Anthurium Scandens ― Detailed Care Guide

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Anthurium Scandens is one of the most common plants in the tropical forests in Costa Rica, which is why the Anthurium Scandens is considered as the native plant.

The Anthurium Scandens is considered to be an epiphytic plant and can be grown as an indoor plant or even a garden plant.

This plant has extremely basic care; unlike other plants, the Anthurium Scandens does not need to be kept under direct sunlight and should be kept under partial shade. Moist soil is one of its “biggest” demands.

The Anthurium Scandens is considered to be one of the most widespread plants in the world as it is very diverse in terms of its needs. Any area that comes under the USDA Zone: 10b-11 is seen as the ideal spot for this plant’s growth.

Anthurium Scandens is also a terrarium plant; this means that the plant can be kept in closed glass containers and still survive. Another reason why Anthurium Scanden can be easily grown in terrariums is that it remains small for the majority of its life.
 

 

 

Basic Plant Care for Anthurium Scandens

 

Soil

The Anthurium Scandens prefer to be kept in soil that is moist the majority of the time; thus, it is extremely important to always water the plant and keep the soil wet. Choosing a soil that is capable of retaining moisture is seen as the best choice for Anthurium Scanden.

Household soil mixtures can also work for Anthurium Scandens, but that would simply mean that you must water the plant every so often. You can also use peat mix as your soil, but no matter what soil you may use, the soil PH should range from 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic).

 

Watering

Anthurium Scandens thrive in soil that is moist, so depending on the soil type, your plant may or may not need more water.

Never let your soil get completely dry in-between watering. The best rule to follow is to simply touch the surface of the soil and see whether it is still wet or not. If it is not wet, then it is time to water your plant again.

 

Light

Anthurium Scandens do not require direct sunlight; in fact, if it is kept under direct sunlight, the plant can get severely damaged. This epiphytic plant flourishes under indirect sunlight or half shade.

 

Temperature

Temperature requirements for Anthurium Scandens are not hard to achieve either as they can survive low temperatures such as 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), and the highest temperature they can stand is 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius).

 

Humidity

The Anthurium Scandens only needs to be kept in humidity levels of 30 to 95 percent. This plant already retains a lot of moisture due to how much water they need; thus, it is important for you to check your plant every so often to spot whether the plant has been infected with any bacteria or fungus.

 

Fertilizer

Anthurium Scandens does not require a lot of fertilizer. You can easily fertilize this plant once every three to four months with one-quarter of a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus number.

The biggest reason why your plant needs to be fertilized is for it to be able to gain its beautiful blooms throughout the year.

 

Potting

The Anthurium Scandens is a tuberous plant, which means it loves to stay within its first pot for a long period of time. This means repotting your plant will not be an issue that you will have to face.

However, I repot my plant when the growth seems to have stunned, and the best way to know when to repot your plant is by:

• Removing the plant from the pot and observing it.
• If you notice that there is loose soil, then your plant does not need to be repotted.
• If you notice that there is no loose soil, then you need to repot your plant.

When you repot your plant, simply use soil that can retain moisture for a long period of time. Make sure to use a pot that is at least eight inches in size.

 

Pruning

When it comes to Anthurium Scandens, they should be pruned often so that the plant can be upright and balanced. If you let the older growth remain on your plant, then it can cause the stem to bend and can cause the growth to stun.

To prune your plant, follow these tips:

• Observe your plant closely, make a note of any dead leaves and discoloration.
• Ensure that the tools you use are clean and do not have dull blades that may tear or crush the stems, making it susceptible to disease and pests.
• Clean your tools with rubbing alcohol or a 10 percent bleach solution.
• Once everything is set, proceed to prune your plant by removing old leaves first. Then continue to cut off any dead or infected leaves.
• Prune off any suckers that are small as they can drain a lot of energy from the plant, which will cause the flower size to reduce.
• Do not cut off the larger suckers as this will cause damage to the plant.

Anthurium Scandens is not the hardest plant to prune as they tend to remain small in size the majority of their life. The biggest reason why you may want to prune your plant is to allow it to grow well and upright.

 

Propagation

Anthurium Scandens propagate easily by using its rhizomes. It is important to have an idea of the differences between tubers and rhizomes.

Rhizomes are thick, fleshy roots that grow horizontally just below the surface of the soil. Tubers are the thick sections of your plant stems and roots. When the rhizomes are produced, they grow outward, and they have smaller roots to anchor them into the ground.

Propagating them by division is the best way to increase your plant production and provide you with even more beautiful Anthurium Scandens. To propagate your plant, follow these steps:

• First, you must plan out where you will be planting the divided rhizomes, as there are several mediums that can be used, such as water or soil. The plant is constantly growing throughout the year, but the best time to propagate it is during the spring or fall season.
• The second thing you need to look into is the root ball. Whether your rhizome divisions are successful depends on the root system. The majority of rhizome divisions tend to fail because people do not leave sufficient roots that can support the plant’s foliage.
• You need to mark the size of the root ball, and to do this; you simply have to use your shovel.
• Mark the soil by using the end of the shovel’s head. Gently remove the plant out of the pot by pushing the head of the shovel into the ground. Make sure that the shovel goes in straight and that you pull the handle back towards yourself to get the plant out.
• The third thing you need to do is split the crown of the root ball in half and repeat this step until you get your desired amount of pieces. Plant your divisions at the same depth as the original plant, but make sure that the crown is a little above the soil level.
• Keep the size of your division up to one quarter the size of the original root ball; this way, you won’t cause damage to the plant.

