This tropical plant of the araceae family has attracted the attention of gardeners with its decorative evergreen foliage and unusual flowers, consisting of a blanket wrapped in a spiral around the inflorescence-cob. Anthurium flowers remain fresh when cut for up to three weeks and are often used by phytodesigners in making bouquets.
Most of the approximately 900 natural species- epiphytes or semi-epiphytes.
Read below:
- Types of anthurium for indoor floriculture;
- Conditions necessary for maintaining anthurium;
- How to care for anthurium at home;
- Rejuvenation of an old flower;
- Atrium propagation methods;
- Diseases and pests of anthuriums;
Types of anthurium for indoor floriculture
The most widespread of all the variety are two decorative flowering species– Anthurium Andre and Anthurium Scherzer and two decorative deciduous ones – Anthurium magnificent and Anthurium crystal. Let's look at the photo.
Anthurium Andre
A plant with large heart-shaped leaves on tall petioles. The shoot is covered with numerous aerial roots. The heart-shaped bedspread is textured, with pronounced veins or bubbles. The color of the flowers varies from red to soft pink, and can be greenish, yellow and white.
Anthurium Scherzer
A small anthurium, the size of which does not exceed 40 cm. Leathery dark leaves are covered with black dots on both sides. Large flowers rise above the leaves. Varieties with a spiral-twisted tail look very original.
Anthurium magnificent and Anthurium crystal
These varieties are quite similar to each other. They have large, velvety foliage with a pointed tip and pronounced voluminous white or silver veins that form a unique pattern against a dark background. The cover of flowers is greenish, less often with a purple tint.
Conditions necessary for keeping anthurium
Caring for the plant is quite complicated. Anthurium grows best in closed greenhouses with a maintained tropical microclimate. Home care requires more time and care. Another option is growing in closed arboretums.
Growing Temperature Range
For proper development and regular flowering, it is necessary to create a difference in the microclimate of the winter and summer seasons. In the summer months, the temperature should vary between 20-25 ° C; in winter, a decrease to 16-18 ° C is required.
Sudden temperature changes and drafts weaken the plant.
Lighting requirements
Anthuriums are quite shade-tolerant. Decorative deciduous varieties thrive on north windows. Decorative flowering plants are more demanding of light. They need to be grown in good brightness, but avoid direct sunlight, which can cause burns to the leaf blade.
IN winter time or in shaded areas, it is advisable for the plant to organize artificial illumination with a predominance of the red and blue spectra of the lamp.
Proper watering and spraying
Like a native tropical forests, the anthurium flower needs high humidity.
Watering is carried out with soft warm water 3-4 times a week. In winter, water less often - once every seven days is enough.
For supporting optimal humidity Around the surface of the plant, daily spraying is used through a fine sprayer.
You can lay pieces of sphagnum moss around the flowerpot. The moisture evaporating from the surface of the tray with moss will create an excellent microclimate.
Advice! Monitor the humidity and always drain excess water from the pan. Overdrying and overwatering are equally disastrous for the root system.
How to make a soil mixture
The pot needs to be selected wide and not very deep, slightly larger than the root system. A good drainage layer is required.
The soil mixture should be light and loose, with a large fraction. When compiling it, take the following ratio: 4 parts humus, 2 parts leaf wholemeal, 2 parts peat and 1 part sand. Up to 15% of the volume of charcoal, moss and pieces of cones are added to the soil. These inclusions increase the air and water permeability of the substrate.
The Ph reaction should fluctuate within slightly acidic limits - from 5.5 to 6.5 units.
How to care for anthurium at home
In addition to maintaining optimal conditions, anthuriums require certain care - regular transplants and fertilizing.
Advice! It is advisable to wear gloves when working with anthurium. The juice of these plants is poisonous and, if it comes into contact with the mucous membrane, causes severe irritation.
How often to feed anthuriums
Feeding is required only during the period of active flowering or growth. Both excess and deficiency of nutrients in the soil can lead to visible defects on the leaves and flower bed.
To avoid mistakes, dilute half the liquid fertilizer for indoor ornamental flowering plants and water once every 2 weeks.
Rules for planting and transplanting
In the spring, young anthurium is transplanted once a year. Transplanting at home does not cause any particular difficulties. You should tap the edges of the pot to make the roots easier to separate from the walls. We take out the plant along with the earthen lump. A well-developed root system is usually tightly woven. It needs to be gently shaken, removing loose pieces of soil. Do not be too zealous so as not to damage the brittle roots.
Place the plant in the center of the pot with drainage and add soil mixture to the sides, shaking the container periodically. This will allow you to better fill the voids between the roots with fresh soil.
An adult anthurium requires soil renewal once every two years. Transplantation is carried out in a similar way and may be accompanied by dividing the overgrown bush.
You can watch how to transplant an anthurium at home in the video.
Rejuvenation of an old flower
With age Bottom part the stem becomes bare, the leaves and flowers become smaller and lose their decorative effect. Rejuvenation will help restore your former beauty.
You can simply cut off the top of the shoot with aerial roots and plant it in new pot with prepared soil mixture.
If the roots on the shoot are in their infancy, the cutting can be placed in warm boiled or distilled water. When the roots sprout, the plant is transplanted into a pot.
Important! If the room temperature is below 20°C, attempting to root a cutting in water may result in rotting.
There is one more original way rejuvenation by cuttings. The shoot is not cut off immediately, but the appearance of roots is stimulated by tying a piece of moss around the bottom of the branch intended for cutting. The moisture of the moss is constantly maintained until roots grow through it. A cut is made under the roots, dusted with coal and planted.
Polishing the leaves
Anthuriums look great with polished leaves. To do this, plants are sprayed with a special phytospray for 20-30 seconds.
