Anthurium Vittarifolium: The Exquisite Plant With Long, Flat Leaves

Anthurium vittarifolium of the Araceae family makes the most elegant rare houseplant. Its long and slender leaves will brighten up any corner of the house where you put them.

The best part about this Anthurium genus plant is that it is extremely laid back and needs only a very basic amount of care.

Go through our brief expert guide to learn what makes this plant tick.

What Is Anthurium Vittarifolium?

Anthurium vittarifolium is a rare type of flamingo flower plant. It has narrow, strap-type leaves that grow up to become two meters tall. It is also called the painted tongue plant due to its flaming pink spathe and spadix. Anthurium vittarifolium variegated is a type of this plant with white stripes on it.

Anthurium Vittarifolium Care

Look after the Anthurium vittarifolium indoor plant by giving it partial bright light, temperatures in the range of 64 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and humidity above 60 percent. Use well-draining soil and fertilize every month.

Read the complete details below.

Light Requirements

This plant likes bright but indirect or partial light to grow and thrive properly. Make sure it doesn’t receive bright direct sunlight as this will cause it to suffer from some terrible sunburn.

Find out all about it in detail here.

– Indoors

Keep this plant in a bright, properly lit room within the house. Ideally, this room should have large windows in it to let in enough light. The best windows for this plant are the eastern and the western-facing ones. These receive bright light only for a few hours each day, and this light is mild and tolerable for the plant.

In the case of a southern-facing window, keep your vittarifolium at least three feet away from the window. Alternatively, you can cover the window using a curtain as well.

– Outdoors

Outside the house, look for a shaded but indirectly lit spot for this plant. Keep them along a north-facing wall to keep them out of reach of direct light. Placing it under the shade of a tree can also help to recreate the dappled light effect it usually experiences in its natural habitat.

– Artificial Grow Light

If your indoor living spaces don’t have adequate light, then you must go for special artificial lights meant for growing plants. You can buy either LED lights or fluorescent lights. LED lights are not as effective as the latter ones but they are cheaper and consume far less energy.

Artificial lights will need to be kept consistently on for at least 12 to 13 hours each day in order to produce the required effect.

Watering Requirements

Anthurium vittarifolium needs to be watered regularly, especially in the hot summers. Its soil should be kept adequately moistened at all times.

Find out how in the next section.

– How Often Should Anthurium Vittarifolium Be Watered?

This plant should be watered once every two to four days. It depends on how hot and dry your environment is and how fast your soil dries out. Keep a careful eye on the moisture level of the soil.

A moisture meter is the best tool to accurately determine the soil’s moisture. You can also stick your finger in the soil. If it comes out with dry, crumbly soil, it’s now time to water this plant.

– How To Water Anthurium Vittarifolium

It is best to use a large volume of water each time. It’s best if this water is distilled and lukewarm. Pour water on the soil and not the whole plant. The aim is to give water to the roots of the plant.

Pour slowly and at an even pace. Keep pouring until you see water draining out of the drainage hole at the bottom of the pan. This is when you should stop watering. Allow the water to drain completely into a pan and then drain it out as well.

Soil Requirements

You need a well-draining and yet moisture-retentive soil to grow your Anthurium plant in. Read below to find out what your soil should be made of.

– Potting Mix

You can safely use an orchid potting mix for this plant.

– Peat

Peat moss or sphagnum moss allows your soil to soak up water without contributing to waterlogging.

– Perlite 

Perlite creates spaces in the soil. This allows water to drain quickly as well as the roots to grow freely.

– Bark

Bark pieces improve air circulation and loosen up the soil.

Temperature Requirements

The temperature range for this plant is 64 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant cannot tolerate the frost. Move it indoors during winters.

Humidity Requirements

More than 60 percent humidity is required at all times, so it would be best to invest in a good quality humidifier.

Fertilizing Requirements

Fertilize this plant once a month. You can use a slow-release fertilizer by burying its pellets in the soil at the start of each month, or you can go for a liquid fertilizer twice a month. 

Liquid fertilizers must always be diluted to half their original strength before use. Don’t forget to water the roots of the plant first before fertilizing.

Take care not to overfertilize your plant. Overfertilization often causes a flourish in the foliage of the plant but suppresses Anthurium vittarifolium inflorescence.

Pruning

Look for all dead, diseased, and old Anthurium vittarifolium leaves. Take sharp, clean scissors and chop them all off. 

 

Propagation

You can propagate this plant using stem cuttings, dividing its rhizomes, or by planting seeds in a seedling tray. Find out the step-by-step process here.

– Division of the Plant

Take your Anthurium Vittarifolium mature plant out of its pot. Take a knife and scrape it along the edges of the pot to loosen the soil up. Lift the plant up and shake it to remove soil from the roots. You will see individual rhizomes from which aerial stems sprout.

