Flamingo Flower care

It occurs in tropical regions, jungles. Native to Central and South America. Its slender, twisting flowers are surrounded by bright red, sometimes pink or white, bright upper leaves. The flower of Flamingo flower (Anthurium) is very durable, staying fresh and nice for weeks even when cut. Its leaves are dark green, tongue-shaped, about 20 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, leathery, able to be leaning out curved. The "flower" of the Flamingo flower is actually just a shell leaf, a spathe or a waxy, modified red colored, bright upper leaf. The real flowers are spiral fleshy spikes (spadix), which are developes from the center of the spathe (from the upper leaf).

The first flowers are small, their amount and size grows with the number of years of the plant. A well-grown, older stem may grow even 30 flowers. The plant blooms between February and July and rests in the other parts of the year. But after flowering, it's also very decorative as a green plant.

Cut Flamingo flowers are very durable in a vase, usually they're decorative even for a month, but they are sensitive to frost, therefore never walk with them in freezing weather uncovered.

Until the middle of the XIXth century, this plant lived only on the trees of the dense Brazilian forests. It's a result of a long and difficult work and research, that they are  now grown successfully in many horticultures and in some homes.

Requirements and care:

Light requirements:

It needs bright place in the whole year, but it needs to be protected from the direct sunlight in summer. In winter move it to a sunny place as much as possible, in summer keep it on a place which gets filtered sunlight.

Heat requirements:

Flamingo flower needs warm place in the whole year, and the temperature shouldn't be cooler in the room, than 18°C in winter either.

Watering requirements:

Its soil should always be moist, but beware of the standing water, it may drown the root. It's the best to keep it on a bed of gravel, which should always be wet. Leave the soil to partially get dry between two waterings. Avoid lime water as it can lead to the death of the plant.

After a good watering the Flamingo Flower starts to "cry", therefore it's not advisable to place it on veneered furniture. If it "cries" too often, then reduce the amount of water.

The plant needs high humidity, especially during the flowering, therefore the leaves should be sprayed often. We can make the spraying up with wiping the leaves with damp cloth or sponge.

Further care:

The older Flamingo Flower stems should be transposed in spring, every 2-3 years, after main flowering, carefully, because the root can break easily. The flamingo flower prefers soil consisting of half-rotten pieces of wood with a little charcoal and foliage soil mixed in. The soil and water should not be alkaline.

The flourishing of Flamingo flower may not happen in many homes. The reason is that the plant loses many nutrients during the flowering, so for the next flowering won't have enough nutrients. It's important to plant it into the right size pot. Once a week from spring till autumn, give nutrient rich water to the plant.

After flowering remove the withered flowers, so the flower stays healthy. If necessary remove the older leaves as well. Leave enough place in the bowl, so that we can add soil, because new roots have to grow from the stalk.

Propagation:

Can be easily propagated by dividing the root structure when you repot your plant, making sure that each division contains at least two rhizomes or take cuttings of stems with two nodes ore more. Its propagation is easy, as it sprouts very often. You can also try with seeds, but it may take months, while the little Flamingo flowers develops.

Most common diseases, pests of the plant, main reasons of their destruction:

Dehydration and overwatering can damage it, making the leaves yellow.
Overwatering can cause root rotting.
When the air is warm and dry, spider mites and aphids can attack it.

Precaution:

The attractive flower of Flamingo Flower is covered by wax layer, containing saponin which is irritating the mucous membrane, thus slightly toxic as well. It may cause skin and mucous irritation or vomiting.

Sources:
http://www.novenykatalogus.hu/
http://www.tuja.hu/
http://www.szepzold.hu/
http://www.bagira.eu/