Assorted Anthurium

Assorted Anthurium (Anthurium spp.) flowers for months rather than days, holding waxy red and pink blooms above deep glossy foliage. Plants reach about 60cm tall and 50cm across, which suits a side table, a bathroom shelf or a shaded balcony corner. Colours are supplied as a mix, so you are buying the look rather than choosing a shade.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers that last. Each waxy spathe holds for six to eight weeks, and a healthy plant produces them in succession for most of the year.
• Built for indoor light. It evolved on a rainforest floor, so the bright indirect light of a normal room suits it.
• Humidity is an advantage. Bathrooms, kitchens and humid coastal homes suit it better than they suit most flowering plants.
• Compact and slow growing. At 60cm by 50cm it holds its shape for years without taking over a shelf.
• Low maintenance once you learn its watering. Water when the top few centimetres dry out and feed lightly in the warm months.

Where it works best

Indoors, anywhere in the country. This is the main use and the one it does best: inside a house your climate stops mattering, which is the point with a plant this frost tender. Give it bright indirect light, out of direct sun through glass.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. In tropical and subtropical gardens it can live outdoors year round in a sheltered shaded spot. A 250mm to 300mm pot with drainage suits a mature plant, and groups of three read better than singles.

Growing anthurium in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light indoors, or dappled shade outdoors, since direct sun scorches the leaves within days. Outdoors it needs a genuinely frost free tropical or subtropical garden. Anywhere colder, treat it as an indoor plant that summers on a shaded verandah.

Soil. Use a chunky, free draining mix: orchid bark, or potting mix opened up with perlite and composted bark. Dense wet mix is the most common cause of failure.

Water and feed. Water when the top 3cm to 5cm of mix is dry, then drain the saucer fully, usually weekly in summer and fortnightly in winter. Feed at half strength every three to four weeks through spring and summer only.

Pruning. Very little to do. Cut spent flower stems and yellowing leaves back at the base with clean secateurs, and wipe dust off the leaves occasionally.

What to expect when it arrives

Anthuriums here are supplied in packs: 100mm pots in packs of ten, 200mm in packs of six, and 250mm in packs of three. The 100mm size is young and often not yet in flower, and it is the value option if you want numbers. The 200mm and 250mm plants arrive established and generally carry buds or open blooms.

Colours are a mixed selection, so specific shades cannot be requested. Plants travel boxed and upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a fortnight of adjustment indoors, sometimes with one older leaf yellowing, before the plant settles. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Indoor plant tips for beginners
• Browse indoor flowering plants
• Shop the full indoor plant range

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The sap and foliage contain calcium oxalate crystals that cause drooling, mouth irritation and vomiting if chewed. It is rarely serious, but keep the plant off floor level if your pet chews foliage.

Can I choose the flower colour?

No. These are supplied as an assorted mix, mostly reds and pinks, and the selection varies with what is in flower at the time. If you need one consistent colour, order a single pack rather than several.

Why are the leaves turning yellow?

Overwatering is the usual answer, particularly in winter when growth slows. Let the top few centimetres of mix dry before watering again and make sure the pot drains freely.