Anthurium
Anthurium andraeanum, epiphyte, evergreen
Water an anthurium when the soil is dry a few centimetres down, which indoors means every 4–11 days in summer and every 7–18 in winter. It wants plenty of light but not the hot midday sun, and starts to suffer below 18 °C (64 °F).
Updated 12 October 2026. How we write these pages
Anthurium at a glance
Water, indoors
4–11
days in summer
7–18
days in winter
When the soil is dry a few centimetres down.
Month by month
Minimum temperature
18 °C
It starts to suffer below 18 °C (64 °F).
Humidity
It likes humid air.
Growth
Slow. In the wild it grows on trees.
Repotting
When the roots fill the pot.
Pruning
No regular pruning needed. Remove dead leaves.
Where does your plant live?
Pick its place and see what changes.
What changes
- Indoors, near the window. The light is right, as long as the hot midday sun doesn’t hit the leaves through the glass.
- Indoors, away from the window. With less light it grows more slowly and new leaves come in smaller. If you can, move the pot closer to the window.
- Outdoors, in the shade. This suits it: outdoors, bright shade is the light it likes best.
- Outdoors, in the sun. Full sun scorches its leaves, so move the pot into the shade, at least for the hottest hours.
- Indoors, summer. In July it usually needs water every 4–11 days. Heat dries the soil faster, so feel it more often.
- Indoors, winter, heating on. In January it usually needs water every 7–18 days, and more often near a radiator, because warm air dries the soil.
- Indoors, winter, heating on. It likes humid air, and the heating dries it out. Stand the pot near other plants or on a tray of wet pebbles.
- Indoors, winter, cool room. In January it usually needs water every 7–18 days, and less often in a cool room, where the soil stays damp for a long time.
- Indoors, winter, cool room. It starts to suffer below 18 °C (64 °F), so the room has to stay warmer than that.
- Outdoors, summer. Outside the soil dries faster than indoors, where in July it needs water every 4–11 days, so in the sun feel it often.
- Outdoors, winter. It starts to suffer below 18 °C (64 °F). Bring the pot indoors before the first cold nights.
How often to water an anthurium
Indoors, month by month. Tap a column.
In October
Every 6–15 days
Usually every 9 days. Feel the soil first, and water when it is dry a few centimetres down.
Every month in a table
| Month | Usually | Usually between |
|---|---|---|
| January | every 11 days | 7–18 days |
| February | every 11 days | 7–18 days |
| March | every 10 days | 6–16 days |
| April | every 9 days | 5–14 days |
| May | every 8 days | 5–12 days |
| June | every 7 days | 4–11 days |
| July | every 7 days | 4–11 days |
| August | every 7 days | 4–11 days |
| September | every 8 days | 5–12 days |
| October | every 9 days | 6–15 days |
| November | every 10 days | 6–17 days |
| December | every 11 days | 7–18 days |
Typical intervals indoors in the northern hemisphere: light, the pot and the season stretch or shorten them. How to tell when to water, with a finger and the weight of the pot.
Soil, propagation and problems
Soil
An all-purpose potting mix that holds a little moisture but drains well: if it’s very dense, add some perlite. It likes it neutral or slightly acidic.
Propagation
From a cutting: cut a piece of stem with at least one node and stand it in water or damp soil until it roots.
By division: when you repot it, split the plant into pieces that each have their own roots.
Common problems
The most frequent: Mealybugs · Scale insects · Spider mites · Aphids · Whiteflies · Leaf spot
When you feel the soil, look under the leaves too: pests show up there first.
Anthurium: questions and answers
How often should you water an anthurium in winter?
Indoors in January, usually every 11 days (between 7 and 18), compared with every 7 in July. The longest gaps run from December to February.
How can you tell when an anthurium needs water?
When the soil is dry a few centimetres down, not just on the surface.
How much light does an anthurium need?
Plenty of light, without the direct midday sun, which can scorch the leaves. Indoors it does well near a bright window, and further from the window it grows more slowly.
How much cold can an anthurium take?
It starts to suffer from the cold below 18 °C (64 °F). If it spends the summer outside, bring the pot in before nights drop below 18 °C, and in winter keep it away from cold glass and draughts.
When should you repot an anthurium?
When the roots fill the pot. There are usually 2 to 3 years between repottings.
How do you prune an anthurium?
No regular pruning needed. Cut dead leaves and flower stems off at the base.
How can you tell if an anthurium is getting too much water or too little?
Too much water often shows as leaves drooping even though the soil is wet and roots brown and mushy, or hollow when squeezed. Too little shows as leaves drooping while the potting mix is dry and leaf edges brown and crisp.
How much humidity does an anthurium need?
Wants humid air: indoors, keep it away from radiators and close to other plants, or on a tray of wet pebbles.
What soil does an anthurium need?
An all-purpose potting mix that holds a little moisture but drains well: if it’s very dense, add some perlite. It likes it neutral or slightly acidic.
How do you propagate an anthurium?
From a cutting: cut a piece of stem with at least one node and stand it in water or damp soil until it roots. By division: when you repot it, split the plant into pieces that each have their own roots.
Which pests and diseases affect an anthurium?
The most frequent are mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites, aphids, whiteflies and leaf spot. When you feel the soil, look under the leaves too: pests show up there first.
Why are my anthurium’s leaves turning yellow?
Most of the time it’s too much water, or soil that doesn’t drain. Feel the soil a few centimetres down, and if it’s still damp, wait, and always empty the saucer. If the soil is fine, it may be short of food: give it a liquid orchid feed from April to October. Cut leaves that have already dried off at the base.
Why does my anthurium have brown tips or brown leaves?
When the edges go brown, it’s usually the dry air of a centrally heated home. Move it away from the radiator and stand the pot on a tray of wet gravel. The edges also brown when the soil stays dry for too long, and direct summer sun scorches the leaves.
Why is my anthurium not flowering?
Usually it’s short of light, or of food. Move it near a bright window, out of direct sun, and give it a liquid orchid feed from April to October. When it’s happy it flowers several times a year, and each flower lasts a few weeks.
Can you root an anthurium in water?
Yes, to make a new plant. Cut a piece of stem with a few leaves and its aerial roots, and stand it in water somewhere warm and bright. Once it has rooted, pot it up in soil.
Is an anthurium toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. It contains calcium oxalate crystals, so chewing a leaf burns and swells the mouth, tongue and lips, and they can drool, vomit and have trouble swallowing. The sap irritates your skin too, so wear gloves when you prune or repot it.
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