Find Your Ask the Expert: Flamingo Lily care
I recently acquired a plant at a yard sale. The lady who had it didn’t know what it was, but said that she kept it in direct sunlight and when she moved it it didn’t bloom. She also said it was quite huge and she had given it a “hair cut” and it’s come back beautiful.
I did some research and found out it’s a Flamingo Lily? It has beautiful Salmon pink blooms. It looks very healthy, and is starting to get root bound in its 6″ pot. My question is this, I’ve tried to research proper care for this plant and have come up with variations from full sun to shade, and from keep it wet, to dry it out. The only common factor is to keep the humidity up by misting it. HELP!! Also, how root bound do they like to be? Should I be transplanting it to an 8″ pot? What kind of fertilizer should I use, how often?
I’ve attached pics of my Flamingo Lily:
Thank you for taking the time to read, and answer my question. Shannon
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
Shannon, you do have an Anthurium andraeanum ‘Flamingo’. It is easy to find conflicting information about plant care. So, it is best to understand the natural environment in order to understand which plant care is best for your particular plant. Anthurium is a rather large genus of evergreen perennials from the wet mountain forest in tropical and subtropical North and South America.
Humidity & Watering
From this information we can gather the needs of the plant. Humidity is definitely important so mist your plant every few days or keep in an area with natural humidity like a kitchen or bathroom. When you mist, use lukewarm water and spray the plant evenly. It likes to be kept moist, but here is the kicker, it can’t be soggy. So it needs to be in a soil that is loose, humus rich and drains well. When you water moisten the soil evenly.
Temperature & Lighting
Provide a constant temperature and a little towards the warm side at that. Keep away from air vents. With light you want to create the same situation as the tropical forest. Bright filtered light; in other words don’t let the sun shine directly on the plant. Don’t place Anthurium in a window, instead place on a table where it will receive light from the window, but in a diffused manner.
Fertilizers & Re-potting
Use a balanced fertilizer every three to four weeks. Anthurium usually need to be re-pot every couple of years. When the roots of the plant have basically taken over the soil content, it is time to re-pot. Here in the south the rule of thumb is to use a container that is “half again as big.” This means if you are in a 6″ pot you will need a 9″ or 10″ pot. I hope this information is beneficial.
For those of you interested in Anthurium and want one of your own contact your local florists, they may have Anthurium plants available or for special occasions may be able to order the flower and create a tropical arrangement.
Irene,
That’s a good question and there could be a number of factors in play. Did you change its position in relation to sunlight? Direct sunlight can scorch the plant causing problems. They are also sensitive to water levels and temperature. Was it in front of a doorway or window? Drafts could also have an effect. It may just have needed time to grow. Plants can be temperamental, but congratulations on getting the lovely flowers now!
Tess,
It could be several different things. First, are these plants getting direct sunlight? If so, it could be that the leaves are becoming scorched. These are tropical plants and need indirect light. Second, watering is tricky with these as they normally grow on other trees in their natural habitat, not soil. I would suggest watering less and misting more. But here’s the catch, if it IS fungal, misting will actually cause more problems. So you’ll have to watch it closely and see if the condition worsens or improves. If it worsens we can assume fungal. Rub cinnamon on the affected leaves and the problem should clear up in short order. The spray you bought will work as well, but cinnamon is great and costs far less.
Thanks,
Ed
Dear Ed
And how are you?
Thankyou so much for receiving me.
I have received in a vase, amongst other flowers, a single anthurium flower, not the plant but the flower.
Several times I receive this and it’s beauty just awes me more and more each and every single time I receive one..
I would just love to try and preserve it and dry it this time. Is this possible? That would be fantastic.
Thankyou sir.
Ned more
I am a plant enthusiast and loves them very much, my question to u is i have been keeping an anthrium plant or flamingo plant in my balcony but i haven’t seen its flower for the last three years, can u give me a solution for the same
Anthurium is a tropical plant, so the conditions have to be just right for it to bloom. They like a lot of indirect light and humidity. Try placing your plant in a location with a lot indirect light. Check the soil by sticking your finger in up to the first knuckle, if it feels dry, water it. Mist it to keep up the humidity. You might also try fertilizing your plant with an orchid fertilizer diluted in water every couple of weeks.
