Anthurium Pendulifolium pronounced as PEN-dul-i-fol-i-um originates from Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. This epiphytic plant is an ideal aroid plant that grows at lower elevations in tropical rainforests. All Anthurium plants belong to the Araceae plant family.
Anthurium plants grow best in greenhouses or tropical areas. Plant your Anthurium Pendulifolium in a well-draining mix and provide warm temperatures of about 18 to 21 degrees Celsius. This Anthurium species prefers bright, indirect sunlight.
According to NC State University, Anthuriums are grown for their bright flower spathes and ornamental leaves. Anthurium has over 1000 species, and this plant belongs to the ‘bird nest forms’ of Anthurium plants.
One of the unique features of Anthurium plants is that they have an organ named geniculum that is a swollen gland on the petiole. This organ enables the leaf to rotate its orientation for better light collection.
All Anthurium species are well-known for being highly variable, so each leaf on the plant is unique. With its slender, blade-like leaves, this one is also a must-have for every aroid collector.
Similar to its natural habitat, Anthurium Pendulifolium needs warm and humid environments for maximum growth. Today’s article will help you understand the basics of Anthurium Pendulifolium care.
Table of Contents
Anthurium Pendulifolium Care
Basic plant care for Anthurium Pendulifolium
Soil
Choosing the right potting mix is essential if you want to grow a healthy Anthurium Pendulifolium plant. It has thick, aerial roots that indicate it does not like being wet at all times.
Pendulifolium plant is mostly grown as a houseplant in warm climates. It can be grown as a landscape plant outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 10 and above.
Prepare a well-draining potting mixture that retains moisture. You can use ½ part potting soil with ½ part orchid mix or perlite.
Another suitable potting mixture is a mix of coarse composted bark (4 parts), Charcoal (1 part ), and a regular well-drained potting mix (5 parts). If you want to go for a commercial mix, use an orchid mix.
You can create a breathable, loose mix using potting soil with equal parts of the following ingredients:
- peat moss
- bark/mulch
- charcoal
- gravel
- pumice
- sphagnum moss
This plant has an unusual nature; it loves moisture however, too much water can kill it. Excellent drainage is the top priority for this plant because it needs to be kept slightly moist but not too damp or soggy.
Watering
Despite being a tropical plant, Pendulifolium does not grow in wet regions of the rainforest. Therefore do not cultivate it in the soggy or wet environment throughout the year if you want maximum growth on your plant. This plant requires a certain period of dryness in the year to thrive.
I suggest checking the soil before watering and only water if it feels dry. I water my Anthurium plants whenever the top 1 inch of the soil is dry.
Do not let your potting soil dry out completely; this not only slows down the growth but makes it difficult to rewet the soil. If this happens, you can submerge the pot in water for an hour to rehydrate the soil.
A good watering session once a week is enough for this plant in summer and spring. In winter, further, reduce watering. Remember to keep the soil slightly moist in the growing season from March to September.
The watering frequency for a houseplant is affected by the light provided and the indoor humidity levels. Adjust your plant care based on your plant’s behavior. Don’t overwater since the extra moisture will prevent the oxygen from reaching the roots and encourages the fungi and bacteria growth.
Light
A unique thing about the Anthurium plants is their ability to tolerate all levels of indirect sunlight. But those kept in low light tend to grow slower and have fewer blooms.
So the best option for this species is bright but indirect light. The morning sun is the best for Anthurium Pendulifolium.
Keeping it in direct sunlight may burn the leaves. Protect this plant from the hot afternoon sun because it is sensitive to sunburns. Even outdoors, it needs to be planted in partial shade with early morning sun.
Anthurium plants go dormant in winter so they can withstand low light levels during that time. But if the stems become leggy, your plant needs more light.
Temperature
The ideal temperature range for daytime is 21 to 29 degrees Celsius (70 to 85oC). Take special care of your plant in winter because temperature below 12 degrees Celsius ( 55 o F) may kill the Anthurium Pendulifolium plant.
Do not keep your plant in drafty windows and doors. Provide good air circulation, especially on warm, humid days.
In a warm climate, your plant will happily thrive outdoors as long as the temperature does not get chilly or cold at night.
Humidity
Like other Anthurium species, this plant loves high humidity. It needs at least 80% indoor humidity for optimum growth.
