Anthurium
Anthurium andraeanum · also called Flamingo flower
Flowering
- Light
- Part sun
- Pot size
- Small pot (up to about 5 litres)
- Care level
- Moderate
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 18.3 °C (65 °F)
- Pets
- ASPCA: toxic to pets
Light and position
Bright, indirect light; direct sun can scorch the leaves.
Size and pot
NC State lists 1 to 1.5 feet tall. Our pot band: small pot (up to about 5 litres).
Watering
Water when the top inch (about 2.5 cm) of soil feels dry. Overwatering causes root rot and yellow leaves.
Potting mix and feeding
A well-drained mix. NC State suggests a liquid feed weekly during the growing season and repotting every two or three years.
Growing through the year
Prefers 65 to 80 °F and 60 to 80 percent humidity; avoid cold draughts and sudden temperature changes.
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 18.3 °C (65 °F). NC State says it prefers 65 to 80 °F and does not tolerate cold draughts; we use the bottom of that range, 65 °F, as its limit.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 18.3 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Aphids, spider mites, mealybugs and scale; leaf spots where air is still or leaves stay wet.
Pets and people
ASPCA lists flamingo flower (an Anthurium) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses (insoluble calcium oxalates). Signs include mouth pain, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Medium). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.