Separate these rhizomes from one another along with their respective stems very carefully. You might have to use a knife to cut off those that are very severely entangled.

Plant each separated plant part in a new pot. As a general rule of thumb, the new pot should be larger than the root ball by no more or less than two inches.

– Stem Cuttings

Take a sharp knife and cut off about three to four inches of a healthy stem off. This stem piece should have at least one leaf node in it. Allow the cutting to dry for over 25 hours in a dry place then apply a rooting hormone on the cut end.

Plant your new cutting in the new pot and soil. Keep it in a bright, warm place. Don’t let the soil dry out at all for the first couple of days until your Anthurium vittarifolium baby plant establishes its roots properly.

– Seeds

Buy premium quality Anthurium vittarifolium seeds from a trusted source and spread them evenly within a nutrition medium in a seedling tray. Keep this tray in a warm, humid place and keep the medium moist at all times.

Within a few days, you will see the seeds germinating. However, it will be some more months before the roots are long enough to be transported to a pot.

Problems

The most common problems you might face with this plant are pests attacks, leaf yellowing or the leaves turning extra dark.

Learn how to solve these problems below.

– Pests

Mealybugs and aphids are the two pests you need to be on the lookout for. Find out all about them here.

– Mealybugs

Mealybugs are one of the most common bugs of the Anthurium vittarifolium plant. They are slow-moving and look like white specks.

During a mealybug infestation, the leaves will appear covered by a sticky substance called honeydew that is secreted by these pests. It attracts mold to the leaves of the plant. The leaves will begin to turn yellow, and when you inspect the plant closely, you will be able to make out puncture marks on the leaves as well.

– How To Treat Mealybug Infestations

Get rid of these bugs by physically getting rid of them and using household products like milk and alcohol.

Wash the plant with water and soap. Use a soft toothbrush to scrub them off the plant gently. Alternatively, mix 20 percent alcohol with water and spray it on these bugs, or mix two parts of water with 8 parts of milk. Spray this solution on the affected plants once every three days.

– Aphids

Aphids are very small bugs that are not easily seen by the naked eye. They feed on the nutrients in your plant, weakening it in the process.

The first sign of an aphid infestation will be the appearance of yellow spots on the leaves. As the plant begins to weaken, its leaves will start turning yellow. They will begin to wilt and droop down.

In advanced cases, the leaves will begin to fall at a rapid pace. The plant might even die if neglected in such a condition.

– How To Treat Aphid Infestations

Get rid of as many aphids as you can manually, then use either natural remedies like neem oil or use insecticides. Here are several ways to get rid of aphids in your plant:

• Take the pot of the plant to a sink and bathe it. You can also take a toothbrush or a piece of cloth to scrub these bugs off.
• Neem oil is a natural bug killer. Apply it to the colonies of aphids hiding under the leaves of the plant using a cotton roll. Its high viscosity will suffocate and kill them.
• Introduce ladybirds, green lacewings, etc to your plant. These are the natural predators of aphids and will kill them for you.
• Take protective measures when spraying your plant with insecticidal sprays. Wear gloves, full sleeves and proper eyewear.

– Yellowing Leaves Due To Overwatering

The leaves of your plant might turn yellow when it is being watered too much. They will appear swollen and mushy, and their petioles will be unable to hold their weight up.

Improve the watering schedule of your plant as soon as possible. Overwatering is a big risk factor for fungal root rot.

– Very Dark Green Leaves

If you notice that the leaves of your plant have begun to turn a darker shade of green than usual, then this means it is not receiving enough sunlight. Move it closer to a window.

FAQ

Does Anthurium Vittarifolium retain a lot of water?

Anthurium Vittarifolium prefers well-draining soil, so it does not retain a lot of water.

What is a good companion plant for Anthurium Vittarifolium?

Some good companion plants for Anthurium Vittarifolium include ferns, bromeliads, and orchids.

Is Epsom salt beneficial to Anthurium Vittarifolium?

Epsom salt can be beneficial to Anthurium Vittarifolium as it provides magnesium, which can promote healthy growth. However, it should be used in moderation.

Conclusion

How about a quick summary of everything we learned in this guide?

• Vittarifolium is a rare plant often confused with the very similar-looking A. Pallidiflorum. The main difference between Anthurium vittarifolium vs pallidiflorum is that the latter has velvety leaves.
• Keep this plant in a bright and indirectly lit room or under the shade of a tree. Maintain high temperatures and humidity around it.
• Fertilize this plant every month. Use soil that is loose and airy. 
• This plant can be propagated using three methods. You can use stem cuttings, rhizome division or seeds.

With our thorough guide, there is no way you will have a problem with this plant. With only the most minimum care, plenty of sunshine and humidity, this plant will surely flourish in your garden.