Anthurium plants are very popular and you might have recently purchased one. Or perhaps you received one as a gift from a loved one.
Either way, you’re likely trying to figure out how to best care for this plant now. When caring for anthuriums, you want to make sure that you get the basics right.
These plants aren’t too tough to handle, but you do want to consider the light requirements.
Read on to learn about how much sunlight anthuriums need. You’ll learn about this topic fully so that you can feel confident that you can care for your houseplant well.
Do Anthuriums Need Sunlight?
Like most plants, sunlight is a pretty important thing for anthuriums. They need sunlight so that they can bloom and grow as much as possible.
This doesn’t mean that bright sunlight is crucial for the plant to survive, though. Anthurium plants are popular indoor plants because they can do fine in low-light conditions.
If you put anthuriums in low-light conditions they can still grow and do okay. They just won’t be able to flower and they might not grow as much as they would with more sunlight.
Medium to bright light works well for these plants. They can do okay in low light conditions, though, and that might make them more appealing to you if you need a good office plant.
Do They Like the Sun?
Anthuriums like the sun so long as you don’t give them too much. Too much harsh sunlight can easily cause these plants problems.
The plant can get scorched if you expose it to bright direct sunlight. This is especially problematic if you live in an area where it’s very hot.
So you need to be careful to give the anthurium plant the right amount of sunlight. Put the plant in a safe spot and try to stick to medium to bright sunlight.
Filtering the sunlight is often much safer than exposing the plant to direct sunlight. When you want the plant to bloom, bright sunlight is going to help immensely with that.
These plants simply won’t bloom if you keep them in a low-light environment. So many people prefer to keep anthuriums in rooms with at least medium sunlight.
How Much Light Do Anthuriums Need?
You’ll find that anthuriums can survive in low light. So technically, these plants don’t need much light at all to grow.
That being said, most would say that it’s best to give this plant medium to bright sunlight. When you want these plants to bloom and grow strong, it’s best to give them six hours of bright sunlight per day.
It’s easier on the plant if you give it bright indirect sunlight. So find an appropriate spot in your home and you’ll be able to give the plant what it needs.
You can filter the sunlight if necessary or you can find an ideal window where the plant will be safe. Anthurium blooms can be beautiful so it makes sense that you’d want to help the plant bloom.
Can Anthurium Grow in Low Light?
It’s certainly possible for anthuriums to grow in low light. They can grow and survive in low light so long as they’re receiving some sunlight.
These plants don’t need bright sunlight to be able to grow. They can grow in low light and do quite well.
However, it’s worth noting that poor lighting can cause these plants to grow very slowly. They also might not flower at all.
If the plant does flower, it’ll wind up producing fewer flowers and they might be smaller. So it’s better to give these plants adequate sunlight than it is to keep them in low light.
Even so, you can enjoy keeping these plants in offices that don’t get a lot of sunlight. They can do fine and they can be enjoyable indoor plants.
What Happens When Growing Anthuriums in Low Light?
Growing anthuriums in low light can be okay, but it’s not the ideal situation. If the room that you wish to keep the plant in doesn’t have much light at all, it’s likely best to consider using artificial lights.
Later, you’ll learn more about artificial lights and using them to help anthuriums grow. For now, it’s time to learn about what happens when growing anthuriums in low-light settings.
When growing an anthurium plant in a room with very little light, it’ll grow just a little bit. The growth will be slow and you might not see any flowers at all.
If there’s a little bit of light, you might see some small flowers appear on the plant. There isn’t a guarantee that the plant will flower, though.
When keeping these plants in low-light environments, it’s best to think of them as foliage plants. You might notice that the plants will be a bit discolored when kept in low light.
They’ll be duller than they would be if they were receiving more sunlight. So they won’t be quite as pretty overall.
Can Anthuriums Thrive Under Artificial Lights?
Artificial lighting is fine to use with your anthuriums. Anthuriums can do very well with artificial lights if you get the right stuff.
When you want anthuriums to bloom indoors, sometimes it’s easier to use artificial lights. You can use grow lights to give the plant enough sunlight to help it produce blooms.
Fluorescent lights are commonly used to help anthuriums grow in offices. You can give your plant a good fluorescent light that will help to keep it in good shape.
When you give the plant adequate light it’ll look better and it’ll grow stronger. Grow lights don’t cost too much cash and they aren’t hard to set up.
You can get a fairly small grow light and it’ll work for an anthurium plant. Or you can buy larger lights and use them for multiple plants if you have many houseplants to think of.
Do Anthurium Seeds Need Light to Germinate?
No, anthurium seeds don’t need much light to germinate. Once you have the seeds that you need, you can place them on some sphagnum moss in a little cup.
The seeds will germinate and you’ll see a little root start to form. After a few weeks have passed, you should notice that there will be a baby leaf.
During this time, light is going to be more important. The baby seedlings need light during this stage to grow, but you can’t give them too much sunlight.
Harsh sunlight can burn the seedlings and set things back. So you have to give them enough sunlight exposure without going overboard.