The most suitable locations are the bathroom or kitchen since these places have the highest humidity levels in the house. If you are keeping the Pendulifolium in the bathroom window, make sure the windows have stained or frosted glass to protect your plant from direct sun rays.
You can place it anywhere in your house, but I would suggest following any of the methods below to tackle low humidity issues.
- Humidifier – If you own several tropical houseplants, I would recommend investing in a humidifier. This will help you better manage the humidity level for all your plants.
- Pebble tray humidifier – You can make your DIY humidifier using a pebble tray. Place some pebbles in a shallow tray or saucer and fill with water. Adjust the water level in such a way that the pot is not sitting in water.
- Misting the foliage – Use room temperature filtered water, and fill a spray bottle. Spray your plant with this to increase humidity.
Keep your plant away from draughts and hot radiators because the leaves will start having brown edges under low humidity.
Fertilizer
This plant is not a heavy feeder in terms of fertilizer. You can fertilize it with a regular houseplant fertilizer diluted to a 1:4 ratio once every month in the growing season.
You can also feed it monthly with a bacterial inoculant. Avoid fertilizing the plant in winter to eliminate the risk of killing the plant by salt buildups.
Remember that improper fertilization can kill the Anthurium Pendulifolium plant. If you are unsure about how much fertilizer you should give to your plant, make sure you give it less than it needs.
Slow release or liquid fertilizers are the most suitable for Anthurium plants. If you want to use a slow-release fertilizer, feed once, and don’t worry for the next six months. Liquid fertilizer should be applied every week in the growing season.
Some gardeners also use fish or kelp fertilizers to feed this plant.
Repotting
This plant should be repotted every 2 to 3 years to prevent it from being root-bound. Most gardeners recommend refreshing the potting soil every year. If you notice any roots growing from the drainage holes or on the potting soil surface, you better repot the plant in a larger container.
Repotting will allow the roots to have more room for growth. Always repot the Anthurium Pendulifolium in the spring season to allow the plant to establish itself in the coming growing season. You can repot your plant in three easy steps:
- Take it out from the pot/container, remove the excess soil, and untangle the roots. Cut any brown or mushy roots from the root ball.
- Now place it in pot 1 size larger, pour the soil, and gently press.
- Water the plant thoroughly and make sure there are drainage holes.
Pruning
This plant does not need any special pruning. However, you can trim the dead stems and foliage to encourage growth. The only extra care is to make sure you use sterilized tools to prevent the transfer of any disease.
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Anthurium pendulifolium ~ barely fits in my greenhouse ~ new leaf coming ~ I am v nervous
Propagation
If you are an aroid collector, you can expand your collection by propagation. The ideal time for propagating Anthurium Pendulifolium is the spring season. You can follow the methods below for successful propagation.
By Root Division
- Remove the plant from the container and carefully remove soil around the roots. Make sure you don’t damage any healthy roots while doing this. Before proceeding, trim any damaged or dying roots.
- Now divide the root ball into two or three sections. Each section should have at least two stems. The number of the section depends on the size of your plant. You may end up with more than two sections.
- I would recommend root division whenever your plant is overgrowing its container. Dividing it to a manageable size will also encourage growth on the plant.
By Stem Cuttings
Propagation by stems cuttings will produce the exact copy of the original plant.
- Timing matters because taking cuttings in the wrong season may result in losing both the mother plant and cuttings. Never take cuttings in winter from October to February.
- Sterilize your tools by wiping with rubbing alcohol before and after propagation.
- Take at least 6 inches(15cm) long stem cuttings with two to three leaves on it from a healthy Anthurium Pendulifolium plant. The newly propagated plant’s growth highly depends on the health of the mother plant.
- Take a terracotta pot and fill ¾ of the pot with a well-draining potting mix or sphagnum moss. By making a small hole in the potting mix, plant the cutting 3 inches(7.5cm) deep.
- Now fill the hole with some more potting soil. The lower leaves of the cutting should not be in the soil.
- Thoroughly water your cutting until the potting mix is saturated. After that, water once or twice in the week, but don’t let the top layer of soil dry out.
- Place the pot in a location with high humidity and bright light (indirect). You should provide bottom heat of 70 – 75 o
- The cutting will start developing roots in 4 to 6 weeks. This is usually followed by new foliage as the cutting gets larger.
Anthuriums can also be propagated via seeds. But this method is the least favored since the seeds are not available easily, and its nearly impossible to collect seeds yourself.
