# How to care for Anthuriums?



## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

_Anthurium_ is one of my favorite genera, but sadly, I'm apparently not very good at growing them
They grow a new leaf and another turns yellow and drop off, this happens to _amnicola_, _gracile_ and _scandens_. 
I've been thinking it's too much water and have cut down on watering significantly, but still the same thing. The only one that's doing good is _A. obtusum_.

The _scandens_ grows on cork without substrate, the _amnicola_ grows on cork as well but has a thin piece of epiweb around most of it's roots and the _gracile_ is in a pot with orchid bark.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, perhaps I should cut back on the water even more? I love these plants and would be devastated if they died on me.

Edit: Forgot to mention that the tanks they are in all have circulation fans, and the _gracile_ was recently moved to my windowsill.


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

Come on now, with all the plant guys on here surely someone knows?


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Are they in tanks with frogs are otherwise receiving some nutrient input? Sounds like a deficiency of a mobile mineral of some sort.


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## Urban Jungle (Oct 10, 2013)

What sort of lighting do you have over them?


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

Dendrobait said:


> Are they in tanks with frogs are otherwise receiving some nutrient input? Sounds like a deficiency of a mobile mineral of some sort.


They are grown frog free, I gave them some diluted compost tea a few weeks back but other than that no nutrients. I've been thinking I should get some frog safe orchid fertilizer but I don't know which one to get.



Urban Jungle said:


> What sort of lighting do you have over them?


T5 and cfl's, the gracile gets sunlight. The light is pretty decent (Enough to color up bromeliads). It doesn't look like a light problem. 
I had another leaf fall off yesterday, I'll snap a picture of it and maybe that can give you some clues.

Edit:


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

I really think that most fertilizers are probably ok, provided they are not sprayed directly on the frogs and not used it massive quantities. After all, in vivaria it should quickly be uptaken by plants, broken down and assimilated by microbes, etc. 

I have used Miracle Gro orchid spray with no ill effects-it is already pretty dilute. I cut it even more and then added a tiny amount of Flourish excel to cover trace elements. Only reason I chose it was because it came in a neat little spray bottle and I didn't have to buy a whole bunch of ferts. You can then just lightly mist the ones that are growing exposed, for example...and they should immediately be able to uptake the nutrients. 

If you do use a fertilizer just make sure it contains trace elements as well. 

If you want to stay au natural fish emulsions might be worth a try.


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## Jeremy M (Oct 19, 2012)

I don't have much experience with these, but have a few. I keep mine in a well-drained soil mix. They can be epiphytes, but appreciate some substrate to grow in and grow smaller when kept purely epiphytic, which is important when keeping 'em in a viv. But If you're having trouble you may try to bury them in something. Luckily they're very easy to sprout from seed. I got all five of the seeds that developed from the flower mine had at time of purchase to sprout by just putting them on a horizontal piece of hygrolon, which I know you have plenty of. Maybe try giving yours more air flow, I've had leaves yellow from stagnant air before.


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

Some anthuriums--like some other aroids--do not like being moved. With their thick roots, they do not appreciate repotting either. I suggest:

--try a mix of NZ sphagnum and seedling orchid bark (or coir chunks);
--a stable high humidity--keep the substrate barely moist but never let it dry out;
--patience--as in growing a fruit tree kind of patience...

In a tank, for mounting I recommend tree fern plaques with a bit of moss over the roots.

Hope this helps.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Funny I am having issues with my Anthuriums too.

scandens: Got it at frog day. Has yellowed and dropped 1-2 leaves. Done a lot of root growth. Hoping it will start throwing up new leaves.

sp. ECG: Same time of purchase. Yellowed and dropped one leaf of the two it has. Sends out lots of roots. It has tried producing new leaves but each time the tips blacken and die.

All other plants in vivs are doing great-have a few orchids blooming/spiking, etc. etc. The exception would be that Selaginella as well has keeled over. The tank is full screen top and maybe the humidity is too low? Of note would be a few inches from the Anth. ECG is Philo verrucosum that is having no issues.


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## Sammie (Oct 12, 2009)

Just thought I should update in case someone searches the topic in the future.
It was indeed nutrient deficiency, I gave my plants a few doses of diluted orchid fertilizer and they all look great now. 

Unfortunately my gracile (which I thought had full grown leaves) has almost doubled in leaf size and now I don't think I can use it in the intended tank (Which I built just because the gracile was too big for the ones I already had.)

I guess I have to make room to build an even bigger tank now...but hey, who needs a couch anyways?

Edit: Oh, I almost forgot.
Thanks a lot guys, I really appreciate all the help!


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## chillplants (Jul 14, 2008)

Check your ingredients on the fertilizer. Anything that uses ammonium as a nitrogen source will increase leaf size. Try looking for a fertilizer that uses calcium nitrate or potassium nitrate instead of ammonium nitrate (or make sure the Ammonium nitrate is a very low %).


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## Epiphile (Nov 12, 2009)

chillplants said:


> Anything that uses ammonium as a nitrogen source will increase leaf size.


This is the first time I've heard this. Do you have a reference, perchance?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

chillplants said:


> Check your ingredients on the fertilizer. Anything that uses ammonium as a nitrogen source will increase leaf size. Try looking for a fertilizer that uses calcium nitrate or potassium nitrate instead of ammonium nitrate (or make sure the Ammonium nitrate is a very low %).


As I understand it, any application of high nitrogen promotes leaf growth, be it ammonia or urea-based. Just to clarify, all fertilizers list their ingredients in the same order: N-P-K. The proportions matter--a 20-8-10 formula would be to promote foliar growth, whereas a 10-20-10 formula is a bloom booster. As for absolute numbers, this determines frequency of feeding. E.g., a 3-6-4 formula can be used every time you water, whereas a 15-30-20 formula would be used once every two weeks. 

The reason we use and recommend ammonia-based fertilizers for epiphytic plants is because it is easier to absorb, less harsh, and safer for animals. (Source: The bald spot on the grass where Fluffy....)

Hope this helps.


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## Epiphile (Nov 12, 2009)

As far as I understand it, N is N as far as the plants are concerned: all that is different is the way the plant takes it up; i.e. which cation/anion is released into the substrate in exchange for nitrate or ammonium (hydrogen or hydroxide, respectively), which can effect substrate pH.

I know that some plants show preference for ammoniacal N (I'm not sure that this could be said about epiphytes in general), but I don't believe that it's taken up more easily or has been shown to have an effect on the finished plant with regards to leaf size, etc. 

I see Dyna Gro, Epiphyte's Delight and MSU fertilizer recommended most often for our applications, and these are all nitrate-dominated fertilizers, for what it's worth.


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