Polishes remove stains from water droplets, prevent dust from settling, and give a beautiful glossy shine to the leaf plate without affecting the course of photosynthesis processes.
Anthurium propagation methods
For those who value anthurium, propagation of the plant is possible in several options:
- dividing the bush;
- stem cuttings;
- seeds.
Dividing an overgrown bush is done in the spring when replanting the plant. The main task is to carefully unravel the roots and divide them evenly between the two divided parts. It is advisable to powder the wound at the site of separation of the common root and broken roots with activated carbon powder to prevent rot.
For cuttings, take the top of the shoot with several aerial roots. On some bushes you can take a side shoot with its own root system.
Propagation by seeds is more labor-intensive and time-consuming. As a result of artificial pollination, berries develop on the anthurium, each of which ripens from one to four seeds. Before planting, the seeds are soaked for two hours in a pink solution of potassium permanganate to prevent mold fungi. Germination is long. Shoots can be expected in two months, and the first flowering - only after 4 years.
Diseases and pests of anthuriums
In case of violation of growing conditions or in the absence preventive measures from pests, anthuriums can develop diseases.
Signs of the disease and treatment
- Anthurium leaves curled into tubes. The lighting is excessively bright and triggered the activation of the protective mechanism. Move the pot away from direct sunlight. The plant will quickly react and unfold its leaf blades.
- Black spots appeared on the flowers. The result of large drops of water hitting a plant. You need to spray carefully, using good sprayer. Sometimes this is caused by excess calcium salts in the soil mixture or being kept in a cold room.
- The stems began to rot. Manifestation of excess humidity and watering. It is recommended to remove the affected stems on which putrefactive bacteria and fungi develop. For treatment, it is necessary to completely stop watering and spraying until the earthen ball dries out. Reduce further watering and spray less intensively.
- Dark spots appear on the leaves. Excessive humidity and watering. Lightly dry the pot and normalize the hydration of the plant and the earthen coma.
- Yellowing of the lower leaves. May indicate excess fertilizer or too cold temperature.
- Massive yellowing of leaves. Indicates problems with the root system. The plant is urgently removed from the pot, dead parts are removed and planted in fresh soil.
- Drying of leaves. May be normal as they age. If the leaves dry out en masse, check for mites or aphids. The tips of the leaves may dry out if there is insufficient air humidity and high temperatures.
- Why doesn't anthurium bloom? Lack of flowering is a sign of insufficient lighting, inappropriate pot sizes or too high a temperature. Move the pot to a bright place, out of direct sun, replant and lower the room temperature below 20 degrees to stimulate the formation of flower buds.
Advice! Closer to spring, the plant is shed once with warm (from forty to fifty degrees) water. Such watering will provoke lush flowering.
- Aphids are clearly visible to the naked eye. The young, most tender parts of the plant are most affected. The plant can be easily cured by spraying with special preparations.
- Scale insect: dark spots appear on the leaves. On the reverse side of the leaf, a brown tubercle is clearly visible in this place. Rubbing the leaves with a solution of laundry soap or spraying with insecticides helps against scale insects.
- Spider mite. The leaves turn yellow in spots and curl, and young leaves grow in an irregular, degenerate shape. Acaricide treatment is required.
- Root nematodes. Thickenings and tubercles on the roots indicate damage to the anthurium by nematodes. This disease cannot be treated. plant and flower pot destroy (preferably burn to prevent the spread of nematodes).
Advice! Ceramic pots can not be disposed of, but can be sterilized in the oven.
Anthurium: dossier
The Anthurium genus is the most numerous in the Araceae family. Up to 900 species are known, distributed throughout tropical and subtropical America. The genus name translates as “flower-tail”, from Greek words anthos - flower and oura - tail, and reflects the shape of the elongated inflorescence.
The name “flamingo flower” is also common due to the predominant pink-red color scheme of the cobs and spathes.
No less famous popular name flower-heart”, by association with the common form of the latter. Among florists, anthurium is considered a “male” plant and is associated with strength, courage and courage. Therefore, most often the inflorescences of anthurium are saturated bright colors It is given specifically to men as a bouquet.
ANTHURIUM ANDRE
Just a few decades ago, Andre's anthurium, named after the French botanist Edouard Andre, who first discovered it in the jungle, was grown primarily as a cut flower. It was too big for indoor conditions and preferred wet air greenhouses and conservatories. Selection proceeded in the direction of enlarging the inflorescence cover, improving its shape, and obtaining new colors. To date, many varieties of A. Andre have been developed, compact in size, with numerous inflorescences, capable of successfully adapting to indoor conditions.
The inflorescence of A. Andre is a straight ear of yellow, orange or red color. Small, diamond-like flowers are arranged spirally on it. But the main decoration of the anthurium is the bedspread. Its shape is varied - heart-shaped, oval, lanceolate, linear, there are even varieties with a double cover. Colors range from green to white, cream to brown, pink to burgundy-black. There are contrasting veins, two-, three-color, speckled, marbled, with a smooth, wrinkled, glossy or matte surface.
ANTHURIUM SCHERZER
This second most popular type of anthurium comes from Guatemala and Costa Rica and has been in cultivation since 1875. Differs in compact growth. The stem is shortened, often underground, the leaves are dark green, hard, with small black dots on the back side. The ovoid spathe is often red, strongly bent, almost perpendicular to the peduncle, decorative for up to three months. The cob, twisted in a spiral, looks like a “pig tail”. Modern varieties are perfectly suited for growing indoors.
Lighting for anthurium
Anthuriums require bright, diffused lighting. With a lack of light, Anthurium Andre stretches out and does not bloom. Anthurium Scherzer is more unpretentious in this regard, but it blooms willingly and abundantly only in good lighting.
