Flamingo-lily (Anthurium andraeanum)

How much light does a Flamingo-lily need?

Indoors, this plant does best with bright, indirect light. It can also tolerate low light conditions. Outdoors, it needs some shade rather than full sun exposure. Part shade suits it better than full shade. Both part shade and full shade are places it can grow.

• Light: Bright, indirect light; tolerates low light¹

How often to water a Flamingo-lily

Water this plant when the top inch of soil feels dry. Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry out slightly before you water again. Overall, this plant needs a medium amount of water. It also grows best in soil that drains well but still stays moist.

• Water: Medium^1,2,3

Best soil for a Flamingo-lily

Soil for this plant needs to drain well. At the same time, the soil should stay moist rather than dry out completely. A potting mix built for good drainage suits it well indoors. Avoid soil that stays soggy or fully waterlogged. Aim for a substrate pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Keep your growing mix within that pH band for this plant.

• Soil drainage: Well drained and moist^4,5,3,2
• Soil pH: pH 6–6.5⁵

Temperature and humidity

Keep air temperatures above 55 °F (13 °C) for this plant. It also needs high humidity to grow well indoors. Relative humidity should be high for the best growth. Outdoors, this plant is only winter hardy in USDA zones 11 to 12. More precisely, that range runs from zone 11a to zone 12b. Indoors, keep the room above that same temperature too.

• Minimum temperature: 55.4 °F (13 °C)⁵
• Humidity: High⁵

Fertilizing a Flamingo-lily

Feed this plant monthly during the growing season. A 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer works well, mixed to a nitrogen level of about 50 ppm. Applied once a month, that amount should be adequate. Outside the growing season, it does not need regular feeding.

• Fertilizer: Monthly in the growing season⁵

How to propagate a Flamingo-lily

Dividing an existing plant is one way to propagate it. Stem cuttings are another option named for it. Growing it from seed is also a third method. All three — division, stem cuttings, and seed — are methods documented for propagating this plant. Division is named alongside both of the other methods. These three methods are the only propagation methods documented for this plant.

• Propagation: Division, stem cuttings and seed^4,5,3,6

Common problems

Watch for aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects on this plant. Burrowing nematodes are also recorded as a pest of it. Bacterial blight and bacterial wilt are both listed as diseases that affect it. Root rot, black nose disease, and leaf spot are the other diseases named for this plant. Those five pests and five diseases are the ones documented for this plant.

• Common pests: aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects and burrowing nematode^4,7
• Common diseases: bacterial blight, bacterial wilt, root rot, black nose disease and leaf spot^8,8,8,4,9,1

Questions and answers

Is Anthurium andraeanum toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes, this plant is toxic to both cats and dogs. It is listed as a problem plant for each of them. Cats and dogs are each named individually in toxicity listings for it.

How much light does this plant need indoors?

This plant prefers bright, indirect light indoors, and it tolerates low light too. Outdoors, it grows best in part shade or full shade. Full sun outdoors is not the right fit for it.

How often should this plant be fertilized?

Feed this plant monthly during the growing season. A 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer mixed to a nitrogen level of about 50 ppm works well, applied about once a month.