Anthurium Scandens is a beautiful plant that can fulfill your desire to grow exotic looking plants in your indoor collection. When it comes to the tropical epiphyte with a climbing growth habit, glossy green coloring, and delicate berry clusters on its branches Clusia Major offers so much more than just looks. It requires low maintenance so it is perfect for both beginners and expert plant parents.
Anyway, anthurium scandens may not be as showy or bright-hued as the most common Anthurium andraeanum but her simple charm and alternative growth pattern are an intrinsic part of this smart plant.
In this article, we are going to discuss everything you need to know about Anthurium scandens; from its origins and characteristics, all the way down to caring for your plant. Let’s start!
What Is Anthurium Scandens?
The climbing anthurium or pearl laceleaf is a tropical epiphyte found in the wilds of Central and South American forests. It originally grows on tree trunks and branches in the humid rainforests where it finds water and nutrients from the air around, as well provide by decompose organic materials.
What makes Anthurium scandens different from other species is its climbing habit. It has aerial roots in its Hydrangea natural habitat where it grows up the side of a tree! Green PhilodendronWhen growing indoors Green Heartleaf can trail from a hanging basket or be trained to climb using support like moss pole or trellis.
One of the most charming aspects about Anthurium scandens are its small little pearl-like berries. Anthurium scandens does not seek attention like so many Anthuriums, with large colorful spathes; but it produces small, inconspicuous flowers which are followed by clusters of white or purple berries bringing an additional layer of ornamental interest to the plant.
Attributes Of An Anthurium Scandens
Characteristics of Anthurium ScandensBefore getting into how to care for anthuriam scandens, let me show you some define ones about it. Let’s start!
- Growth Habit
An even more proliferous grower, anthurium scandens is also a climber. It can be trained vertically up a support or left to hang from a hanging basket or shelf. During the right conditions, it grows quite fast which makes an ideal plant that you can have on your vertical gardens or give height to other plants.
- Leaves
Scandens has elongated, oval leaves that are typically dark green and glossy. The anthurium warocqueanum is not as showy in size and drama of other Anthurium, but its leaves contribute a subtle beauty to the plant.
Anthurium scandens does not produce showy spathes but produces small white flowers, followed by dark berries. When they are followed by clusters of glorious berries that can be in tones ranging from white to light purple, our disappointment with the delicate flowers is short-lived. These cute little berries are not only nice to look at but usually hold for a couple weeks.
Under the best of conditions, Anthurium scandens can reach several feet in height. It has a trailing, climbing growth habit that is perfect for indoor or out for filling in vertical real estate.
Anthurium Scandens Care Guide
Anthurium scandens is a relatively low-maintenance plant and, while they will fare almost anywhere you put them, supplying the proper environment allows it to flourish consequently rewarding you with its individual splendour. Read on to learn how you can keep your plant alive:
- Light Requirements
This plant, like many other tropical plants also prefers slightly bright indirect sunlight. It likes to grow under taller trees and beneath the canopy in its natural rainforest environment which produces more of a filtered sunlight. Too much direct sun can burn the fragile leaves, while not enough light slows down growth or causes skinny stems.
- Inside
Keep your Anthurium scandens close to an east or north-facing window and provide it with bright indirect light. If it’s near a window that’s south- or west-facing, use sheer curtains to keep strong light from reaching the plant.
- Outside
If your Anthurium scandens is outside in a warm climate, make sure it’s sitting under some shade or that the light hitting it is filtered.
- Watering
Keeping the right moisture level without waterlogging is one of the most important things to consider when taking care of Anthurium scandens. A true epiphyte, it has adapted to garnering moisture from air yet needs a bit more humidity. However, too much water can often cause root rot so be sure to find the perfect balance.
- Watering Needs
Allow your Anthurium scandens to dry out in between waterings. Note, you do not want to rest the plant in water as this may cause root rot. Check that the pot drainage is good and get rid of any excess water from saucers or trays.
Humidity: Being a humidity-lover because of its native origin from very humid environments, make sure you do not forget to provide the necessary moisture. If the air in your house is on a drier side, especially during winter; mist with water every 2 to 4 days or place near humidifier. Placing your Anthurium among other tropical plants can also keep the air more humid.