On the other hand, excess sun, for example, on southern and western windows in the summer, causes discoloration of the leaf blades, drying out of their tips and the appearance of spots. Therefore, in summer, plants should be shaded from direct sunlight or kept at some distance from the window.
Temperature for anthurium
The optimal temperature is within +20-22 degrees. At values below +18 degrees, plants slow down, and at +12 degrees, the roots stop absorbing water and begin to die, the lower leaves turn yellow. Heat above +28 degrees is also undesirable: the growth of anthuriums slows down and flowering stops. Summer heat High air humidity, shading and regular watering will help you tolerate it.
Optimal air humidity for anthurium
Keep the anthurium pot on a tray with damp expanded clay or among other plants that evaporate a lot of moisture from the surface of the leaves. It is useful to spray stems with aerial roots. You can spray the leaves only with warm distilled water (it does not leave cloudy marks). When watering and spraying, water should not get on the inflorescences to avoid stains on the cover.
Don't fall for the trick
On sale there are anthuriums painted in unnaturally bright green, yellow, purple and even blue colors. This “miracle” will delight you until the paint injected into the peduncle runs out. New bedspreads will most often be white.
Plant small size, but with one incredibly large “fattened” bedspread it may have a surprise in store for you - during subsequent flowering it will turn out to be miniature and paler in color.
Watering anthurium
It is better to water anthuriums with boiled, settled, slightly lukewarm (about +25 degrees) water. In summer, to stimulate growth, it can be heated to +32-34 degrees. Once a month, to maintain the acidity of the soil, it is advisable to add natural lemon juice(1 tsp/l).
Water regularly, immediately after the soil dries. Stagnation of moisture is unacceptable; it interferes with the breathing of the roots, which leads to their rotting. The water from the pan is drained after 15 minutes. After watering, you can leave it only in the summer heat.
Anthuriums do not tolerate severe drying out well: the roots die, the leaves curl. The overdried plant is first moistened moderately, sprayed and placed in a transparent plastic bag so that the leaves are not crowded. After two weeks in a warm, humid and bright place, the root hairs will be restored and the plant will be rehabilitated.
Substrate and planting of anthurium
“Store” anthurium is replanted no later than three months after purchase. The container is selected with a diameter 3-5 cm larger than the previous one. In a pot that is too spacious, plant growth is stunted and flowering stops.
Drainage is very important for anthuriums. Instead of traditional expanded clay, you can use pieces of foam plastic (0.7-1.5 cm), as well as combinations of expanded clay with coarse sand, foam plastic with expanded clay. It's good to add pieces of birch charcoal.
When replanting, handle the thick, fragile roots very carefully. Using a wooden stick, carefully loosen the lump from the sides, remove upper layer soil, drainage or excess soil from below. Do not rinse the roots! This is a severe stress for the plant; washing the roots is allowed only in cases of extreme necessity, in case of severe damage to the roots, for example, with root rot.
A fish fin embedded during transplantation gives good results. A layer of earth is placed on the drainage, then a piece of fresh fish fin, sprinkled with earth, and then a root ball is installed (the roots should not touch the fertilizer).
The freshly laid substrate is compacted by tapping the pot. The surface is mulched with sphagnum. Moss is replaced annually and harvested dry. Along with it, a significant part of the accumulated salts is removed.
Anthurium propagation
In industrial greenhouses, anthuriums are bred using tissue culture using in vitro technology. This method allows you to get a large number of plants for a short time(from one plant - up to 5,000 per year). But it should be noted that when using leaf pieces for propagation, high degree self-clonal variability and plants of the same variety located in the same pallet may differ slightly from each other.
In the store, choose specimens with larger and brighter inflorescences, good foliage, and a compact shape.
In home collections, varietal anthuriums are propagated vegetatively - by stem shoots and apical cuttings. It's better to do this in the spring. The children are separated by twisting and, having sprinkled the wounds with crushed activated carbon, they are planted in a greenhouse for better rooting. With the beginning of active growth, they are transplanted into slightly larger pots.
Apical cuttings easily take root in damp moss, in a mixture of sand and coal and in water - due to the presence of aerial roots. A piece of birch charcoal is dipped into the water as an antiseptic and maintained optimal temperature+22-24 degrees. After a month, under diffused bright light, the cuttings easily form roots, and there is practically no loss of leaves. After planting such cuttings in the soil, it is advisable to strengthen them for the first time with supports so that they do not wobble and can quickly gain a foothold in the substrate.
You can rejuvenate an elongated adult plant using the method of air layering. To do this, part of the trunk is wrapped in damp moss and covered with a film secured at the ends with wire, in the form of a candy. Uniform moisture content of the moss is maintained using a syringe. Once the roots appear, the crown is separated and planted, and the stump will give rise to new shoots.
Feeding anthurium
In spring and summer, anthuriums are fed with orchid fertilizer once every 2-3 weeks. Ideally, such fertilizers alternate with organic ones. If the soil does not contain pieces of old mullein (enough for a year), an infusion of mullein or horse manure the color of weak tea leaves (1 tablespoon per liter of water) is suitable. Fertilizers are always applied the day after watering. Chicken manure cannot be used; its effect is similar to mineral fertilizers, which anthuriums do not really like.
It is better to make a substrate for anthurium based on leaf soil:
- leaf soil, 1 tsp.,
- coniferous 1 hour,
- coarse-fiber peat, 1 tsp.
- sand, 1 hour,
- 0.5 tsp of a mixture of pieces of coal, bark (1-2 cm), coarsely chopped sphagnum,
- pieces of old mullein, 1 tbsp. spoon per liter of substrate.
You can also use ready-made peat-based soil for orchids, but you must add 10-15% disintegrants (pine bark, chopped sphagnum, coal, pieces of weathered mullein, fine expanded clay, polystyrene foam). The addition of pine soil will improve the structure of such a mixture and slightly acidify it.
