Man is so arranged that he seeks to give everything a sacred meaning. So, there is a legend that the anthurium was created from fire and ash by the gods of gileia in the place where a young girl suffering from non-reciprocal love performed the self-immolation ritual. And since then, the plant carries a piece of the soul and energy of that girl who, along with flowers, brings and gives happiness to the man who deserves it.
A similar anthurium, spathiphyllum, did not pass around such an impulse either. Astarte breathed into her overwhelming happiness on her wedding day. Since then, the plant has been called the "feminine happiness", as it, blooming brings happiness to every woman who believes in it. It is believed that if you keep both plants in one place or room, they will help achieve harmony in the family and relationships. It is also important that the plant was donated and kept by the owners throughout their lives.
To believe in all this or not is a personal matter, but the fact that everyone should care for their own "happiness" is a fact. In any case, both representatives of the aroid ones are wonderful pets and with the mere sight of their flowering can bring joy and delight.
So how to make Anthurium feel good, keep old ones and produce new flowers?
Quick Reference & Care Basics
Gilea is a humid tropical forest in the equatorial zone. It is from there, from the tropics of Central and South America, the anthurium comes from. In nature, it usually grows as an epiphyte. Currently, approximately 800 plant species are known. This is the most numerous species from the aroid family. It got its name from the Latin anthos (flower) oura (tail). Sometimes it is also called a "flamingo flower." Typically, flower shops for home cultivation sell varieties of Andre anthurium, Scherzer anthurium, hybrids, and also deciduous species.
Apparently, the girl - the ancestor of Anthurium, was moody and the plant inherited her character. This is especially true of decorative deciduous anthuriums, such as the white anthurium, the majestic anthurium and the crystal anthurium.
Anthurium can bloom for a long time. Flowers last for two to three months or more, and cut off can stand in a vase for several weeks. If the plant is illuminated in winter, then it can bloom twice a year. The shape of the flower is well known, as in all aroid ones, it is a cob with a veil. The ear itself is a flower, and the bract serves to attract insects. The bedspread can be of different colors, including green or spotty. Of course, it is better for a man to give an anthurium with flowers of bright scarlet, aggressive color.
Remember that anthurium is toxic! All parts of the plant contain calcium oxalates - salts of oxalic acid. Ingestion can cause severe poisoning.
• Lighting
Shade tolerant, placement on the west or east window is optimal. On the sunny side, the plant must be shaded, placed deeper in the room and make sure that it does not suffer from an excess of light. In winter, it can be illuminated with fluorescent or phytolamps.
• Temperature
Optimum 20-25 ° C, exclude differences and drafts. In winter, at least 15 ° C.
• Substrate
Anthurium prefers a light and acidic (pH 5.5-6.0) substrate. It should look like a substrate for orchids, since the roots of the anthurium are also covered with velamen. It reduces the risk of rotting of the root system, but nutrients do not stay for a long time, which necessitates more frequent dressings and, consequently, a higher consumption of fertilizers.
As a substrate, you can use soil from a pine forest. You need to remove the top layer of litter and select the top 5 centimeters of soil. With the addition of black peat, after calcination, anthurium can be planted in such a substrate.
You can prepare the soil yourself. Horse peat, leafy humus, river sand and small pieces of pine bark will be required. All this is mixed in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1. It is useful to add sphagnum and charcoal to the substrate. Also, moss can be used as mulch. This will delay the excessive evaporation of moisture and create a semblance of a moist microclimate around the plant.
A wide drainage of expanded clay or small pebbles is placed at the bottom of the pot.
• Watering
The most important thing is to observe the measure. Insufficient watering, like overflow, are equally harmful to the plant. Perhaps this is the main difficulty in the care. By filling the plant, you can quickly provoke rotting of the root system, which can cause the death of the plant. The soil should dry between watering. Use soft, preferably melt water.
• Air humidity
Prefers high, up to 90% humidity. This is not possible in an apartment, so you should raise it with all available means. Regularly, 2-3 times a day, spray the plant with soft, warm water, put the pot in a bowl with wet expanded clay (the bottom of the pot should not touch the water) near the aquarium or buy a humidifier. This is especially true for the period when heating is turned on and the humidity in the apartments drops to 30%. At this time, the anthurium suffers the most, the leaves fall, and young and new leaves are torn from a lack of moisture.
It is important that the droplets of water from the spray do not fall on the bedspreads of flowers, which can cause the appearance of black spots, like on orchids. The same applies to decorative deciduous species with velvety leaves.
• Top dressing
Fertilize anthurium during the growing season and flowering, once every two weeks. In winter, if the plant is kept warm and with sufficient light, feeding is continued, since Anthurium is a Tropican and can grow all year round.
In general, if you create an anthurium favorable and stable conditions, then it is very unpretentious. But to create them in an ordinary apartment is quite difficult. Be attentive to the plant, bathe it and wipe the leaves from dust. And you are guaranteed happiness.
