Plant Profiles & Identification

How to Grow and Care for Purple Anthurium

Discover the key to maintaining your Purple Anthurium's health and signature color. This guide details the right conditions for consistent, vibrant blooms.

The purple anthurium, also known as the Flamingo Flower or Laceleaf, is a tropical plant known for its striking appearance and long-lasting blooms. Its most notable feature is the glossy, heart-shaped purple spathe, which is a modified leaf rather than a true flower. The plant’s actual flowers are tiny and grow on a central spike called a spadix. Their deep green leaves provide a lush backdrop that makes the purple spathes stand out.

Popular Purple Anthurium Varieties

Among the various purple anthuriums, several cultivars are popular. The ‘Joli Purple’ is a compact variety with a dense, upright growth habit suitable for smaller spaces, and it produces pink or purple spathes that can bloom throughout the year. Another admired type is ‘Purple Love’, which features spathes with a marginate pattern of purple and medium violet hues.

The ‘Livium’ variety is distinguished by its bicolored flowers, and while common in red and white, purple variants exist with delicate veins that create a striped appearance. These cultivars offer distinct looks, from solid deep purples to intricate, multicolored patterns.

Purple Anthurium Care Guide

Light

Proper lighting is important for a healthy purple anthurium. These plants thrive in bright, indirect sunlight for at least six hours a day. An ideal location is near an east-facing window or a few feet from a south or west-facing window where light is filtered. Direct sun exposure should be avoided, as it can scorch the leaves and damage the spathes. If a plant that was once flowering has stopped, moving it to a brighter location is often the first step.

Water

Watering is a delicate balance for anthuriums, which are susceptible to root rot if overwatered. It is best to water the plant when the top 50-75% of the soil volume feels dry to the touch. When watering, continue until liquid flows through the pot’s drainage holes, then discard any excess water from the saucer. This “soak and dry” method ensures the roots receive enough moisture without becoming waterlogged.

Soil

As epiphytes in their natural habitat, anthuriums grow on other trees rather than in dense soil. Their potting medium must be coarse and well-draining to allow for ample air circulation around the roots. A high-quality orchid mix is a suitable base, often amended with perlite, peat moss, or coco coir to improve aeration and moisture retention. This type of mix helps prevent the soil from becoming compacted and waterlogged.

Temperature and Humidity

Anthuriums flourish in warm and humid conditions that mimic their native tropical environment. They prefer a consistent temperature range between 65°F and 80°F (18°C to 27°C). Keep them away from drafts, air conditioning vents, or sudden temperature fluctuations. High humidity levels above 60% are beneficial, and you can increase humidity by misting the leaves, placing the pot on a pebble tray filled with water, or using a room humidifier.

Fertilizer

To support growth and flowering, purple anthuriums benefit from regular feeding during the spring and summer. Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half-strength monthly. To specifically encourage more blooms, some growers prefer a fertilizer with a higher phosphorus content. Always fertilize after watering to avoid burning the roots, and reduce or stop feeding during the fall and winter when growth slows.

Encouraging Vibrant Blooms

Beyond daily care, certain adjustments can promote more blooms. Providing a brief rest period in winter by slightly reducing water and providing cooler temperatures can encourage more prolific flowering in the spring. Once a spathe develops, it can last for several months.

As the spathe ages, it will naturally fade or turn green. To encourage new flowers, prune the spent bloom by cutting the stalk down to the base of the plant. This redirects the plant’s energy from maintaining the old flower to growing new leaves and blooms.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Brown Leaf Tips

Brown, crispy leaf tips on a purple anthurium are a sign of environmental stress. This issue is commonly caused by low humidity, as dry air causes moisture to evaporate from the leaves too quickly. Other potential causes are fertilizer burn from improper application or incorrect watering, both overwatering and underwatering.

Yellowing Leaves

When anthurium leaves turn yellow, the most frequent cause is overwatering. Consistently waterlogged soil deprives the roots of oxygen and leads to root rot, which prevents the plant from absorbing nutrients properly. Less commonly, yellowing leaves can indicate a nutrient deficiency, particularly a lack of nitrogen. Assess your watering routine and soil drainage before considering other causes.

Pests

Anthuriums can be susceptible to common houseplant pests like mealybugs, spider mites, and scale. Mealybugs appear as small, white, cottony masses on the undersides of leaves and in leaf joints. Spider mites are tiny, but their presence is often indicated by fine webbing on the plant. These pests feed on the plant’s sap, which can lead to stunted growth. Wiping the leaves with a cloth dipped in isopropyl alcohol or treating the plant with insecticidal soap can manage these infestations.

Spathe Turning Green

It is a natural process for an anthurium’s spathe to change color as it ages. A purple spathe may gradually fade and turn green over several weeks or months as the flower nears the end of its life. However, a spathe turning green can also be an indication of insufficient light, as the plant may be redirecting energy from the flower to the leaves to maximize photosynthesis.

Propagating Purple Anthuriums

The most reliable way to propagate a purple anthurium is through division during its active growth phase in spring or summer. This method is often done when repotting an overcrowded plant.

To begin, carefully remove the anthurium from its pot and gently loosen the soil around the root ball. Wash some soil away to get a clear view of the root system and look for natural separations in the plant’s base.

Using a clean, sharp knife, cut through the root ball to separate the plant into smaller sections. Ensure each new division has a healthy system of roots and at least a few leaves. Pot each new section into its own container with fresh, well-draining potting mix, water thoroughly, and place it in bright, indirect light.

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