How Fast Does Anthurium Andraeanum Grow?

What is Anthurium Andraeanum?

Anthurium Andraeanum is a species of flowering plant in the Araceae family endemic to Colombia and Ecuador. It is one of the plants mentioned in the NASA Clean Air Study as being effective in removing formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, and ammonia from the air.

Although it is indigenous to Ecuador and southwestern Colombia, it has been naturalized in other regions of the world. The Caribbean and Reunion are home to this species. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant and comes in a variety of hybrids and horticultural variations. It is frequently used in bouquets.

It is a monocotyledonous perennial that thrives in warm, shady, and humid settings such as those found in tropical rainforests. As an ornamental, its most distinguishing feature is the vividly colored spathe leaf and the projecting inflorescence known as the Spadix.

It is a short-erect plant with entire, cardioid or heart-shaped leaves that are typically reflexed, with a cordate base and an acuminate or cuspid apex and are carried on a 30–40 cm long cylindrical petiole.

The spathe is cartilage-waxy, vividly colored (red, pink), and 8–15 cm long, except the inflorescence (the Spadix), which is 7–9 cm long, shaped like a candleholder, white or yellow in color, and produces several miniature hermaphroditic flowers. These include a four-segmented Perianth and compressed-mesh stamens. The flowering period is continuous throughout the year. The fruit is a berry with a fleshy center.

How fast does Anthurium Andraeanum grow?

The growth rate of the plant is slow but steady. It grows approximately 1.2 to 2 centimeters a month in ideal growing conditions. It is generally observed to grow faster during the late spring and summer months. The plant grows upwards. The plant requires good drainage, a lot of sunlight and nutrients.

The soil quality of the plant must be high in pH, fertile, well-drained and well aerated. Note that the plant prefers a humus rich soil and much sun. You should also provide a lot of water during the growing period. It is not advisable to use any pesticides while growing Anthurium Andraeanum. It is also important that the soil contains proper fertilizers.

If you purchase Anthurium Andraeanum in a form of a plant, well-hydrated, it should be watered when the propagating medium dries out, but not before that. You can also make sure that your soil is well-drained so that percolation of water can be at its best.

How big does Anthurium Andraeanum grow?

The plant grows to a height of 20 to 40 centimeters. When the plant is grown in good soil and environment it can grow 2 to 3 feet high. The leaves are long, thickly fleshy which dark green in color are. The shape of the leaves is also oval and oval-shaped, heart-shaped or rounded at the base or pointed at the ends. The flowers are big, red and white. Flowers bloom for about 6 weeks during summer.

The flower is very attractive because of the very colorful flowers. It is also a good house plant and does not need much care or attention. Typically Anthurium Andraeanum requires bright light, cool temperatures (minimum of 15°C), humidity below 80% and a well-drained, fertile soil. This plant prefers to grow well outdoors in tropical climates.

Is Anthurium Andraeanum air purifier?

Anthurium Andraeanum was one of the plants tested and researched by NASA on their list of plants that purify indoor air in space shuttles. The plant was exposed to fumes such as xylene, toluene, ammonia and formaldehyde.

It was observed that the plant had a high efficiency rate in removing these harmful fumes from the air. It was also observed that the plant had high purification efficiency compared to other plants. According to the NASA study, Anthurium Andraeanum is effective in removing formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, and ammonia from the air.

Anthurium Andraeanum is a short-erect plant with entire leaves that are reflexed, with a cordate base and an acuminate or cuspid apex. The leaves are carried on a petiole. It is a short-erect plant that grows to a height of 20 to 40 centimeters (80–160 mm).

The stem of Anthurium Andraeanum is green. It has two bundles of leaves, which are alternately arranged. The leaf blade is elliptic or ovate and has smooth margins. The leaves are dark green in color, thickly fleshy and cordate or heart-shaped at their base.

Is Anthurium Andraeanum toxic?

Anthurium Andraeanum plant is toxic. It includes saponins and calcium oxalate crystals in thin needles that are capable of penetrating mucosal membranes and causing unpleasant irritations. It is poisonous to all mammals: a tongue-worn particle can cause severe mouth and throat discomfort.

Human contact results in erythema, blisters, and, if swallowed, salivation, trouble swallowing, and vomiting.  The sap of the plant produces dermatitis (inflammation of the skin) and skin allergies. Ergotamine, a neurotoxin and lethal poison, has been identified in Anthurium Andraeanum.

Chemical reactions can cause edible Anthurium to be extremely toxic if ingested. The ingestion of calyxes can cause salivation, vomiting, convulsions, renal failure and death.

Does Anthurium Andraeanum flower?

