Anthuriums, also known as flamingo flowers, tail flowers, and lace leaf. They are the most popular exotic tropical plants that are grown for their vibrant, gorgeous flowers and for ornamental foliage. Do you want to learn more about the Anthurium flowering season? So bear with me till the end. I have a lot to tell you.
Among houseplants, A. andraeanum or Anthurium is the most extensively cultivated species for flowers. Anthuriums are long-lived plants that are competent to bloom for their entire lifetime if grown under appropriate conditions. Anthurium flowers can be found in many colors, shapes, and sizes. Originally, the color palette of anthurium blossoms was limited to a few shades.
Most commonly red and pink, but now they come in a broad spectrum of colors such as green, purple, white, yellow, orange, brown, and even blue. The iconic “flower” of anthurium consists of a vivid glossy part called “spathe”, that is indeed a modified leaf, and a spike-like structure called spadix. Actually, the tiny nubs that spread over the spadix are the real anthurium flowers.
What is the Anthurium flowering season?
Anthuriums are tropical flowering plants. They love the warmth and bright light. The availability of bright light is crucial for the blooming of anthurium. Unlike other seasons of the year, the blooming of anthurium is more prevalent from spring to summer.
So, in the southern hemisphere, the flowering season of anthurium is from September to February, whilst it is from March to August in the northern hemisphere. However, depending on the growing conditions of anthurium plants, this time period can be a little bit changed.
But that doesn’t not mean you won’t get anthurium flowers in the winter and autumn seasons. Anthuriums do produce flowers in all seasons, but blooming is slow during cooler seasons. Perhaps they will produce a few flowers during the cooler seasons. Though anthuriums survive under low light and low temperatures, their growth and blooming will be discouraged.
Anthuriums crave bright light, and the optimal temperature for anthuriums for blooming lies between 21 and 29 oC. In this sense, you can see their best performance during the year when the climate is compatible with these needs.
How often does an anthurium bloom?
If anthuriums are well tendered under the right conditions, they will bloom year round in the pattern of three months of blooming, followed by a few months without blooming, and then three months of blooming again. Usually, a healthy anthurium plant produces an average of 4 to 6 flowers per year at approximately 3-month intervals. Older plants bloom often and produce larger flowers than younger ones.
If the plant does not get enough light, enough water, or proper warmth, it will produce fewer blooms. Therefore, exposure to bright light is essential for anthuriums. Apart from that, plants produce fewer flowers in response to insufficient phosphorus diets. The use of fertilizer with a phosphorus content of 20% is recommended for healthy blooming.
For optimal flowering, be certain that your anthurium plant is grown in a suitable environment. At the same time, you should prune your anthurium plants. Remove old, wilted flowers and leaves from the plant. This helps the plant concentrate the energy that can be redirected for new growth and for new blooms.
How long does it take an anthurium to flower?
Typically, the blooming of healthy grown anthurium plants starts after 3 to 6 months of planting. The new inflorescence on the plant will emerge wrapped inside the spathe and, gradually, the spathe will open to reveal the spadix. You can clearly distinguish newly emerging flowers and leaves by their color. As mentioned earlier, once the flowers of the first cycle fade away, new blooms will appear after around 3 months.
Keep in mind that the plants will give a display of charming flowers only if their basic needs are properly satisfied.
Do anthurium flowers grow back?
Anthurium plants persist for several years. They are capable of blooming again and again throughout their lifetime. In properly tended plants, after the first batch of flowers, the plant will again produce new flowers in a few months. But if the plant’s desirable habitat conditions are not met, it may take a much longer time to bloom again.
For your information, to induce blooming, some commercial growers use some hormones. So, once you bring your plant home, it will no longer be exposed to such hormones. Therefore, though you provide the best conditions for the plant, it might take quite a long time (more than 3 months) to bloom again.
If your anthuriums are indoors, you need to work a little more to take care of them. Usually, indoor environmental conditions are quite different from outdoor environmental conditions. Temperature, humidity, and light intensity are some of the most crucial factors that must be controlled regularly when you grow anthuriums indoors.
