How Long Do Anthurium Plants Live: Average Lifespan

How long do Anthurium plants live, is a concern that most gardeners have, but they can live longer when provided with optimal growth conditions. You can also get more plants from the parent anthurium by propagating the stem cuttings.

Learn about what to do to keep your Anthurium for over five years, including the growth conditions, and common problems.

How Long Do Anthurium Plants Live?

Anthurium plants can live between three and five years. Besides their long lifespan, homeowners prefer these plants because their care and maintenance requirements are straightforward. As long as your plant is in the right condition, it will thrive in the best way possible.

These flowers are also called the flamingo flower and can grow up to three feet tall, but there are shorter plant varieties. However, the plant thrives well in good soil and the correct humidity and temperatures. These plants do well indoors and outdoors but ensure your plant grow on moist gravel outdoors.

However, their lifespan depends on environmental and climatic conditions and how you care for your plants. You must also know the common pests and diseases likely to attack your Anthurium and the signs your plant could be under attack.

What Affects the Longevity?

The factors that affect the longevity of the anthuriums the right temperature, and the proper lighting, and water when the soil when it’s dry. Make sure you would adjust the humidity, and provide the right fertilizer and soil. Make sure you would pot it well, propagate it, and prune it.

The flamingo flower is a plant in the genus of this plant and a member of the family Araceae. The plant’s flowers, also called spathes, are characterized by a flower spike, and a leaf-like petiole called a bract. Some factors that determine how long this plant would live as long as you have given it the right requirements for it to grow.

– The Right Temperature

Anthuriums have their natural habitat in tropical forests, meaning they will mostly do well in areas with a similar climate. In the forest, these plants grow as vegetation beneath the canopy, so they don’t experience high temperatures from direct sunlight.

However, it doesn’t mean that your anthurium flowers won’t do well as indoor plants. A temperature of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit will keep them thriving, but make sure you would keep it stable. You can keep them close to a window that does not get too hot or in a spot with the correct temperature range, for it to be in the right zone.

One thing to note is that these plants don’t like cold weather which means that, you must do your best to ensure the temperatures don’t drop beyond 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Although cold temperatures don’t kill the plants immediately, they can slow the plants’ growth.

– Proper Light

In the tropical rainforest, anthuriums are exposed to partial light that passes through the canopy leaves. When grown indoors, these plants appreciate parts of the house that the sun does not hit directly. Which means the best way to do so if to place it near a translucent curtain if you wish to place it indoors.

In short, when growing anthuriums, place them near a window that receives indirect light. Enough light also helps these plants bloom waxy, exotic flowers, and the blooms last longer.

Direct sunlight could scorch the leaves and accelerate the drying of the plant. Little light could also cause the foliage to be pale and leggy, reducing the flower’s aesthetics.

– Water When Soil is Dry

New plant owners will be tempted to water their beautiful plants every week, which is wrong in this case and would shrink the life of the plant. The state of the soil should determine when to water your plant. For example, do not pour more water if the ground feels wet and soft when you push your finger through.

Only water them if the soil feels dry to the touch, that means the moisture has reduced. Also, be careful with the amounts you pour into the pot because too much water can lead to rotting of the roots and kill your flower. Some signs you are overwatering your plant are yellow leaves, stunted growth, and roots turning brown.

You should also ensure your plant’s pot has pores at the bottom to allow excess water to drain. It ensures the soil keeps the proper moisture and does not become soggy, reducing the chances of roots to rot.

– Adjust the Humidity

The rainforests have high humidity, meaning that your Anthurium will thrive well if grown in a humid place. Keep your humidity levels higher than 50 percent. If you are tempted to transfer your flower to more humid spaces like the bathroom, consider the light requirements and temperature.

Besides increasing your home’s humidity in the thermostat, you can sprinkle water on anthurium leaves to keep them wet. Ensure you keep your plant from windowsills that receive direct sunlight and near fireplaces. You can also have the option to mist it once a while, or even place a humidifier around it.

– Right Fertilization Needs

These are perfect plants for first-time plant owners because they don’t require fertilization. Providing optimal growth conditions will ensure your plant grows perfectly. You can fertilize it when you notice there is stunted growth, but make sure is would be before the blooming season, so that it thrives.

The best fertilizer to make them produce flowers is one with high phosphorous. Also, remember that anthurium plants are affected by over-fertilization. Note that the symptoms include yellowing leaves, meaning less photosynthesis which can kill your plant.

– Soil Needs

The potting soil for your Anthurium determines how long it lasts. These plants prefer light and airy potting mix. The soil should also be slightly water-retaining but not soggy. You can mix orchid bark, perlite, and sphagnum moss or use pure sphagnum moss to grow it.

Noticing anthurium roots above the soil is a great sign your plant needs repotting. It happens when the plants outgrow the container. Leaving them to continue growing in the same pot can kill them or cause stunted growth.

Another sign you should repot your flowers is if the leaves are wilting or the water drains through the drainage holes immediately after watering the plant. Also, check for leaves circling at the top of the soil.

Separating them would also require a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, that have been well sterilized. Some plant owners use their hands to pick them off; however, make sure that you cover your eyes and wear gloves because the plant’s sap is toxic to you and your pets, because it causes eye and skin irritation to people.

– Right Time for Potting

Remove the entire plant from the pot for easy separation of the roots. You can water the soil first to ensure the plant comes out seamlessly, and once it is out of the container, separate the roots with a knife or scissors.