Hello
I got a flamingo plant about two weeks ago and recently noticed dark dry little spots on the flowers.
I keep it it the living room by the window with healthy daylight not direct sunlight, water it every week and moisturize too. It’s about 27 degrees in the room most of the time.
Can you help?
The tips of my leaves are turning brown. Is this too much water?
Hi Silvia,
When you say flowers, are you talking about the spathe (usually the colorful part) or the spadix, which is the little spike that comes out of the colored part. If it is the spathe and leaves that are being damaged, I would look for some type of insect. Scale, aphids, spider mites, and mealy bugs are the most common. Use a magnifying glass because some of these cannot be seen without one. If it is on the spadix, it could be black nose disease.
If just the tips of your plant are turning brown, this is a good indication that your plant is under some type of stress. It is most likely a water issue. Check your soil to make sure it is not staying too wet, as this can lead to root rot. If you stick your finger down to the first knuckle and pull out a little soil, you should just be able to roll it into a ball. If it rolls into a ball and water comes out when you squeeze it, it does not need water. If you can’t roll it into a ball, it needs water, and if it just rolls into a ball and little or no water comes out when you squeeze it, the water level it just right.
How to get this plant to reflower
Pauline,
To get your plant to bloom again, you need to provide it with a warm, humid environment and bright filtered light. These plants are native to tropical areas, so that is the type of environment it will flourish in.
Hi,
I recently bought a beautiful flamingo flower with three flowers. I watered the plant and poured out the extra water as I had to go out of town for 2 weeks. Once I returned, I watered the plant. The light is filtered and I moved the plant to another spot not under the air vent. My ceiling is very high. Two small leaves turned yellow so I removed the leaves. Now, a couple of the larger leaves are turning yellow. I placed paper towels under the plant to remove any extra water. What is wrong with the plant and how do I correct the problem? Thank you for your help!
Try to up the humidity around the plant and get it on a regular watering schedule. If it went two weeks without being watered, it may have gotten too dry. It could also be adjusting to its environment. Give it a couple of weeks to recover.
I received a red flamingo flower at my mother’s funeral about a year ago. I transplanted it from the small plastic pot it came in to a large decorative plastic pot. The new pot is probably four times the size of the original. From reading some of these comments I may want to put it back into a smaller pot. I left it on a covered porch during the humid summer and now it is under a window that gets indirect light. Today I went to water it because a lot of leaves have brown patches on them. And I noticed it is full of worms! So should I cut all the bad leaves off and replant into a smaller pot to get rid of the worms? Should I take all the soil off the roots and maybe rinse them to get rid of the worms? I don’t want to loose the plant! I believe I used miracle grow mix when I originally repotted. Any advice is appreciated!
It sounds like you may have a mealybug infestation. This article has some info on how you can get ride of them. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/anthurium/anthurium-plant-pests.htm
my anthurium is doing fine, but 2 small flowers are more green than bold ping like the other 2. Is it because they are younger or ??
I have been given a Flamingo plant for my birthday in April. I am terrified of doing the wrong thing as I have never had one before. At first I really didn’t water it but then my neighbour said they love water so I started but now several of the new ‘flowers’ have turned brown. I have started misting it regularly but Unable think perhaps I was doing the right thing when I got it first! Help please
Pamela,
Anthurium loves a humid environment, but do NOT like to have soggy roots. It sounds like you were taking care of it properly in the beginning. Keep the soil evenly moist, and continue to mist it daily, and I think you’ll be fine.
the epistle of a flamingo plant keeps getting bigger, is there anything wrong?
I think it should be fine.
My leaves are always curled and twisted. what causes this?
It might be that your plant is in too much direct sunlight. Anthuriums like indirect or filtered sunlight with partial shade.
One of my flowers are dead should I cut it off if so where….. the stem is still hard hard it was a gift don’t want to kill it do I need a a people tray for added humidity…still in nursery pot but roots are coming out of the top so I think it needs repotting any tips I am a newbie here TIA
Yes, remove the dead blossom, at a downward angle. Once you’ve pruned it, mist it lightly with water to promote healing. To repot your Anthurium, use a container that’s slightly larger than the one it is in now. Putting it in one that is too large can mean that the soil will stay too wet, which can lead to rot. Make sure the new pot has drain holes!