IF THE ANTHURIUM DOES NOT BLOW:
- The plant does not have enough light.
- The pot is too large or the root system is weak.
- Lack of nutrients; the plant has not been replanted or fed for a long time.
- At the base of the stem there are many small vegetative shoots; they take away nutrients and do not allow the plant to bloom. In this case, one or several of the strongest shoots are left, the rest are removed.
- The stem of an adult anthurium is too elongated, the aerial roots dry out before reaching the ground. Replanting with a lower placement is recommended. Or you can, as with propagation by layering, use sphagnum moss, only loosely wrap it around the entire stem and, without covering it with film, secure the moss with a thin fishing line or silk thread. If there are several stems, you can pull them together soft wire, wrap in moss and secure outside plastic mesh, rolled up into a tube. The roots will penetrate the moss into the substrate, and the plant will bloom again.
- Anthurium often stops blooming in winter, reacting to short daylight hours. In this case, additional lighting with fluorescent lamps will help, in which the total daylight time is at least 12, and preferably 14-16 hours a day. Lowering the night temperature to +15-16 degrees, with slight drying from October to January, also stimulates flowering
Anthurium: care at home - personal experience
Cob on red heart
Anthurium is an ornamental deciduous, beautifully flowering evergreen plant native to the tropics and subtropics of the Central and South America, Here it is grown in room conditions.
The main flowering period of the plant is from spring to mid-autumn, but under good growing conditions it can bloom all year round. Each peduncle consists of bright scarlet, pink or white bedspread in the shape of a heart and a twisted cob. The stem is short. The leaves are leathery, dark green, dense, erect. Root system superficial.
Conditions for growing anthurium
This is a light-loving plant, but it can also grow in partial shade. Anthurium must be protected from direct sunlight, as sunburn of the leaves may occur. The best place to place it in an apartment would be a window in the east or northeast direction.
For irrigation it is necessary to use soft, settled water. room temperature. Do not allow the earth ball in the pot to become completely dry or the soil to become waterlogged.
In early spring and summer, plants need abundant watering, and in winter - moderate. In addition, it is useful to regularly spray the plants and wipe the leaves from dust.
In summer temperature regime should fluctuate between 20-25, in winter - at least 15-16 degrees. The soil temperature should be at room temperature, so it is better to use plastic pots rather than clay ones.
Anthurium propagation
Anthurium is propagated by seeds and vegetative ways. Its flowers are bisexual (each plant has female and male organs), but they mature at different times.
For fertilizing, you can use organic fertilizers (bird droppings, leaf humus) once a month. Combination organic fertilizers with minerals gives the most effective results. From mineral fertilizers we can recommend Azo-phos with the addition of potassium humate (once every 2-3 weeks). Root feeding can be alternated with foliar feeding.
Therefore, seeds are obtained through artificial pollination. To do this, pollen is transferred with a brush from one flower to another, this procedure is done for 2-3 days. After 8-12 months, the fruits ripen - berries with seeds, which very quickly lose their viability. After removing the seeds from the berries, they are washed with water and immediately sown on damp filter paper in a Petri dish. Then, after 2-3 weeks, the sprouted seeds are planted in a container with soil substrate(two parts each of leaf soil and peat and one part sand). As the plants grow, they are planted several more times until their rosettes reach a diameter of 8 cm. Then they are planted in pots, where they develop into independent plants. Unfortunately, flowering in anthurium obtained from seeds begins only after 3-4 years.
Vegetative propagation of anthurium is carried out by stem suckers and cuttings. They are separated from the mother plant and if they are together with the roots, they can be immediately planted in separate pots with soil. If there are no roots or they are poorly developed, the cuttings are rooted in sand or perlite.
He doesn't like this
Anthurium does not tolerate drafts, sudden temperature fluctuations, direct sunlight, stagnation of water in the pot and drying out of the soil. All this leads to the emergence of pests and diseases.
The most common pests that inhabit anthurium are scale insects and aphids. As a result of pests sucking out juices, plant leaves curl, turn yellow and dry out. The most effective insecticides in the fight against sucking insects are “Bi 58 new”, “Aktellik”, “Fury”.
Anthurium – evergreen from the Aroniaceae family. Mainly epiphytic: in the tropics and subtropics it grows on trees and roots. The leaves vary greatly in shape depending on the species. The flower consists of an inflorescence of a spadix and a spathe, which acquires a wide variety of colors.
Anthurium cannot be called overly capricious and whimsical. If you create normal conditions for him, then this guest of the subtropics will surprise and delight with his beauty and long flowering for a long time.
The peculiarity of the harmony between your apartment and anthurium is the air humidity, which is unusual for home conditions.
There is always enough light on the windowsills (it’s better to even diffuse the brightness of the sun), a temperature of 23-25 degrees is also perceived as quite normal, but you will have to spend your strength and skills to maintain air humidity (coupled with the absence of shocks and drafts).
Anthurium planting
Planting methods
Anthurium can be purchased at the store or obtained from an adult plant.
In the first option, it is possible to assume stress when carrying (transporting) the specimen, so you need to let it rest for several weeks in gentle conditions: soft light, lack of fertilizing and temperature changes, good humidity. Then, after inspecting the bush for diseases and pests, you can begin more intensive watering and fertilizing. If you suspect that the anthurium is crowded or improperly maintained, after a week or two you can transplant the anthurium into your own soil and container. Potassium permanganate, sphagnum, crushed coal - all this good helpers in the process of growing anthurium.
In the second case, the young plant also requires a lack of stress to get used to the new place. And you too take a closer look at the flower. Water, but in moderation. Keep away from bright open light. Protect from radiators and drafts. However, do not forget to ventilate the plant.
