a “spathe,” the flower is the spikey column inside it called a “spadix.”

If you’re shopping for a new one to build your collection, we share some staff favorites at the end of the guide.

Anthurium comes from tropical rainforests in Central and South America, and some like the Cordatum which comes from the Caribbean Islands. These plants grow as “epiphytes” which means they attach themselves to trees, but unlike a parasite they do not take nutrients from the host plant. They do this so they can grow higher to reach more sunlight as some rainforests will dampen and dull the light a bit too much, and to provide it with support.

Although they climb for sunlight, they need indirect but bright sun, which is one of the reasons they don’t branch out of the canopy and grow where they get direct sunlight. Their ability to climb and take nutrients from decaying leaves, raindrops, and other non-soil based sources make them perfectly suited to climbing hosts and thriving in humid, tropical regions.

Fun fact: Anthurium spathes are popular in Valentine’s Day bouquets due to their heart shapes and signature holiday colors. The spathes will last up to 6 weeks when cut, which is why hotels use them in lobby arrangements.

Now that you have information on where they thrive in the wild, here’s their classifications and how to care for Anthurium plants.

Here is how to care for your Anthurium plants.

Water your Anthurium plant once a week if you live in dry or hot climates, and once every 10 days if you live where it is humid and cool. A good sign it is time to add water is when the top inch or two of potting mix has dried out.

Anthuriums require 6 to 8 hours of bright but indirect sunlight per day as this mimics their access to sunlight under the canopies in tropical rainforests. Because they grow under a canopy where they do not get bright sunlight, Anthurium is susceptible to sunburn which can result in their leaves turning brown and crunchy.

Anthurium needs humidity to thrive so keep it on a pebble tray, grouped with other plants, and avoid direct airflow from vents as this could dehumidify the air, and keep the air between 65 and 80 degrees to match its natural tropical temperature.

If the spathe or spadix flower have begun to change from their standard colors to a brownish or murky color, this is a sign the plant is unhealthy. It is normally a result of one of four culprits that can be resolved by doing the following:

• Overwatering - put a chart next to the pot or on the back of the pot and add a date so you can reduce the amount of waterings keeping the potting mix and root systems healthy.

• Underwatering - set a reminder on your work, phone, smart device like an echo, or wall calendar to water your Anthurium once a week at a certain time when you’ll be home like Saturday at 11am.

• Malnutrition - place a reminder on your cell phone or one of the calendars mentioned above as a reminder to add nutrients to your Anthurium every 2 to 4 weeks during growing season.

• Leaf burn - if the leaves are also turning brown or getting crispy, move your plant out of direct sunlight so it gets bright, but indirect sunlight matching its natural habitat.

Sunburn or leaf burn are common with Anthurium plants and is easy to treat.

1. Move your Anthurium plant away from direct sunlight to prevent other leaves from getting burnt.

2. Trim brown leaves with clean and disinfected shears as burnt leaves will not recover.

If you overwater your plant, it can develop root rot which is where the root system starts to rot. To get rid of root rot on Anthurium:

1. Carefully remove the plant from the pot.

2. Rinse the root system with clean water to remove any potting mix so you can see all roots clearly.

3. With sharp and disinfected shears, cut all rotting roots that either smell, feel squishy, or have changed to a brown color from the normal tan.

4. Disinfect the pot with fungicide.

5. Refill the pot with a well draining and chunky potting mix.

6. Replant your Anthurium.

If the root rot was bad and smelled musky or moldy, use a plant-safe fungicide to help prevent the bacteria from coming back.

Anthuriums need well-draining and chunky potting mixes to ensure they get enough moisture, but their root systems don’t get drowned or develop root rot. Look for potting mixes with pine bark, perlite, coco coir, and vermiculite for drainage. Horticultural grade charcoal can be especially beneficial which is one of the ingredients in our dirt bags.

The proper time to add nutrients to your Anthurium plant’s potting mix is every 2 - 4 weeks during the spring and summer when they’re growing, you do not have to add nutrients in fall or winter as the plant will be in its dormant state.

With more than 1,000 types of Anthurium to choose from, including hybrids, it can feel overwhelming to select only one or two. That’s where we come in. Here’s some of our staff favorites that we carry from time to time, and rare options that you’ll want to pick up if you ever come across them.

Anthurium andraeanum (Flamingo Flower)
Often referred to as the Flamingo Flower, this classic Anthurium is known for its shiny, heart-shaped blooms (spathes) in red, pink, or white. It’s one of the easiest flowering varieties to grow indoors and adds a pop of color to bright rooms with indirect light.

Anthurium clarinervium
Clarinervium is a foliage-forward variety with thick, velvety green leaves and dramatic white veining. It grows compactly and thrives in bright, filtered light with steady humidity, making it a favorite for collectors and design-forward plant parents alike.

Anthurium crystallinum
Crystallinum is known for its large, velvety leaves and prominent silver veining that gives it a shimmering effect. It prefers warm, humid conditions and rewards patient growers with lush, heart-shaped foliage. A go-to for foliage lovers and rare plant collectors.

Anthurium 'Superbum'
This bird’s nest-style Anthurium features stiff, upright leaves with a ruffled texture and dark green to almost purple tones. It’s more tolerant of lower humidity than velvety types and adds structure and height to plant groupings.

Anthurium warocqueanum 
Also called the Queen Anthurium, this rare variety has elongated, velvety leaves that can grow several feet long under ideal conditions. It’s a true showstopper but requires consistent humidity, warmth, and bright indirect light to thrive.

Anthurium 'Ace of Spades'
This hybrid is known for its deep, nearly black leaves with a velvety texture and subtle silver veining. It’s one of the more sought-after collector varieties due to its moody coloring and bold leaf shape. Best kept in high humidity and stable conditions.