If you’re using a grow light for germination, it’s recommended that you keep it at least four inches above the seedlings. Follow this advice and you should have an easy time germinating anthurium seeds.
Watering Anthuriums
Watering anthuriums is another important aspect of care. This is worth mentioning here because the amount of sunlight that the plant gets will impact how long it’ll take for the soil to dry out.
If you’re keeping anthuriums in low light, it’ll take longer for the soil to dry out. So you might not need to water the plant as often.
When exposing anthuriums to bright sunlight, the plant will likely dry out a little faster. Medium sunlight won’t dry the plant out quite as fast.
It’s fine to dry the plant out faster because it might help to make things easier. Always check the soil before watering the plant.
This will allow you to ensure that the soil is dry before you water the plant. It’s common for people to water anthuriums every week or so, but it depends on various factors and you must check the soil first.
It’s best to give the anthurium one-half of a cup of water per week on average. Some people water these plants using ice cubes and they use six ice cubes to get the job done.
How Big Do Anthuriums Grow?
The exact size of anthurium plants will depend on the type that you buy. Some anthuriums are known to grow to be two to three feet tall.
These are the common types of anthuriums that people buy for homes. If you don’t want to own a plant that big, you can also seek out dwarf anthuriums that stay a bit smaller.
For these plants to grow to their full size and look nice, it’s best to give them enough sunlight. Anthuriums that are kept in low light will not grow well at all.
So if you don’t wish for your anthuriums to experience stunted growth it’s wise to keep them in bright sunlight. Just make sure that it’s indirect sunlight so the plant won’t get scorched or otherwise harmed.
Are Anthuriums Easy to Care For?
Perhaps the greatest thing about anthuriums is that they’re beginner-friendly. These are stellar plants for those who are new to caring for indoor plants.
It’s not that tough to take care of these plants and they can even survive without a lot of sunlight. Watering them won’t be too hard, but you do want to try to avoid watering them too much.
Most people will have a simple time caring for these plants. They’re good options for homes and they work well in office environments, too.
Since these plants are so practical, it’s not uncommon for them to be given away as gifts. Anthuriums are truly ubiquitous houseplants that do great in typical indoor conditions.
Do Anthuriums Need Humidity?
Humidity is pretty important for anthuriums. They do best when they’re kept in homes that have a humidity level of 50%.
This could be a little higher than your home’s humidity level. Average home humidity levels seem to hover between 40% and 60%, and that means that you might be fine.
You can always mist anthuriums with water to raise the humidity for them. Otherwise, you can try to buy a small plant humidifier to keep the area near the houseplants humid.
Some people also keep bowls of water in the room with the houseplants. You could place the anthurium above a tray of water with pebbles in it as well.
There are plenty of simple ways to raise the humidity level near the plants. So you won’t have to worry too much whether you’re caring for this plant in an office or a house.
Anthuriums can tolerate low humidity if necessary. They will even grow in such an environment, but it might not be the best for them.
So it’s recommended to look for ways that you can raise the humidity in the area. It’s easy to accomplish and your anthurium will be much healthier if you do so.
Are They Toxic?
It’s never wise to try to eat or chew on an anthurium plant. Doing so would leave your mouth with a distinct burning sensation.
These plants are toxic and they’re not meant to be consumed. So you should keep them out of the reach of children or pets to be safe.
Generally, trying to eat or chew on this plant will cause immediate burning. Your lips, tongue, mouth, and throat will experience severe burning.
It can also cause swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat. You might have a hard time swallowing and breathing if you choose to eat this plant.
For this reason, you should seek medical help if you’re experiencing these symptoms. You might need to go to urgent care or the emergency room to alleviate symptoms.
Animals that chew on these plants or eat them will experience similar symptoms. It’ll give them upset stomachs and they will likely vomit.
Diarrhea is possible if the animal manages to digest some of the plant. When you have cats and dogs, it’s best to keep anthuriums out of their reach.
What Color Are Anthurium Flowers?
Most of the anthuriums that you find being sold at stores produce red blooms. These are the standard solid-colored anthuriums that people know and love.
Some anthuriums produce flowers that are pink, white, yellow, green, orange, purple, salmon, black, and brown. So there are several different varieties that you can look into.
Remember that anthuriums need sunlight to be able to bloom properly. So if you plan on buying a plant that produces flowers of a special color, it’s wise to give that plant bright sunlight.
You want to give the plant optimal sunlight so that it can grow well and produce gorgeous blooms. It’s easy to accomplish whether you’re using natural sunlight or artificial light.
Final Thoughts
Now you can have an easier time caring for anthurium plants. You know that they can grow in low-light environments, but they do best in bright sunlight.
Anthuriums should be given at least six hours of bright or medium sunlight per day to help the plant grow. This ensures that the plant will bloom properly and it’ll produce the best-looking foliage possible.
You can grow these plants using natural sunlight or artificial light. Some people like to use fluorescent grow lights when keeping these plants in office environments.
Luckily, anthuriums are very easy to care for. They’re really good plants that will make sense whether you have a bit of experience or if you’re a complete beginner.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.