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Anthurium Care Guide

That waxy, heart-shaped "flower" is not actually a flower. Here is how anthuriums really work, and what they need to keep producing those stunning spathes all year.

The spathe vs. the flower: what you are actually looking at

When you buy an anthurium, the shiny heart-shaped red, pink, white, or purple structure that draws you in is called a spathe. It is not a flower. It is a modified bract, essentially a specialized leaf that has evolved to attract pollinators.

The actual flowers are the tiny bumps arranged along the finger-like spike that emerges from the spathe, called the spadix. In a natural environment, insects crawl up and down the spadix to collect pollen. Indoors, the spadix is mostly decorative.

The good news: each spathe lasts far longer than a typical flower, often 8 to 12 weeks on the plant. That is why anthuriums are one of the most rewarding houseplants when they are happy. The frustrating news: once a spathe fades and you remove it, you have to earn the next one by giving the plant what it needs.

Light: this is why yours stopped blooming

Anthuriums are consistently marketed as low-light houseplants, and this single piece of misinformation is responsible for the majority of non-blooming anthuriums on windowsills everywhere. They will survive in lower light, but they will not flower.

To produce new spathes, anthuriums need bright indirect light. An east or west-facing window is ideal: enough brightness to fuel flowering without the harsh afternoon sun that can bleach and burn the leaves. A south-facing window with a sheer curtain also works well.

Signs your anthurium is not getting enough light: no new spathes despite healthy leaves, very dark green leaves that grow slowly, stems reaching noticeably toward the window. Move it closer to your brightest window and give it a few months. New growth should begin to produce buds.

Signs of too much direct sun: pale, bleached patches on leaves or spathes, especially on the side facing the window.

Watering

Anthuriums sit in an interesting middle ground: they are tropical plants that appreciate consistent moisture, but their roots are sensitive to sitting in wet soil. The correct approach is to water thoroughly when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feel dry, then let it partially dry again before the next watering.

In most homes this works out to roughly once a week in spring and summer, and every two weeks or so in winter. The exact frequency depends entirely on your pot size, soil type, light level, and how warm and humid your home is. Check the soil rather than following a schedule.

Always use a pot with drainage holes. Anthuriums sitting in standing water will develop root rot within days. If your plant is in a decorative cachepot without drainage, always empty it after watering.

Water quality and brown tips

Anthuriums are moderately sensitive to fluoride and other chemicals in tap water. If you notice brown, crispy tips on your leaves (not the whole leaf, just the tips), try switching to filtered water, letting tap water sit out overnight, or collecting rainwater. This symptom is cosmetic rather than serious, but switching water sources usually resolves it.

Humidity

Anthuriums are native to tropical rainforests and thrive in humidity above 50%. Most homes run around 30-40%, which is adequate for survival but not optimal for abundant flowering.

A humidifier nearby is the most effective solution. Alternatively, grouping your anthurium with other plants raises local humidity as the plants transpire. A pebble tray filled with water beneath the pot also helps. Misting directly on the leaves is less effective and can encourage fungal issues if water sits on the foliage.

Soil and repotting

Anthuriums are epiphytes in the wild, meaning they often grow on trees rather than in ground soil, with their roots exposed to plenty of air. They need a potting mix that drains fast and allows air to reach the roots. A blend of standard potting mix and orchid bark (roughly 50/50) works extremely well. You can also use a mix of potting soil, perlite, and chunky coconut coir.

Repot every 2 to 3 years, or when you see roots circling the bottom of the pot or emerging from drainage holes. Go up only one pot size at a time. Anthuriums that are slightly root-bound actually tend to bloom more prolifically, so resist the urge to give them too much space too soon.

Getting your anthurium to rebloom

If your anthurium has been sitting without blooms for several months, run through this checklist:

1. Light first. Move it to your brightest indirect-light window. This alone solves the problem for most people.
2. Remove spent spathes. Trim off any old, faded, or brown spathes at the base of the stem. Leaving them on diverts energy the plant could use for new growth.
3. Start fertilizing. A balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10 or 20-20-20) at half the recommended strength, applied once a month in spring and summer, gives the plant the phosphorus it needs for flowering.
4. Check the roots. If the plant is root-bound with roots tightly circling the pot, repot into a container one size larger in fresh well-draining mix.
5. Give it time. After improving conditions, it can take 8 to 12 weeks for a new spathe to emerge. Be patient.

Fertilizing

Feed anthuriums with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half the label strength, once a month from spring through summer. In fall and winter, reduce to every 6 to 8 weeks or skip fertilizing entirely if the plant is not actively growing.

Anthuriums respond especially well to fertilizers with a slightly higher phosphorus number (the middle number in N-P-K) because phosphorus supports root development and flowering. A 5-10-5 or bloom-booster formula used occasionally can help encourage reluctant bloomers.

Toxicity

All parts of the anthurium plant contain calcium oxalate crystals, which cause immediate burning and irritation in the mouth, throat, and digestive tract if ingested. This applies to cats, dogs, and humans. Symptoms in pets include drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. Keep anthuriums out of reach of pets and children, and wash your hands after handling the plant.

Common problems

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
No new spathes	Insufficient light	Move to brightest indirect-light window
Yellow leaves	Overwatering	Let soil dry more between waterings; check drainage
Brown leaf tips	Fluoride in water or low humidity	Switch to filtered water; add humidifier
Brown or black patches on leaves	Direct sun scorching or cold damage	Move away from harsh sun; keep above 55 F
Wilting despite moist soil	Root rot	Unpot, trim black mushy roots, repot in fresh mix
Pale, washed-out spathes	Too much direct sun	Move back from window or add sheer curtain
Slow growth, no new leaves	Too little light or needs feeding	Improve light; begin monthly fertilizing

Anthurium varieties

Anthurium andraeanum is the most common species sold as a houseplant. Within that species, hundreds of cultivars exist. Common ones include:

• Standard red — the classic; red spathe with yellow spadix
• Pink — soft pink spathe, very popular; varieties include 'Lilli' and 'Pink Champion'
• White — creamy white spathe with pale yellow spadix; 'White Champion' is a common cultivar
• Purple/Obake — multi-colored spathes in blends of green, red, and purple; called obake (Japanese for "ghost") for their unusual coloration
• Chocolate — deep maroon to near-black spathe; dramatic and increasingly popular
• Crystallinum and veitchii — grown for dramatic velvety foliage rather than spathes; increasingly popular among collectors

Frequently asked questions