Optimal time for planting
Any plant will tolerate any manipulation less painfully in the absence of flowering. Anthurium is no exception. Although, subject to the factors of temperature, humidity and lighting, it is possible to plant anthurium and not only in autumn and in winter. Anthurium – indoor flower. It is unlikely to take root in areas, since it will not be possible to create sufficient moisture for it.
Soil for the plant, composition and choice of soil
To create anthurium conditions that are close to the natural ones in which it is used to growing in nature, you need to remember the basic principles:
- the soil should be loose, for this they use sphagnum moss, pieces of bark, coconut fiber, broken shards, expanded clay and even polystyrene foam;
- it is better to slightly acidify the composition in the pot, since alkali is unbearable for anthurium;
- disinfection of the soil is simply necessary for susceptible anthurium.
Here are some options independent formation substrate for anthurium:
- Humus - 2 parts, turf soil - 1 part, sand - 1 part. A quarter of any coarse filler is added to this composition;
- Leaf soil, peat, coniferous soil - one share each. Plus sand - half the share. And charcoal, vermiculite, brick chips.
- Mix purchased soil for azaleas, violets or begonias with bark or moss. There is also activated carbon (crumbs).
Location and lighting for the plant
When choosing a place in an apartment for an anthurium, try to give it a well-lit window sill, but without the scorching midday sun. Under the canopy of the tropical forest, his wild ancestors had enough light, but not direct, but diffused. If the windows face east or southeast, it will suit best. On northern sides At home, the anthurium will grow, but either you will have to get used to the fact that it will only show off with greenery (no flowers), or install additional lighting.
Air humidity
It is highly recommended to monitor air humidity very carefully. This is a separate topic from watering, since you can flood the flower, but under normal room conditions with a working battery central heating humidity will be 25-50%. And the plant needs all 80%. Tips: spraying the leaves themselves (not flowers!) with warm, soft water, installing special trays with wet stones or moss nearby. Sometimes they hang terry cloths on the batteries and constantly wet them. You can create special closed (aquarium) areas with optimal conditions. But only by not allowing air to stagnate in them. Anthurium loves fresh air.
Temperature
In summer +23 (plus or minus two or three degrees), in winter temperatures drop to +17 degrees.
KNOW: The minimum that anthurium can withstand for a short time is 15 degrees Celsius, the maximum is 32 degrees.
How to water correctly
Water the plant once a day, but in no case allow the flower to be injured by cold water temperatures or by watering the flowers. In winter, watering is limited, but it is unacceptable to overdry the soil. The subtropical plant will get sick.
The distinctive features of feeding anthurium are as follows:
- the concentration of minerals should not be high;
- time for applying fertilizers is spring and summer;
- Root feeding is done once every two weeks;
- foliar daily feeding has proven itself well;
- It is better not to apply fertilizer to young or recently transplanted anthuriums.
You can fertilize with azofoska and potassium humate (proportions 3:1) in low concentration. It is useful to alternate minerals with organic substances (watering or laying in the form of mulch).
It's easier to try to pick any ready-made mixtures for Araceae in the flower department.
Plant pruning
If you do not plan to plant growing shoots in separate places, you need to trim them. This way you will form a compact and healthy plant, avoiding the loss of its decorative effect and weakening of flowering.
Trimming methods
In addition to getting rid of the thickening of side shoots, you can trim the leaves themselves if there are too many of them. The only thing you shouldn’t do is touch the roots. This is the most delicate and responsible part of the anthurium, so healthy roots are not trimmed.
But the peduncle must be trimmed after flowering. Otherwise, it will draw back all the forces with the formation of seeds and in the next period the anthurium may not bloom. Tools for pruning should be sharp (knife, pruning shears) and clean.
Anthurium transplant
With age home flower it becomes crowded in one pot and should be replanted.
Transplant methods
Anthurium is transplanted in four cases:
- if you suspect that the composition of the soil is incorrect, change it (simple transshipment with a lump of earth is used);
- when the pot becomes too crowded;
- when they want to plant anthurium;
- when there is a need to inspect underground parts of the plant damaged by improper care or disease.
An expanded pot with shallow depth is more suitable for anthurium. Replant carefully, trying not to damage healthy roots and getting rid of rotten or damaged ones. They do it in the fall , after flowering.
IMPORTANT: proper drainage- half the success in growing anthurium.
To get several copies of anthurium, it is enough to propagate it. This is very easy to do.
Basic techniques, subtleties of breeding
Anthurium is most often propagated by dividing the bush. The roots are not cut, but each bush with its obligatory growing point is carefully separated and planted in another container. The following year, the plant separated in this way can bloom.
Similarly to a whole bush, only the cutting can be separated. Usually lateral cuttings develop quite actively. In this case, you can do without transplanting the entire anthurium. Under no circumstances should they try to pull the cuttings out by the roots. One hundred percent of the roots will break off and injure the flower. The shoot seems to break off from the main bush, but is broken off as low as possible in order to capture several small roots.
Then the soil and the mini-greenhouse will do their job in a month and you will get a new young antarium.
You can do it even simpler - cut off the stalk. Length – 5-7 cm. As always, cuttings must be dried for several hours to prevent infections from entering open tissues. Then a selected mixture of soil and sand or, best of all, sphagnum moss with the required humidity will ensure the appearance of roots.
In some varieties, propagation can be carried out even with one leaf.
Less common is the propagation of anthurium by seeds due to the hassle and time-consuming nature.
Bloom
Flowering period, flower shape
Anthuriums are one of the longest flowering plants. The break in flowering can be only a few months in winter.
The shape of the flower is very remarkable: the flower inflorescence in the form of a spadix is surrounded by a veil, which can twist in the form of a spiral or simply be located next to it at an angle to it.
