Anthurium or as it is called in the common people "male happiness" is one of the most common plants from the Aroid family, cultivated indoors.
His homeland is considered the tropical forests of South America.
Among more than 800 species of plants of this family, there are both epiphytes and semi-epiphytes, which, by their external characteristics, are quite different from each other.
This flamingo flower gained popularity in indoor floriculture due to its unusual appearance: the species diversity is represented by both decorative foliage and flowering plants.
Among flower growers, Anthurium is considered to be a "capricious sissy": it needs careful and regular care. In order for this flamingo flower to please its beauty, it is important to create conditions close to the tropical climate: increased humidity, high air temperature and bright diffused lighting. The most suitable for growing at home are the following types:
• Anthurium Andre - a flower with bright green shiny leaves. Reaches 1 m in growth. The bract has a heart-shaped shape, depending on the variety it is red (Arizona), white (Chempion, Acropolis, Polaris), pink (Pink Champion), salmon (Minnesota), yellow (Casino, Marasol), green (Manaka), lilac (Sensa). Inflorescences last up to 5 weeks.
• Anthurium Scherzer - epiphyte with shortened stems and matte leaves, covered with black specks on both sides. The ear has a curved spiral shape. The elliptical blanket is bent down. It is considered one of the simplest anthuriums in indoor cultivation.
• Anthurium Crystal - decorative leaf type of anthurium. It is effective due to the contrast created by a grid of silver shiny veins against a background of dark green leaves, velvety to the touch.
Anthurium: home care - reproduction
At home, anthurium is propagated by seeds and vegetatively.
Seed way the most time-consuming and time-consuming, but allows you to get new plant hybrids. Seeds can be bought at specialized garden stores or get your own. In the latter case, it will be necessary to artificially pollinate the flowers of anthurium, transferring pollen with a cotton swab or soft brush from one ear to another. Seeds ripen 9-12 months after pollination. The degree of maturity is determined by the color change of the berries on the cob and bract (it turns green). Sow them right after harvest, because they quickly lose their germination. Pre-seed is treated with a fungicide solution. For sowing take shallow plates with light soil. Plantings are watered by spraying from a spray gun. For germination, the plates must be placed in a greenhouse or covered with glass. Shoots appear at the end of 2 weeks. In the phase of this leaf, seedlings dive into separate pots. As planting soil, sheet land with the addition of peat, charcoal, chopped pine bark (in equal proportions) is suitable. Seedlings contain at high humidity and air temperature + 20-24ºС. Plants grown from seeds bloom after 2-2.5 years with small flowers and may lose variety characteristics. Full cobs will be only for 4-5 years of life.
The easiest way to propagate the anthurium is by dividing the bush, cuttings, side shoots.
Split bush most convenient when transplanting a plant. Each delenka should have roots and a growth point. Such plants can bloom this year.
As they grow older, the anthurium bush grows lateral offspring. They can be easily separated along with the roots from the mother liquor and immediately planted in prepared pots. If there are no roots, then shoots root in sand or perlite. Cuttings are placed in a greenhouse or covered with bags to provide increased humidity.
Side shoots with roots
Some types of “male happiness” (Andre, Scherzer, leathery, etc.) can propagate by leaf, which is cut with a stalk about 3 cm long. To reduce evaporation, the leaf blade itself is twisted into a tube and fixed with an elastic band. The prepared cuttings are planted in a substrate of sand and peat (1: 1) or chopped sphagnum moss, moistened and covered with a jar or bag and put in a greenhouse. Daily cuttings ventilate. After the appearance of a new sprout, the seedling is transplanted into a separate pot a month later.
Transfer
Young plants are transplanted as they grow annually. Adult specimens transship every three to four years. Do this during the period of active vegetation from February to August. Anthurium does not tolerate moisture stagnation, therefore, when transplanting at the bottom of planting pots, a thick layer of drainage is needed. The size of the new pot should be slightly larger than the previous one. Otherwise, waterlogging and acidification of the substrate, contributing to root rot, is possible. The roots of "male happiness" are quite fragile, so care must be taken when transshipping the bush in a new container. Plastic pots are better suited for anthuriums - it is easier to keep the balance of air and soil temperatures in them than when using ceramic containers. Purchased flowering plant can be transplanted only after complete flowering.
Anthurium: home care - soil, lighting, humidity, flowering conditions
The soil
To grow anthurium, a loose, moisture-permeable aerated substrate with slightly acidic reactions (pH = 5-6) is required. At the same time, it should not cake and condense. It is made from such components: peat, cut moss-sphagnum, turf or deciduous land in the proportions of 2: 2: 1. For looseness, you can add chopped pine bark, coconut fiber. Anthurium grows well in hydroponics.
Lighting
Flamingo flower feels great in bright ambient light. Optimal will be the placement of plants on the windowsills of the eastern and western directions. On the southern windows it is necessary to provide shading from direct sun.
Temperature mode
In summer, the optimal temperature range for anthurium growth will be + 20-28ºС. In the autumn-winter period, the temperature is reduced to + 15-16ºС. Some hybrids (for example, Scherzer) for laying flower buds in winter need a cooler regime (+ 12-16ºС) with a simultaneous reduction in watering. It is important to prevent sudden changes in temperature and drafts. In order for the tropical "flamingo" to bloom earlier, from January they begin to gradually increase the temperature to + 20-25ºС.
