Rare anthuriums are grown for their lush, dramatic, heart-shaped leaves -not for flowers.
They are in the Aroid family, (it sort of rhymes with ‘steroid’), a family of tropical plants that has exploded in popularity in recent years and inspired a revival of the indoor jungle aesthetic.
The Aroid family includes philodendrons, anthuriums and tetraspermas as well as the easily-grown monstera, images of whose perforated leaves currently
pattern smartphone cases and statement wallpaper. Here are our tips for encouraging rare anthuriums to flourish outside the tropics.
Anthurium waraqueneanum
1. Anthuriums need warm humid conditions to thrive. I keep mine under a banksia tree during summer and bring them into the house to display during winter.
Potted anthuriums will survive winter temperatures of 10 degrees C.
2. Mist weekly.
3. Pots can be watered using the wicking method by placing a wick (venetian cord is fantastic) in the pot when potting up the plant and putting the wick
into a shallow dish of water when required.
4. Watering should be slowed right down in winter. Leave about 3-4 weeks between waterings.
5. Air movement between plants is vital.
6. Every two years repot and change the potting mix, because as the mix breaks down, the fleshy roots, which look like orchid roots, can rot. I use a free
draining cymbidium mix with a handful of bigger orchid bark.
7. Feed in spring, summer and autumn with pelleted organic fertiliser like Organic Life, or blood and bone or Dynamic Lifter. Because the goal is lovely
green leaf growth nitrogen is excellent.
8. Spray or water plants with liquid fertiliser such as Powerfeed or Harvest every month. I allow the pot to soak in this solution in a bucket for four
hours, then drain it and return it to its shelf.
Note: Thanks to Sydney Tropical Plant Society for all the work they do educating us about how to grow tropical indoor plants. The information outlined
here originally came from the Society and Linda has used it to nurture her own collection of Aroids.
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