Anthurium Scandens can also be propagated by cutting the tubers. To do this, simply follow these steps:

• Remove the root from the ground
• Cut the tubers into 2 to 4-inch pieces and make sure that each of the cuttings has buds and roots attached to it.
• Plant the healthy-looking tubers. Get rid of any tubers that are old and diseased.
• Plant your tubers no deeper than half their width, meaning a tuber that is one-inch-long should only be buried ½ inch deep into the soil.
• The tubers should be planted in the soil along with the dormant bud, that should barely be peeking out of the group.

 

Blooms

Anthurium Scandens blooms throughout the year, whether it be spring, summer, or autumn. The flowers bloom around two to five times in a year and are small, cigar-shaped, and pale green. Once the flowers bloom, they develop into white berries.
 

Growth

Growth is normal for Anthurium Scandens but may be considered slow for many individuals as several people fail to realize that the care they provide their plant is actually causing its growth to stop.

If you properly take care of your plant, then it will easily reach its height of 6 inches (15cm) and a width of 2.4 inches (6 cm).

Anthurium Scandens leaves are also one of its most stunning features. They are glossy-green and grow on stems that are thin and brown in color. The leaves are shaped like a lance, and the inflorescence develops from the leaf’s axils.
 

Common Problems for Anthurium Scandens

 

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew come into the list of diseases that many gardeners tend to often face.

This fungus can easily be spotted at the bottom sides of your plants’ leaves if they have been infected. The appearance given off by powdery mildew is gray/white.

Powdery mildew can easily kill your plant. The best way to avoid this fungal disease is by not over-watering your plants, which seems to be a common mistake made by many.

When you water your plants, do it from the bottom and not from above the plants. Watering your plants in the morning is a better choice as excess water will dry off the plants’ foliage.

If your plant has already been infected by this fungus, simply cut off all the affected leaves with sharp gardening scissors or shears.
 

Scale Insects

Scale insects are one of the common sights seen in gardens and house plants. Scale insects have a reputation for causing a lot of damage to your plant, such as causing the leaves to turn yellow and changing the appearance of the plant.

These insects are not easy to spot as they seem like they mix in with your own plant foliage. Depending on their species, they can vary in color, such as from brown to cotton white. Scale insects are also extremely small in size, as they measure up to ¼ inches.

Scale insects are not extremely hard to get rid of as you can simply use your fingernails, a cotton bud that has been dipped in alcohol, or even a soft toothbrush. Depending on the type of shell the scale insect may have, it will be hard to kill it with just insecticide.
 

Thrips

Thrips are flying insects that can easily travel from one plant to another. Thrips tend to stay in groups and feed off of one plant. If you want to find out whether your plant has been infected by thrips, simply shake your pot of plants, and they will start swarming the air.

Both the adult thrips and baby thrips tend to be attracted to blossoms that are white, yellow, or any other light blossom color. Because of this attraction, they spread the impatiens necrotic spot virus from one plant to another.

If you wish to get rid of thrips, then remove all the grass or weed that is surrounding the plant so that you can eliminate all possible hosts around the main plant. Observe each plant you take into your garden carefully.

Look into any signs of thrips or damages to the newly bought plant in your garden. Cut off every infested area of the plant or throw anyway any plant that has been infected.
 

Vine Weevil

Vine weevil is a common insect found on plants that can cause great harm to them if not treated. They tend to feed off of plants that mostly provide fruits, but even ornamental plants are not safe either, especially those grown in pots.

The adult vine weevil tends to munch on leaves while the growing vine weevil eats roots.

In order to avoid getting vine weevil, you will have to remove all the other plants surrounding the infected plant so that you can find their hiding spot. Water your plant only when it is necessary as adult weevil prefer moist soil.

Since vine weevil does not fly, they will walk from one plant to another, so to avoid further spread, use a sticky barrier as the first defense.
 

Leaf Spots

Leaf spots are often caused by pollution, insects, or some bacteria. You always want to take quick action if you notice that your plant has leaf spots; this is because the plant may die if you do not get rid of the infected plant parts.

The bacteria travel within the plant tissue, which causes the plant to be damaged. To avoid leaf spots, you should avoid misting your plant as you may be increasing the humidity level well above what the plant can handle.

To further avoid fungal spots, you should try placing your plant into a bigger pot as Anthurium Scanden does not like being put into tight pots since they do not tolerate extremely moist roots, which can cause their roots to rot.

To avoid under watering your plant and causing root rot, you should shift your plant into a well-drainage pot and well-aerated soil.

 

Tips for Growing Anthurium Scandens

Anthurium Scandens are some of the easiest plants to grow. You can follow some of these tips so that your plant can grow healthy:

• Never put it under direct sunlight; always provide partial shade.
• Anthurium Scandens require a lot of water, but over-watering is a common issue as well; thus, avoid watering it too much by simply checking whether the soil is still moist or not before you water it again.
• Keep the humidity percentage between 30 to 95 percent. Never go above it as fungal diseases can become a common issue
• Anthurium Scandens are Caribbean plants; thus, they need to be kept under warm temperatures

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Anthurium Scandens

 

Is Anthurium Scanden poisonous?

The Anthurium Scandens is poisonous if someone, whether it be a pet or a child, consumes it.
 

Does Anthurium Scanden cause skin irritation?

Anthurium Scandens can be the cause of your skin irritation as it is known for causing an allergic reaction.
 

Does Anthurium Scandens prefer partial shade or direct sunlight?

Anthurium Scandens prefer partial shade as they can burn under direct sunlight, which can cause the plant to have brown spots.

Conclusion

The Anthurium Scandens are some of the most stunning and low maintenance plants. If you wish to keep your living space beautiful, then Anthurium Scanden can never be the wrong choice.

I have found that Anthurium Scanden is one of the easiest plants to take care of as it only needs a lot of water.