Air humidity
Like all epiphytes, anthurium loves high humidity (up to 95%). In residential premises it is difficult to achieve such an indicator. Although the modern varieties of the anthuriums Andre and Scherzer are quite resistant to the dry air of apartments, nevertheless, they must be sprayed daily with warm, settled water, wipe the leaves with a damp cloth, and cover the aerial roots with sphagnum moss. At the same time, prevent droplets of moisture from falling on the flowers, otherwise unsightly brown spots will form on them. Once a month, you can arrange a warm shower for green pets, after covering the substrate with polyethylene roots. To increase air humidity, it is recommended to put pots with plants on a pallet with wet pebbles or expanded clay.
Flowering conditions
In favorable conditions, anthurium can bloom for almost a year. The lack of flowering indicates errors in care:
• The dormant period has not been observed - to plant flower buds, anthurium needs a cool winter content at + 15-16ºС and reduced watering;
• In autumn and winter, top dressing should be stopped, and starting in February, renewed.
• The lack of natural light, especially in winter, must be filled with backlighting with phytolamps;
• Incorrectly sized pot - in a large capacity, the plant will not bloom until the roots fill the entire earthen volume. In this case, the anthurium is transplanted into a closer pot.
• In the old substrate, the plant does not have enough nutrients to distill buds. Therefore, it must be updated annually.
• Low temperature also prevents the flowering of anthurium. To remove the plant from the dormant period, it should be gradually increased to + 20ºС, starting in February.
• During flowering, it is necessary to prune all faded inflorescences.
Anthurium: home care - top dressing and watering
Watering
Anthuriums are watered abundantly, but it is important not to flood the root system. By the next watering, the substrate should dry by half the volume of the pot. Irrigation water is used defended during the day (and even better filtered), room temperature. Excess moisture is drained from the pan immediately after watering. To stimulate abundant winter flowering, watering is reduced from September. The air temperature is then reduced to + 16-18ºС.
Top dressing
Anthurium is fertilized during the period of active vegetation 1 time in 14-20 days. Due to the increased sensitivity of this Tropican to excess lime and mineral salts, fertilizers are applied in half the dose recommended on the package. As an organic fertilizer, the surface of the substrate is mulched with leaf humus or watered once a month with infusion of mullein or chicken droppings (1:10). During the flowering period, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied for decorative-flowering plants (Agricola series, Bona forte, Pokon, Baikal, etc.).
Anthurium: home care: why does it die? The main problems, diseases and pests when growing anthurium
Anthurium in indoor conditions most often dies from improper care of it.
Waterlogging of the substrate and low air temperature provoke the development of various root and stem rot caused by pathogenic soil fungi. Most common anthracnose - a disease in which brown spots appear on the leaves and stems. As the process develops, the leaves completely brown and dry, the ground part of the plant dies. In the initial stage of anthracnose, the infected parts of the plant are removed, and it is sprayed with fungicide (Oksikhom, Acrobat MC) according to the instructions.
Anthracnose Anthurium
Another "fungal scourge" of Anthurium - white rot. It is characterized by discoloration of the lower leaves with the appearance of white plaque on them. Black sclerotia of the fungus are visible on a section of the stem. Infection of the plant occurs through damaged roots. The disease progresses rapidly with low air temperature or sudden changes in temperature with high humidity. For the treatment of diseased plants, fungicides of contact (Oxychom, Bordeaux mixture) or combined action (Rovral, Fundazol, Skor, Previkur, Profit) are used.
Of the pests, frequent guests of Anthurium spider mite, scale insects, thrips. To combat them, acaricides (Akarin, Sunmayt, Apollo, Actellik), insecticides (Admiral, Aktara, Biotlin, Confidor Extra) are used.
If the bush began to fall to one side, the young leaves are sluggish, and the old ones are covered with black-brown spots, then this indicates an intensive rotting of the root system. With a very running process, it will not be possible to save the plant. If healthy tissues remain, then they are cut, sprayed with fungicide, wrapped with moist sphagnum and placed in a greenhouse for rooting.
Darkened leaf tips? This suggests that water for irrigation is saturated with hardness salts. Use filtered or boiled water.
If the lower leaves become brown, this means that the plant is overfed with fertilizers. In this case, the anthurium should be transplanted into a new substrate or rinse the old one and stop feeding for at least 30 days. In the future, fertilize with half the dose recommended on the package.
Do anthurium curl leaves? This happens if the plant is standing in direct sunlight, in a draft or in low humidity.
Deformed flowers and leaves can be affected by pests, lack of lighting, low temperature and humidity.
The appearance of small green blisters on the leaves is just a special physiological state of the anthurium. This happens with high humidity and low temperature. It is recommended to reduce watering and rearrange the plant in a warm place.
Sometimes you may notice that the anthurium is "crying" - droplets of water are dripping from the leaves. Do not be afraid: this natural process, characteristic of many Tropicans, is called guttation. Thus, the plant, through special aquatic leaf stomata, gets rid of excess moisture after heavy watering and low light.
