Anthurium attracts attention not only with its unusual name, but also with its spectacular and very elegant look. Its decorative character is provided by bright flowers: seeing them for the first time, it may seem that they are covered with wax. But these flowers are not only distinguished by their beauty, they also have a long flowering period, and after cutting they do not fade in the water for a long time.
There are also quite unique varieties of anthurium, which are decorated with green leaves with a characteristic shine. Plants with velvety foliage look no less impressive, on the surface of which you can see original relief patterns.
Most often, these flowers can be found in the humid American tropicsas well as the rain forests of Asia. They are known to specialists as flamingo flowers. Anthurium is one of the brightest representatives of the aroid family, which includes about 1000 species. During the growing season, they form rather large flowers, consisting of a cob and a bright bedspread. In contrast, against the background of their inflorescences, shortened stems look, which can be upright or creeping. The leaves attract attention in a variety of forms: there are plants with solid, elliptical, dissected or heart-shaped leaves.
In common people, this plant is known as the flower "male happiness". It is often associated with courage, passion, strength, love of life and freedom. It seems that these qualities are the most important for women in men. There is an opinion that giving anthurium as a gift to a person will bring him a successful, happy and long life. Therefore, if you want everything to work out for your dear person, then please him with this male flower.
However anthurium not a safe plant due to the presence of calcium oxalate in the leaves and stems. Therefore, contact with them can easily cause burns to the oral cavity. Because of this, keep the plant away from pets. Carrying out measures for caring for them, you must definitely wear gloves, otherwise you are subsequently guaranteed discomfort on the skin of your hands.
Content
Varieties and photos of the indoor plant anthurium
Anthuriums intended for growing at home can be represented as several groups:
- beautifully flowering. Within this group, Andre and Scherzer's anthurium can be distinguished, which are most often cultivated in indoor conditions;
- variegated. The most famous representatives of this group are crystal anthurium and majestic anthurium;
- green-leaved. Among the representatives of this group of plants, the most famous are Hooker's anthurium and ampelous climbing, which are easy to care for.
Anthurium André (Anthurium Andrianum)
The species allocated within this variety are flowering. They are most often chosen for growing by gardeners. Their main decoration - the bedspread - has a rich color palette, including white, orange, cherry, red and other shades.
Many growers often manage to grow large enough plants at home. Anthurium Andre cultivars have short stems that are above the ground. The leaves are impressive in size, the length of which can reach 40 cm and the width - 20 cm.The characteristic color is green, and they are heart-shaped in shape.
At the stage of formation, flower stalks are located at a higher height than the plant itself. The flowers are decorated with a tuberous cover, which can have different colors, as well as an ear of white or yellow shade, reaching a length of 15 cm.The latter can grow upright or slightly bent. The flowering period of Andre's anthurium is more than a month, and it remains so when cut. When the flowering phase comes to an end, the usual changes with the buds do not occur, they just coarsen and begin to turn green over time.
In the framework of varieties of Anthurium Andre, especially it is worth highlighting anthurium red - first of all, it is anthurium Dakota or anthurium mix, which are the most popular representatives of this group of plants. In the list of exotic varieties, black anthurium deserves special attention: its most famous representatives are the Black Prince and the Black Queen. The main decoration is reddish buds, which, during flowering, transform, acquiring the color of overripe cherry. Delicate green anthurium also has a spectacular look. Against its background, anthurium pink also looks beautiful: first of all, the varieties Linden and Olfers demonstrate this.
In Colombia, there is a belief that the presence of an anthurium with red flowers in the house promises its owners a rich and happy life. Therefore, when the newlyweds enter a new life, then, coming to their own home, they take with them bouquets of anthurium flowers. In the presence of these flowers, the whole honeymoon passes.
Scherzer's Anthurium
Despite the fact that this variety is not as well-known as Andre's anthurium, it also deserves attention, since it does not pose problems in care when grown at home. If you look closely at this plant, you will notice shortened stem, rather dense foliage and long petioles. The leaves of this anthurium are colored dark green, grow up to 30 cm long and up to 10 cm wide.
During the flowering period, rather large peduncles are formed, having a length of about 30 cm.The inflorescences of Scherzer's anthurium are represented by an oval glossy blanket and a cob that has a spiral shape, growing up to 10 cm in length.
Among the Scherzer varieties, it is especially worth highlighting white, red, pink and yellow anthurium, which are most often grown by flower growers. The flowering period of this variety is quite long and is 3 months. When flowering comes to an end, the lower part of the bud begins to fade first, so it continues to delight the owner with its appearance for some time.