Check for any rotten roots and those affected by mold and remove them. Choose the biggest and healthiest plants to regrow in a separate container to increase the chances of your plants’ survival.

Next step of how to plant Anthurium in pots is to get your soil mix and pour some into sizeable containers. Put the plants in the quarter-full pots and fill the jars with more soil. Water your new plants and keep them near a window or a space with partial lighting and correct temperatures.

– Propagation

Besides dividing and repotting Anthurium, you can propagate it to obtain more plants. Look for the perfect part of the stem to cut and plant. What you may do is to cut the stem with some leaves and a node to increase the chances of rooting.

Place the stem in pots with water, now that you have cut it. You should locate the jar near the window and provide the other optimum growth conditions like temperature and humidity. You can fasten its growing by dipping the cutting in a rooting hormone before planting.

– Pruning When Needed

Pruning your Anthurium increases its lifespan by keeping the plant healthy. Start by removing dead leaves from the plant, because these would start growing and would stop when they don’t have the right space to do so. They include the wilting foliage, wilted flowers, and those with weird colors like brown edges.

You should also remove the leaves with different shapes and those that are weirdly tall or growing in opposite angles. Remember that cleaning out your dead or degenerated flower saves the energy the plant uses to keep them attached and motivates it to make new leaves and blooms.

You can remove flamingo leaves using a sharp knife or pruning shears. Ensure the shears are clean and sterilized to avoid introducing germs to the plant. Don’t remove too many of them because they make the plant’s food, which is essential for growth, lastly, once you finish pruning, spray the remaining leaves with water.

What Are Issues that Affect Quality of Life in Anthuriums?

The issues that affect the quality of life in anthurium are the slow bloom rates, and the roots rotting. Moreover, you would also see the leave tips turning brown, and it may also have attacks of pests or insects, or bacteria blight.

Anthurium plant problems can also result from failure to control temperature, poor watering, and improper lighting.

– Slow Bloom Rate

Failure to expose your gorgeous plant to the right amounts of light can delay their blooming. Anthuriums grow under the canopy in tropical forests, where they get partial sunlight. Which means that as you would make sure that they get the same lighting condition keeps them thriving and blooming.

Your plants could also fail to bloom if they are underfeeding or growing in a too-large pot. Ensure you choose the perfect pot size for the flower and add high-phosphorous fertilizer every once in a while, to help with flowering.

– Root Rot

Root rot happens when you overwater the plant more than the necessary amount and when the soil isn’t properly dry yet. Too much water makes it hard for the roots to get air, leading to the choking of the roots. When air does not get to the roots, they begin to rot. Roots transport minerals and nutrients from the soil to the leaves and enhance the growth of more leaves.

 

This is when the rot stops the transportation of nutrients to other parts of the plant, which can prevent growth and lead to the death of your flower. It also slows the development of new leaves, meaning there will be less photosynthesis and transpiration, which can lead to the plants’ death. Ensuring you pour the right amounts of water into the plant helps to sustain it.

– Brown Leaf Tips

Exposing the red anthurium plant to bright sunlight causes them to turn brown as a result of scorching. A lack of humidity could also cause the problem, and you can keep your plant’s leaves evergreen by plating them in partial sun and misting them to maintain the correct humidity levels.

If the plant has brown leaves or spots in the foliage, it could be a sign of infection or insect infestation. Sluggish growth and wilting of the leaves could also be a sign of a dying. You can save your plant by first finding out the problem, whether overwatering or fertilization, and solving them.

– Pests and Insects

Pests and insects are an enemy to green plants, and this plant is not an exception. Some, like spider mites, are destructive and hardly visible, so you could fail not to notice them when providing anthurium care indoors.

The mites are small yellow insects that feed on plant leaves and cause them to stop growing. They build webs on the tree to protect themselves and the eggs and multiply quickly. You can eliminate them by spraying the plant with neem or horticultural oil.

– Bacterial Blight

Bacterial blight infection is probable if you notice signs like yellow spots along your plants’ leaf edges. The spots develop to become V-molded sores, these infections could take plant if you use dirty or contaminated tools during pruning and dividing. They penetrate through the plants’ open wounds and can destroy them.

FAQ

1. Can You Stop Anthuriums from Dying?

You can prevent your anthuriums from dying by providing all the optimal growth conditions. Ensure it is in a well-lit corner of the house, with partial light hitting it. Your plant will also appreciate little fertilization, especially during the growing and blooming periods.

Another way to help your Anthurium last for five or more years is by watering it once a week, depending on how moist the soil feels. You should also repot and divide it every two years to ensure the roots get enough space for growth.

Conclusion

Anthurium plants can live for over five years with the right growing conditions. To summarize this article:

• This plant would last for five years, but they can die before then if not grown correctly
• They are indoor plants from the tropical rainforest, so their growth conditions should be the same as in the rainforest.
• Ensure your plant receives partial light, temperatures between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit, humidity above 50 percent, and the right amounts of water. You should also check for insect infestation
• Although The care is seamless, these flowers are prone to bacterial and fungal diseases. Make sure you would provide the fertilizing once in a while because too much fertilization can kill them.

Now that you know ways to care for the beautiful plant, you can make yours last five or more years.

References

• https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/anthurium/
• https://extension.umn.edu/news/managing-spider-mites-houseplants#:~:text=Washing%20plant%20foliage%20using%20a,horticultural%20oil%20are%20also%20effective.
• https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/osceolaco/2020/06/24/negative-effects-of-overwatering-plants/