Plant profile
Anthurium
Anthurium andraeanum
Also known as flamingo flower, flamingo lily.
Anthurium andraeanum is a tropical aroid grown for glossy leaves and long-lasting coloured spathes. It likes bright filtered light, warmth, humidity and an airy root zone.
- Grows well in
- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate
- Lifecycle
- Evergreen tropical perennial
- Light
- Part shade
- Mature size
- Usually 40–80 cm tall and wide
- Spacing
- One plant per 15–25 cm pot
- Growth habit
- Clumping evergreen aroid
- Native range
- Colombia to Ecuador
- Natural habitat
- Wet tropical forest, often growing on tree trunks or branches rather than in the ground.
When to plant
Tropical
August–April
Subtropical
September–March
Temperate
September–February
Repot during warm active growth. Outdoor planting suits frost-free shaded tropical or subtropical gardens.
Planting
Plant into a chunky airy mix and keep the crown at its existing level. Do not compress dense potting mix around the roots.
Position and light
Bright indirect light or filtered shade. Hot direct sun can scorch leaves; very low light reduces flowering.
Soil
Open, free-draining aroid or orchid-style mix with coarse material around the roots.
Watering
Water thoroughly, then let the upper mix begin to dry before watering again. Do not leave the pot standing in water.
Feeding
Use a dilute balanced fertiliser during warm active growth, roughly every four to six weeks, and withhold feeding over winter when growth slows.
Pruning
Remove yellow leaves and spent flower stems at the base. No structural pruning is needed.
Propagation
Divide established clumps or separate basal shoots with roots.
Common problems
Root rot from overwatering, mealybugs, scale and spider mites. Brown edges can follow dry air, salt build-up in the mix, or tap water high in chlorine or fluoride.
Safety notes
Anthurium contains calcium oxalate crystals that can irritate the mouth, skin and digestive tract if plant material is chewed or sap gets on the skin.
Worth knowing
Anthurium andraeanum is native to tropical rainforest in Colombia and Ecuador, where it grows as an epiphyte or ground-dweller in leaf litter rather than ordinary garden soil, which explains its preference for a chunky, aerated mix. The long-lasting coloured spathes are popular in cut-flower arrangements and can persist for several weeks once cut. Many other Anthurium species and hybrids are grown for foliage rather than flowers, and these can look quite different from the common florist type. Some hybrids sold in nurseries are bred purely for foliage colour and never produce showy spathes.
Grow Anthurium with Brancho
Add it to My Garden and Brancho works out what it needs next, timed for your climate.
How it grows around Australia
Growing this too? Share what you've noticed in your garden.
Grow a Little Wild
New plants to try, useful growing tips and a few garden jobs based on what you grow.