Crystal anthurium
This variety attracts attention with its decorative leaves, which determines its appropriate use. During the growing season, it forms large heart-shaped leaves dark green in color with a velvety surface decorated with silvery veins. Leaves and peduncles are large enough, grow up to 40 cm in length. In contrast to them, the stems are shortened, often formed underground. Against the background of leaves, the cover of the anthurium looks small, having a light brown or purple color. Due to the decorative features of this variety, it is mainly grown in greenhouses.
Anthurium majestic
This is another representative of the group of decorative deciduous plants. Its leaves are dark green in color, reaching 50 cm in length and 40 cm in width. The veins of the white cordate, velvety foliage are very clearly visible. Anthurium petioles, elongated with four edges.The inflorescences are formed by a narrow brown or purple ear and a veil that is brown-green in color and heart-shaped. Unlike crystal anthurium, this variety requires more careful breeding care.
Hooker's Anthurium
This variety represents a group of green-leafed plants. When grown, it forms bright green large leaves, on the surface of which there are black small dots on each side. During the growing season form sockets... The leaves of Hooker's anthurium are quite large and grow up to 35 cm in length and up to 10 cm in width.
The petioles have the form of a triangle, growing in length up to 15 cm. Some species have a flat-convex shape. The green veil grows oblong, reaching 25 cm in length and 3 cm in width. In most representatives of this group, the ear has a light purple color.
Anthurium climbing
This variety grows as a small liana. Due to its short stature, the stem grows no higher than one meter. The foliage is green in color and is most often oval, with small black dots on the underside. The leaves are relatively small, reaching 10 cm in length and 3 cm in width. During the growing season, peduncles appear below the foliage level. Green inflorescences do not have decorative properties.
Berries seem to be much more valuable in this regard, which can provide for various colors, from white to purple. Anthurium climbing differs from other varieties in long flowering and fruiting, which last almost all year. Therefore, it retains its decorative properties for a long time.
How to care for an indoor anthurium flower?
Since not all varieties are equally unpretentious, each grower needs to know certain rules for growing it.
Conditions of detention
For the normal development of anthurium, it is necessary to provide conditions as close as possible to natural ones. He will be able to grow well only when the optimal temperature regime and high humidity are created for him.
- a temperature not lower than 15 degrees is favorable for anthurium. At temperatures up to 10 degrees, growth stops, and the leaves begin to turn yellow. Temperatures above 30 degrees are not beneficial to the plant, which often leads to leaf burns, a change in flowers from their original shade to pale, as well as the start of the process of wilting of inflorescences. Also, when growing anthurium, drafts must be avoided;
- for the successful cultivation of flowering anthuriums, they need to provide bright, but discharged illumination. With insufficient light, the leaves begin to deform. Anthurium has a high demand for lighting in winter. If it is provided, then it will be able to bloom well as in the summer. Ornamental varieties can grow in low light, but they need warmth;
- large-leaved varieties can only be grown with support, which is necessary to support heavy stems. The aerial roots of the plant, which are located on the surface of the trunk, especially need high humidity. This can be achieved through regular spraying. In some cases, you can do otherwise - it is allowed to gradually dig in the roots into the soil.
How to water anthurium?
For the normal development of the plant, it is necessary to ensure the optimal air humidity in the room. Anthurium thrives best at a humidity of at least 60%.
a mandatory procedure is spraying, which is recommended in the morning and evening. However, here you need to ensure that moisture does not get on the blanket, otherwise stains will form on it, and subsequently it will fall off;- to provide a sufficient amount of anthurium with moisture, it must be watered twice a week in the warm season, and once a week in winter. You can only use soft, warm water;
- in summer it is sometimes allowed to put flower pots in containers filled with water. It can also be refilled directly into the pallet.
Conclusion
Experienced growers are not always content with traditional plants. They often have a desire to grow enough exotic flowersthat can add variety to the environment. One of these can be called the anthurium plant. This representative of the subtropics it has a very spectacular look, so any sophisticated florist will not give up the opportunity to gain experience in growing it.
This plant is especially attractive because it can bloom for a very long time, even if it cut and put in water, then even in this case it will not immediately begin to change. It is not so difficult to grow anthurium at home, since there are quite unpretentious varieties, and if you know the agrotechnology of its cultivation, then you can successfully complete this event.