The red color of the bedspread is a classic color for anthurium. But recently, breeders have developed many other colors and shades. Delicate greenish, yellow, orange, brown. The pink color of the bedspread is popular. Sometimes white anthurium is even confused with spathiphyllum.
Plant care after flowering
After the plant has detected signs of flower wilting, it is necessary to trim the flower and transfer the flower to winter mode. That is, lower the temperature, water less often and limit fertilizing.
This will set the stage for future flowering seasons. Lighting should not be dimmed in winter.
Due to the fact that chokeberry plants are toxic to most pests, damage by them occurs infrequently.
You may notice avocado scale when examining the lower parts of the leaf. These are pronounced greenish or brown growths that are washed off with ordinary soapy water when detected.
In greenhouse conditions, very small white (gray) moths - aphids - may appear. This pest is omnivorous and very prolific. Quickly buy nicotine sulfate (or another remedy recommended against aphids) and treat the leaves. After it has stood for a day under the influence of the drug, you need to carefully but thoroughly rinse the leaves under a warm stream of clean water.
Flaws in providing the right amount (and quality) of moisture and light can affect the leaves in the form of spots, spots, yellowing and drying of the leaves. If you notice these signs, immediately adjust your care.
Incorrectly selected soil with excess calcium will be reflected in the tips of the leaves. They will turn brown and begin to curl.
Anthurium also suffers from fungal diseases, since it is in a high-risk zone due to high air humidity.
Gray rot will manifest itself in the form of a whitish coating on the stems, and then on the leaves. It can be cured by repeated spraying with Topsin, removing diseased parts of the plant and constantly ventilating the flower.
Septoria can be treated copper sulfate. Suspicion of this disease should arise when brown spots with a yellow border appear on the leaves.
If the veins remain green, but the rest of the leaf turns yellow, then this is chlorosis. Add magnesium or iron to your fertilizer.
Popular types (varieties)
The second most common inhabitant of our apartments is Anthurium Scherzer. It is the most unpretentious of all varieties. It is distinguished by short stems, elliptical or ovoid shapes of an orange or red spathe. Dots on leaves and flowers.
It should be noted Anthurium Andre. This is the first anthurium brought to Europe. Its second name is anthurium dakota. The variety consists of variants of white, pink, and red. In this species, the flowers rise above the leaves, standing out with special beauty.
from popular varieties
Baker (Baker). The pale green or yellow spathe is located close to the base of the plant, but it is surrounded by thin leaves.
Anthurium Tourenza(“Turenzo”) is beautiful with both leaves and flowers.
Anthurium Crystal attracts attention with the amazing color of its leaves. They are dark green with light veins. The flower is thin, elongated.
Climbing with original flowers
A whole group of anthuriums from the “lava” series is in fashion. They are distinguished by bright colors of the bedspread, gentle transitions of shades and lush glossy foliage.
The Orange varieties are very beautiful with a transition from yellow to deep orange color at the end.
Interesting brown anthurium Otazu Brown with leathery flowers
anthurium mix– looks great with the right selection of different colors.
Answers to readers' questions
Plant lifespan
Since the plant is an evergreen and perennial, its lifespan can reach several decades.
Is it possible to keep this plant at home?
Anthurium – whole home plant. Of course, unless you live somewhere in the tropics. Therefore, keeping it at home is quite natural. Especially when you have the time and desire to give this exotic overseas guest more attention than some others indoor plants.
Is this flower poisonous?
Like most plants belonging to the Aroniaceae family, anthurium has a slightly toxic sap. It is better to work with it with gloves. And protect from being eaten by cats and dogs. But no fumes are released in the air and therefore, with appropriate precautions, anthurium is a completely harmless house flower.
Why doesn't anthurium bloom?
Here is a list of factors due to which a wayward anthurium may not bloom:
- lack of light (or excess direct sunlight;
- low humidity;
- excessively high temperatures;
- overfeeding with nitrogen-containing fertilizers;
- absence of a period of winter rest with low temperatures;
- excessive watering (insufficient);
It has been noticed that fading flowers can also help slow down the release of new flower stalks. At the first signs of wilting, the flower must be carefully trimmed with a disinfected tool.
And further helpful advice: check if the pot is too big for the flower. In this case, the anthurium will increase its green mass and put off the flowers for later.
Why do its leaves turn yellow (dry)?
Check the conditions of detention. Most likely the roots are “uncomfortable”: either the concentration of fertilizing is too high or the watering is not normal.
But if, after eliminating errors in care, the leaves still do not return to normal, then it is realistic to assume a disease: chlorosis (add iron when feeding), fusarium (treat with fungicides).
Flower care in winter
Winter is the time when the plant least of all needs any extra care: the temperature is reduced to 16-18 degrees, watered only once a week, but make sure that the water is never cold.
In the same way, sudden changes in temperature or drafts should not be allowed for anthurium. It may not only stop blooming, but even die altogether.
The anthurium plant gained popularity as an indoor crop only at the end of the last century. Today, for those who prefer to grow tropical plants, there are about 30 species and more than 80 hybrid forms of evergreen anthurium available. At home, you can successfully grow flowering or decorative foliage varieties, and even exotic vines or tree species. We will talk further about how to grow this real pride of many gardeners.
Anthurium stands out among other representatives of the home greenhouse with its unusual flowers and beautiful glossy foliage. He is not very demanding in care, but he needs comfortable conditions and careful treatment.
Anthurium, types and varietiesIn nature, anthurium has many varieties. But in culture, only a few of them, which are highly decorative, are of commercial importance.