Blooms
The flowers on this species are unattractive. The long spadix is purple-colored, but the spathe is creamy white or pale green. The blooms can last for many weeks.
Growth
This plant has a slow-to-medium growth rate. Outdoors the leaves can grow about 4 ft long. As an indoor plant, it can get 1 – 2 ft (50 – 60 cm) in height and spread 1 – 1.5 ft.
It has lanceolate-shaped hanging leaves with variations of glossy to a matte finish. The underside of the leaves is matte and paler in color as compared to the upper side. There are around 11 to 15 primary leaf veins on each leaf.
The long, pendulous leaves for Anthurium Pendulifolium dangle downwards no matter how you grow it. These long leaves make it an ideal plant for hanging baskets.
Common Problems for Anthurium Pendulifolium
Root rot: Anthurium Pendulifolium is highly susceptible to root- rot that is caused by a fungus. It thrives in humid and warm environments.
Overwatering or too frequent watering will lead to root-rot that will eventually kill the roots. Another consideration is proper drainage because even if you water your plant moderately, stagnant water can also cause root rot.
Pay attention to how you water your Anthurium plant. Always allow the excess water to drain away from the roots and make sure that you wait for the roots to dry slightly before watering again. You can use a porous potting soil to meet these two conditions.
Brown leaves and leaf edges: This either due to too little or too much water. The only possible solution for this is to monitor the soil moisture level regularly and water only when the soil is dry. If your plant’s soil is still wet, skip watering for a day or two.
Yellow leaves: For Anthurium plants, this is caused by too much sunlight. Move your Anthurium plant away from the window to a position with less light. Another common cause of yellow leaves is overwatering. Inspect the top layer of soil; if it’s overly damp, don’t water your plant. Wait until at least the top 2 inches of the soil is dry
Nematodes: These small worms attack the roots of your Anthurium plant. They will bury themselves in the potting soil to feed on the roots. This will slow down the root development stunting the plant’s growth. You can eliminate them with agricultural chemicals.
Exposing the soil to sunlight will also kill the nematodes. Amend the soil with organic matter before planting your Anthurium to suppress the nematode damage.
Red spider mites: Yellow stippling leaves indicate the presence of spider mites. Supply your plant with adequate water because underwatering the plant will facilitate the growth of spider mites. These tiny pests leave webbings on the leaves and stems.
They feed on plant nutrients and carbohydrates, leading to weak and slow growth. To deal with pest infections, wipe down the leaves with a pyrethrin-based insecticide or use horticultural oil or spray.
Aphids: These pests damage the foliage of ornamental plants like Anthurium Pendulifolium. They leave behind distorted and molted leaves with sticky honeydew that attracts other pests and insects.
Brown or yellow spots on the leaves also indicate aphids. They can be removed by spraying the plant with cold water.
Extra tips for growing Anthurium Pendulifolium
- They grow faster in high temperatures and high humidity, so maintain your indoor environment accordingly.
- To maintain the glossy appearance of the leaves, wipe them with a damp cloth regularly.
- To prevent any salt or mineral buildups, flush the soil with water 2 to 3 times in the growing season.
- For optimal drainage, add large chunks of perlite and tree fern to a peat-based mix.
Frequently asked questions about Anthurium Pendulifolium
Is this plant toxic?
All parts of this Anthurium plant are toxic to humans and pets, so place your plant away from children or pets. Consumption will cause mouth and skin irritation, stomach pain, and vomiting.
How can I find optimum light conditions for my Anthurium plant?
This is a rainforest plant; therefore, it needs filtered light. Avoid the two extremes too much light (leaf burns) or too little light (stunted growth). Don’t keep it in strong, direct sunlight.
How often should I water the Anthurium Pendulifolium?
They don’t appreciate continuously moist soil; in fact, excessive watering is the most common problem in Anthurium plant care. So water the plant regularly but never over water and allow the soil to dry out before watering again.
Conclusion
Anthurium plants are charming and easygoing, just like Philodendrons, and are great for anyone who is looking for a challenging version of Philodendrons.
Anthurium Pendulifolium is the easiest to care for once you figure out its light, humidity, and soil requirements. This plant is a warmth lover and instantly creates a tropical feel within your house.
Interested in learning more about Anthurium, read our articles about other Anthurium varieties like Anthurium Magnificum, Anthurium Superbum, Anthurium Veitchii, and Anthurium Scherzerianum.