Anthurium Andraeanum flowers are large and are considered to be one of the most decorative flowers in the world. Their leaves, petals as well as their stamens are colorful. Some of their varieties have a mixture of red, white, green and yellow colors. They also have a unique scent that is not unpleasant but rather sweet. They start blooming in the month of January and last for about 6 weeks.

These flowers are big, the colors are appealing and the scent is not at all unpleasant. Their flowers typically have a diameter of 3 cm. They bloom on a 45- to 90-day period throughout the year. The best time to observe their flowering is during the months of March and June.

What is the light requirement of Anthurium Andraeanum?

The Anthurium Andraeanum requires a lot of sunlight. It must be given adequate lighting to grow, thrive and bloom well. They are ideal for growing outdoors in tropical climates where the light gets very bright, to the extent that it is near constant sunlight.

If you wish to grow it indoors, you should expose it to high lighting that provides enough heat without reaching its boiling point. The light must be bright, but not to the extent that it causes scorching of the plant. It is important that you do not let your Anthurium Andraeanum experience any scorching.

When growing Anthurium Andraeanum indoors, it is important that you place the plant in a room with a lot of sunlight. The plant is also sensitive to the humidity. It should be kept in an environment where the humidity level is below 80% and well-ventilated.

How often do you water your Anthurium Andraeanum?

The plant should be watered when the propagating medium dries out completely. You should not water your plant too early as this can actually cause more harm than good. Do not water your plant until you see that its medium is dry, which takes about a week. It is important that you wait for a week or even more so that the soil can be well-drained.

A common mistake first-time growers make is watering their plants too early before they have dried out. It is very important that you do not water your Anthurium Andraeanum until you see that its medium is completely dry.

The soil in which the plant is grown should be well-drained and loose. An ideal propagating medium for Anthurium Andraeanum has a pH of 5 to 6. If their propagating medium has a pH value outside the recommended range, 4 – 8, you may be in for some problems with regards to your plant’s health.

Since the Anthurium Andraeanum does not require much water, you can explore other ways of watering your plant. You can use just about any water-containing liquid. If you do use water, make sure that the soil is well-drained before, during and after watering.

You can also use a soilless mix as a propagating medium for your Anthurium Andraeanum and it will be good enough for it.

Do Anthurium Andraeanum likes pruning?

Anthurium Andraeanum grown indoors needs to be pruned. When it is done at the right time during the blooming stage, it can extend its blooming time to around 6 weeks instead of a usual 4 weeks.

When you need to prune your Anthurium Andraeanum, wait until most of its flower petals have fallen off. This can take about 15–20 days depending on the species of Anthurium you are growing.

Once you have deciduous Anthurium species you will have to remove all of the leaves and cut off its stem. You must make sure that the stem is at least 2-3 centimeters long. Take a sharp knife and make a clean cut at the base of your plant.

Cutting it too short may result in excessive leaf loss and poor growth in the following seasons. Make sure that the cutting is thoroughly dried before you put it back in place, so no rot occurs in it. You will find that it takes much longer than 15–20 days for your Anthurium Andraeanum to completely dry out. It is a good idea to wait for 2 weeks before you prune it.

Should you mist Anthurium Andraeanum?

Misting can be done when the soil is dry, but not too dry. It is best to do it when the soil has dried out a bit. Misting does not have a significant effect on the plant’s growth, save for its flowers. Misting will help your Anthurium Andraeanum produce more blossoms as well as longer blooming time.

When you mist your Anthurium Andraeanum, water should be fine and free of any impurities or chemicals that may harm your plant.

Misting your Anthurium Andraeanum is always a good idea during winter. It will not only help in gaining your plant some moisture, but it will also cut down on the intensity of the heat that your plant would experience during this period.

Misting does not have any holistic effect on your Anthurium Andraeanum. It will only help in getting it to grow more and produce more blossoms.

How much humidity do Anthurium Andraeanum?

The Anthurium Andraeanum requires a relative humidity of 60%-80% for best growth. This is only suitable for the plant when it is grown indoors. If you live in a place prone to moisture, you can adjust it by making sure that the propagating medium has a significant amount of air circulation.

You should also make sure that your plant does not stand in stagnant water as this can lead to rot and other diseases. Anthurium Andraeanum is not very tolerant of high humidity. If the relative humidity levels are too high, it may lead to rotting, fungus or mould growth.

If the relative humidity is too low, your Anthurium Andraeanum may experience stunting that could lead to poor growth. When you grow your Anthurium Andraeanum outdoors, you should make sure that the relative humidity levels are around 60% – 80%. In this case, you should consider making a swamp.