If you use heaters and air conditioning units inside the house, make sure that they are not threatening the healthy growth as well as the blooming of your anthurium plants. It is essential to constantly maintain the right environmental conditions for reblooming anthuriums.
How long does an anthurium flower last?
Anthuriums are competent to produce durable flowers. Usually, anthurium flowers last for about 2 to 3 months if the plant is under proper care. When the time is up, the vivid glossy spathe will eventually turn green and wither. So, changing the color of your anthurium flowers does not always imply that they are unhealthy. It may simply be the aging of flowers.
However, if your anthurium flowers are exposed to direct harsh sunlight for a period of time, they will probably turn their color to green, sometimes even white or brown. Unfortunately, that will reduce the lifespan of your lovely anthurium flowers.
What to do with anthuriums after flowering?
As always, you should care for the plant. Keep the plant healthy and encourage it to rebloom. If treated properly, anthuriums are capable of blooming long-lasting spectacular flowers throughout their lifetime. Here we have given some easy tips for you to follow in order to encourage the healthy growth and reblooming of your anthurium plants.
Prune unnecessary flowers and leaves
You should prune the plant when the flowers and leaves switch colors. The plant uses nutrients and energy for growth and development. If you leave unnecessary flowers and leaves on the plant, they will consume some amounts of nutrients and energy.
The removal of such unwanted flowers and leaves allows your plant to direct energy and nutrients to newly developing flowers and leaves. Remove those along with their stems. Make sure to use a clean, sterile, and sharp blade for cutting to prevent physical damages and disease infections of the plant.
Repot as necessary
As time passes, nutrients in the anthurium soil will be depleted and the soil will become compact enough to interfere with the gas exchange. Sometimes the roots can be outgrown, giving an inferior look to your beloved plant. Therefore, for the optimal growth and development of the plant, you should repot the anthurium plants at least every two years. If possible, use a relatively larger pot than the previous one in each repotting.
Give your plant a suitable location
The location of the plant plays an important role in the healthy growth and blooming of the plant. You should expose anthuriums for bright indirect light. For this, keep the anthurium pot near a window. It would be better if you could use a sheer curtain for the window so the plant would be masked from direct sunlight.
Avoid placing the anthurium pot near a south-facing or west-facing window during the spring and summer months to avoid exposing your plant to direct sunlight. The plants get dehydrated or burned once they are exposed to strong sunlight. If your room is large enough, keep the anthurium pot at least 4 steps away from the sunny window.
You should place the pot where the heater and air conditioning unit are not nearby. They radiate heat, which can be detrimental to the plant’s health.
Fertilize the plant properly
One of the critical factors that affect plant health is the availability of nutrients for the plant. Anthurium needs phosphorus for blooming. Lack of phosphorus in the soil possibly impairs the blooming. Therefore, do not forget to fertilize your anthurium plants with phosphorus-rich manure once a month. Avoid using too much fertilizer. Follow the directions on the label for use.
Water properly
For the proper blooming of your plant, it should be happy and healthy. Like any other living being, anthurium also needs water, but for a sufficient amount. Too little, or too much water, will damage the plant. Do not let the soil dry. Your plants will be dehydrated and hinder their growth if you do not water them properly.
If you overwater them again, it will be problematic. Microbial infections such as root rot result from overwatering of plants. Moreover, the formation of color pigments can be impaired by too much water in the anthurium soil. So, water as much as the plant needs.
Control the temperature and humidity in the plant surrounding
You should attentively monitor the ambient temperature and humidity, especially if you use heaters and air conditioning units. Now you already know how air conditioning units and heaters influence reblooming. So, try to regulate the temperature and the humidity in the house so that they suit the plant’s requirements.
Give it your all for optimal growth and reblooming. If you do, you will be rewarded with absolutely gorgeous flowers, and your efforts will not be in vain.
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