Based on two popular varieties of anthurium - Scherzer and Andre - many hybrid forms have been developed, the number of which is increasing daily. As a rule, all varieties are grouped by flower color. Anthurium - varieties:
Growing anthurium at homeDespite varietal diversity Anthuriums, caring for them is practically no different. And if you spend just a little time on this plant, it will acquire beautiful elastic foliage and will delight you with long-term flowering. What place to choose for anthurium in an apartmentAnthurium comes from tropical forests, but this does not prevent it from growing well in a city apartment. It is quite shade-tolerant, but it is extremely necessary bright light without direct exposure to ultraviolet rays. Although anthurium grows quickly in the shade, flowering can take years. A deficiency of sunny color is the most common reason why anthurium does not bloom. Therefore, the northern window sill is not the best place for this plant. IN winter period Anthurium needs to be provided with good artificial lighting, since it often has no rest period.
Windows with a southern orientation are also not suitable for anthurium. Excess sun is indicated by brown spots on the leaves and rapid drying of the soil. If it is not possible to place the plant in another place, the pot is either shaded or moved as far away from the glass as possible. Optimal place for anthurium - eastern or western window sill.
What soil is suitable for anthurium?Another important point in caring for anthurium is the choice of soil. You can use purchased soil mixtures, but it is better to prepare the soil for the anthurium yourself. This can be done according to this scheme: two parts humus, part leaf soil, part peat and 1/2 part sand. Or you can take soil for flowering plants and orchids in equal parts and mix. Since anthurium roots need an abundant supply of oxygen, the soil must have increased air and moisture permeability. Such conditions can be achieved by adding 12-15% charcoal to the soil, broken bricks or sphagnum moss.
Temperature and humidity for anthuriumThe plant reacts poorly to temperature fluctuations and prefers temperatures at 22-25⁰C. In winter, the thermometer in the apartment should not fall below +16⁰С. Also, do not allow the anthurium to enter the draft zone. Anthurium needs high humidity, so you need to frequently spray its greens. Drops of water should not fall on the flowers, otherwise they will become stained and the flowering period will be greatly shortened. To support required humidity, you can line the top layer of soil with sphagnum moss or place a container of water near the pot. If the anthurium is standing near heating devices, then in winter you need to use an electric humidifier.
Anthurium, home careIn order for the anthurium to fully bloom, not shed its leaves and not get sick, it needs sufficient watering, nice pot and high-quality fertilizer. How to organize watering for anthuriumWater the flower every 3-5 days, focusing on the drying of the top ball of soil. Only warm water (18-20⁰C) without lime is used so that the substrate remains slightly acidic. If you water the plant with very hard water, it will cause spots on the anthurium leaves. They can be black or brown. In the winter season, provided there is sufficient humidity, watering is reduced to once every 7-9 days. The remaining water from the pan is drained; this should be done 30-45 minutes after watering. If there is too much water, your green pet may get fungal diseases.
How to fertilize home anthuriumDuring the period of active growing season and flowering, the plant needs feeding. Every 14 days, special fertilizers are applied to the soil or alternate mineral mixture with organics. If the anthurium is provided with 14 hours of daylight in winter and continues to bloom, fertilizing is carried out without changes. If this is not possible, fertilizers are not applied and watering is slightly reduced. In such conditions the plant will not bloom.
How to rejuvenate a plantAnthurium is a perennial, but a plant that is too old begins to lose its decorative effect and blooms worse. Therefore, it is advisable to rejuvenate anthurium at home. This should be done when multiple side shoots begin to appear on the plant and it begins to resemble a bush. Or when the anthurium has stopped developing well and has only one leaf rosette on the trunk with old single leaves. Rejuvenation is carried out as follows: the top is cut off along with three aerial roots and immersed in suitable soil. At first, moderate watering is required, and when the side shoots begin to actively grow, care is carried out as for an adult plant. If the anthurium does not have aerial roots, you need to wrap the bare section of the trunk with the rudiment of the root with moistened sphagnum moss. New roots will quickly grow, and rejuvenation can be carried out without the risk of losing the old bush. Advice! It is important to understand before rejuvenating an anthurium which pot is best suited for it. In order for the plant to bloom well and not grow leaves, the pot needs to be moderately wide and not too spacious.
How to properly transplant anthuriumThe “male happiness” flower does not need frequent replanting. But when its roots begin to stubbornly crawl out of the pot holes, it means it’s time to put the anthurium in a larger pot. It is better to make a choice in favor of a flowerpot with glazed internal coating which will prevent the roots from growing into the walls. The root system of the flower grows very strongly and occupies almost all the space in the ground. Therefore, the anthurium, planted using the transshipment method, is immersed in a new pot, and the gaps are filled with fresh substrate. At this stage, it is important not to clog and provide sufficient drainage so that the plant does not rot in the future. The upper ball of the earth is also being updated. Healthy plant replanted every three to four years. If the anthurium is sick, replanting is carried out by freeing the rhizome from the old soil. After this, the rhizome is examined for disease. If there are obvious signs of rotting, the damaged roots are cut off and the cut area is rubbed with charcoal.
Anthurium, reproductionThis plant reproduces by all possible methods, but at home they use bush division and cuttings. Experienced gardeners successfully propagate anthurium by separating the young bush from the mother bush. This method is applicable for an adult plant. How to plant anthurium:
The second method of propagating anthurium is cuttings. The cuttings quickly take root and bloom the next year. Cuttings are carried out as follows:
Anthurium diseases and their treatment“Male Happiness” is a plant prone to diseases if not properly cared for. Most often, the disease can be recognized by yellow leaves, which can fall off, dry out, and become covered with strange spots. But the rhizome may suffer, which is affected by fungi and putrefactive microbes. How to treat anthurium depends on the specific disease, so let’s look at those that are common:
Anthurium pests and methods of combating themPests can attack a plant in two cases: if the air is too humid or, conversely, too dry.
