Yes, the anthurium indoor plant is one of the best flowering choices you can grow inside your home. It blooms under normal room light and keeps pushing out colorful spathes for months at a time. Few other houseplants give you this much color with this little work.
I have grown pothos, peace lilies, and anthuriums side by side for over two years now. The pothos grows fast but never gives you a single flower. Peace lilies bloom a few times per year but each white spathe fades fast. My anthurium houseplant beats both for visual reward. It produces bright red spathes that last 4 to 8 weeks each before a new one opens up. The care effort falls right between pothos and peace lily too, so you don't have to baby it.
The science behind why anthuriums do so well inside comes down to their low light needs. UF IFAS confirmed that anthuriums bloom at just 100 foot candles of light. That is lower than what most flowering plants need indoors. You can place yours about 3 to 5 feet from a bright window and it will flower for you. Growing anthurium indoors works so well because most orchids and African violets demand far more light to produce blooms.
Your anthurium indoor plant also cleans the air around it. NASA found that anthuriums filter ammonia, formaldehyde, and xylene from your home. I should be honest with you though. You would need dozens of plants in one room to see a real difference. Think of the air cleaning as a nice bonus rather than the main reason to buy one.
Growing anthurium indoors comes down to getting three things right. Let me walk you through each one so you know what to do from day one.
Bright Indirect Light
- Best spot: Place your anthurium near an east-facing window where it gets gentle morning sun without harsh afternoon rays.
- Distance matters: Keep your plant 3 to 5 feet back from south or west windows to avoid leaf scorch from direct sun exposure.
- Low light risk: Your anthurium will survive in dim corners but it won't bloom for you without at least 100 foot candles of light.
Humidity Above 60%
- Target range: Your anthurium wants 60% to 80% humidity to keep its leaves glossy and promote steady bloom production all year.
- Easy fixes: Set your pot on a pebble tray with water or run a small humidifier nearby during dry winter months.
- Free option: Move your plant to a bathroom with a window where daily shower steam provides all the moisture it needs.
Chunky Epiphyte Soil Mix
- Why it matters: Your anthurium roots need air pockets in the soil because they evolved to cling to tree bark, not sit in packed dirt.
- Best mix: Use equal parts peat, perlite, and orchid bark to give your roots the drainage and airflow they require.
- Avoid this: Standard potting soil holds too much water and will rot your anthurium roots within a few months of heavy watering.
I tell every friend who asks me for a first flowering houseplant to start with an anthurium indoor plant. When I gave my sister one last year, she was shocked at how little work it needed. You get months of color from each bloom cycle. Your plant handles missed waterings without drama. It fits on a desk or shelf without taking over the room.
Give your anthurium the right light, keep your humidity up, and use a soil mix that drains well. Do those three things and you will enjoy vibrant blooms year-round from a plant that costs less than a nice lunch. Your anthurium houseplant will keep rewarding you for years to come.
Read the full article: Anthurium Plant Care and Growing Guide
