Flamingo Flower Growing Caring
Anthurium Andraeanum – Facts About Growing & Caring For Flamingo Flower
Anthurium Andraeanum, painted tongue, or flamingo flower is a popular house plant with long lasting red or orange flowers. These plants are easy to grow and care for. They are highly durable when grown in ideal conditions. The plant can even survive adverse situations for more than a year. The leaves of the plant are large and heart shaped and the flower bracts are also heart shaped. Flowers are produced on modified leaves which act as a flower stalk. Each flower has a central spike which is yellow or pinkish in colour. This plant can be grown in pots in areas with a milder climate. They thrive as indoor plants as the temperature required for proper growth is 16-22 degrees C. The flowers are popularly used for the cut flower trade.
Growing Conditions
You can grow flamingo flower plants in any spot that receives a good amount of bright indirect sunlight. Never expose the plant to full sun. The plant requires a warm environment. Areas with daytime temperature 25 to 32 degree Celsius are ideal. They cannot thrive well at temperatures below 150 C. Temperature above 40ºC can damage the foliage. To keep the plant healthy the plant should be grown in a well drained potting mix with equal parts of peat moss, perlite and pine bark. The plant needs good humidity and without proper humidity, the sheen of the foliage will be lost. These plants are ideal for indoor areas like kitchen, bathrooms, etc. The plant needs to be watered regularly. However, avoid over watering these plants as it can cause the leaves to turn yellow. Mulching the plant using peat moss improves growth.
Fertilising
Anthurium requires only a moderate amount of fertiliser. You can select organic slow releasing granular fertiliser which can be provided every year at the beginning of the growing season or any balanced fertiliser diluted ¼ strength once every month.
Pests and Diseases
Mealy bugs, aphids and scale insects are the common pests attacking anthuriums. To prevent the attack of these pests, spray the plants with insecticidal soap. The fungal disease rhizoctinia occurs due to high humidity and poor drainage conditions in potted indoor plants. Avoid over watering to prevent this fungal attack. Remove the spent flower bracts as they turn brown. This will keep the plant healthy and encourage flowering. The plant needs repotting every 2-3 years. Take care to avoid any damage to the fragile roots while re-potting.
Propagation
You can propagate the flamingo flowers easily by dividing the plant while you are re-potting them. Make sure that each root division contains at least two rhizomes.
You can also grow the plants from fresh and moist seeds. To start the plant from seeds, sow the seeds in pots which are at least 4”. After sowing the seeds, cover the pot using a mason jar or a used coke bottle to maintain the required humidity. If the temperature is ideal, the germination of the seed will occur within 20-30 days.
All parts of the flamingo flower plant are poisonous and should be handled carefully. When ingested it can cause stomach disorders and the sap of the plant can cause irritation of the skin.