Maintaining comfortable conditions and regular care will allow tropical anthurium to bloom profusely and delight you with its exotic beauty. Anthurium, photo
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Many people believe that anthuriums are capricious indoor plants. However, if you follow the rules of care, the plant will delight you with beautiful blooms throughout the summer.
To do this you need to know that anthurium loves rooms with high humidity air, so it needs daily spraying. Air humidity needs to be monitored especially carefully during the period when heating season. It is advisable to spray the plant in the morning and evening. In summer, you can even cover the plant with damp gauze. The plant can be bathed 2 times a year, the water should be warm, and after this procedure the plant should be allowed to dry completely. dark place to avoid sunburn.
Air temperature in the room in which the anthurium is located should not fall below 18 degrees C. The soil temperature should also not be lower than environment, so it is better to use plastic rather than ceramic pots. The plant loves light, but a lot depends on the plant variety.
So, Scherzer's anthurium needs sun rays less than Anthurium Andre, although it is better to try to shade the latter.
What soil should I plant anthurium in?
The soil is very important for anthurium, because in natural conditions the plant grows in the lower tier of the tropics, and some representatives of this genus have become epiphytes. Therefore, it is advisable to use a special substrate for epiphytes. If you can’t find one, then you can mix the substrate for “Azalea” with expanded clay, peat, pine bark, and sphagnum. The substrate is loose, airy, breathable and moisture-absorbing - an ideal substrate for anthurium.
You can also plant this indoor plant in acidic soil to which expanded clay has been added, or a substrate intended for begonias with the addition of sphagnum and perlite. In general, for planting anthurium, you can use a mixture in the following proportions: 1 part leaf soil: 1 part coniferous soil: 1 part peat: 0.5 sand with the addition of bark coniferous species and charcoal. There are examples when anthurium is planted in pure moss without additives or soil. A definite advantage in this case is that there is no need to monitor air humidity, since moss provides both moisture and the necessary breathability.
In any case, the soil for anthurium should be acidic, and alkali should not be present either in the water used for watering or in the soil.
Questions about watering
The issue of watering must be approached carefully. Anthurium should not be over-dried or over-watered.
Overwatering leads to rotting of the roots, and consequently to further death of the plant. Watering should be done according to the condition of the soil, but the earthen clod should not be allowed to dry out. It is important that there is no stagnation of water in the pan!
Interesting question about watering from the forum:
The anthurium got sick and began to rot, so I decided to replant it and saw that there was wet soil at the bottom of the pot. Who would have thought, the ground was dry on top and at the level of the nail it was also dry. Please advise how long should I not water it or is there nothing left to hope for?
Answer: carefully examine the roots cleaned from the ground; if there are rotten ones, cut them off and sprinkle them with coal. Wait until the sections dry. Fill the pot 1/3 full with drainage, add chopped sphagnum, pine bark or perlite to the mixture for aroids. Before planting, treat the roots with a fungicide, the leaves with epin, and place the transplanted plant under a bag for 10 days. And don't fill it up! It's better to spray.
Questions about reproduction
Anthurium is propagated by division during transplantation. When dividing, the roots must be carefully untangled so as not to damage them.
Answer to a question asked on the forum on the issue of rejuvenation by A. Andre.
To rejuvenate A. Andre, the elongated stem should be wrapped in damp sphagnum moss and tied with a transparent bag. Moisten the moss daily using a spray bottle. After new roots appear, cut off the cuttings with developed roots, and transplant them together with sphagnum into a greenhouse or container. Before doing this, remove the package.
Questions related to anthurium transplantation, discussed on one of the flower forums:
- I bought Anthurium Andre. The plant requires replanting, but it is recommended to replant only in the spring, I am afraid that after replanting it will disappear.
Answer: in this case, it is better to transfer the plant into a pot with a diameter slightly larger than before and remove a little of the top layer of soil, if possible, without exposing the roots. If you find aerial roots, cover them with damp moss or sprinkle them with the same soil.
General rules for transshipment: if you purchased a pot that is suitable in size and height for a plant with a ball of earth, then add a little substrate to the bottom, press it down and place the ball of roots in it. After this, pour the substrate in a circle, filling the space between the walls of the pot and the lump.
Watering should be done when the substrate inside is dry? pot height.
The water temperature for irrigation should not be lower than +30 °C, but not higher than +40 °C.
If after transplanting/transferring you place the plant under a plastic bag for better adaptation, then the plant will not need watering in the near future. Please take this into account. The bag should be removed periodically for ventilation.
Is it possible to replant a flowering anthurium?
Answer: It can be replanted because the aroid flowers are persistent (last up to 3 weeks) and the plant will not drop them. But it is recommended that flowering plants should not be replanted, but rather transshipped. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the earthen ball. Place the flower in a bright place.
In general, replanting is done once every three years in the spring, choosing a slightly larger pot for the plant so that the anthurium blooms well. It is advisable that it be a wide pot with good drainage. The roots above the ground should be covered with moss and moistened regularly.
If the anthurium does not bloom…
In this case, it is advisable to fertilize once a week with the Kemira Lux complex fertilizer; during the flowering period, use the fertilizer for beautiful flowering plants. and move the anthurium to a brighter place, but without direct sunlight hitting it. The room temperature should not fall below 18 °C! Anthurium does not like drafts.
The pot should be slightly larger than its root system. The soil should be moist, but not waterlogged.
If the anthurium has large yellow spots on the leaves, it means that the plant’s nutrition is not balanced. If the spots are small, then they may have been damaged by spider mites.
Question from the forum:
Tell me why the edges of Anthurium Andre (red) flowers are green?
Answer: most likely, it does not have enough light, and perhaps the flower is already old: aroids have the property of turning green in old age.
Question: How long is the rest period, and what care is required during this period?
Answer: for September-February, the temperature should be 15-16 °C, water regularly, humidity should be high, do not fertilize.