- Temperature and Humidity
Anthurium scandens is native to tropical regions, so it requires warm environments and high humidity. Keep the plant between 65°F and 80° no hotter.
- Cold
You should avoid keeping your Anthurium in inoculated areas and sudden changing temperature. Anything lower than 60°F (16°C) can be a stress for the plant and may make it turn its leaves brown.
- Humidity
Anthurium scandens loves a high humidity of 60% or more. In such a case, you can place the pot over a humidity tray or humidify with some type of device that moistens air.
- Soil and Potting
To help reflect its epiphytic habitat of origin, Anthurium scandens is happiest when planted in a light and well-draining potting mix. RecipeI suggested a general mix of 25% orchid bark, peat moss and perlite for some proportion of terrain that had to aid keep water yet still permit air to reach the roots.
- Potting Surface
They need light, airy potting surface. You can buy a commercial mix made for epiphytic plants such as orchids or make up your own mixture using equal amounts of peat, perlite and orchid bark.
- Repotting
Repot every 2-3 years or when the plant has outgrown its current container. Replacement of potting mix is needed for repotting to improve drainage and nutrition.
Problems with Anthurium Scandens
However, this hardy plant can suffer from a few issues should you ignore its basic care. Here are few problem statements and common solutions to it.
- Overwatering and Root Rot
Watering too much is the most common problem with Anthurium scandens, resulting in root rot. Symptoms include wounded leaves, mushy stems and a bad smell emanating from the soil.
- Solution: In case you reservation your plant root rot, diverge the plant from its pot and pointed out any dingy or squashy roots, else repot it in recent aerated dirt. In addition, regulate your watering schedule so that the soil should get slightly dry among eachs head.
- Pests
On rare occasions, the Anthurium scandens can lure pests like spider mites or mealybugs and even aphids. However, when they are awakened, these pests start ingesting the sap of plant causing deformed growth or yellowish leaves.
- Solution: Check the plant regularly for pests, particularly on the lower side of leaves. For pests, wipe the plant down with a damp cloth and whether you have them or not treat it to insecticidal soap or neem oil.
- Leaf Yellowing
Yellow leaves is an indication of over, under watering or nutrient exhaustion. If a plant does not get enough humidity, its leaves will turn yellow and the edges of it become dry.
- Solution: To begin, assess soil moisture and alter your watering schedule if required. Misting around the plant or running a humidifier might be helpful if your houseplant is on the dry side. They also need plenty of moisture when they are growing if there is a nutrient deficiency in the soil you can feed them liquid balanced fertilizer during their growing season.
Growing Anthurium Scandens from Cuttings
How to Propagate Anthurium scandensPropagating anthuriums can be very rewarding, and you could do it either by stem cuttings or through dividing. How to easily propagate your plant
Stem Cutting Propagation
Choose a Healthy Stem: Select a stem that has at least two nodes (sections of the stem where leaves and roots will grow from).
- Cut: With sterilized scissors or pruning shears, cut just beneath a node.
- Dry: Let the cutting dry for a couple hours to let it not rot.
- Soil: Plant your cutting in well-draining soil made up of a blend of orchid bark, peat moss and perlite is placed into small pot.
- Increase Humidity: Cover the pot with a plastic bag in order to create little bit greener house, which will add moisture inside. Put it in a location with bright, indirect light and water sparingly.
- Roots: Roots should appear within a couple of weeks. Put in a bigger pot when cutting has rooted.
Division Propagation
If your Anthurium scandens has started to grow bushy or root-bound, you will have the opportunity of dividing it when repotting:
- Remove plant: Gently remove the plants from the pot and divide their root ball into two or more sections with roots as well foliage.
- If You Have Divisions: Repot Each Division Alone In New Pot Using Fresh Soil Mist with water, place in a warm humid location.
Conclusion
Anthurium scandens makes for a beautiful and adaptable plant that gives any home an exotic touch of elegance. The Mantle Plant features a climbing or trailing form with rounded glossy green leaves and large showy purple to ivory berries that are as decorative as the plant itself. With proper care bright indirect lighting, consistent moisture and high humidity will allow your Anthurium scandens to flourish for yearsquam.
Whether it’s creating a vertical garden or just adding more of nature around you, Anthurium scandens is a great plant that will definitely stay to surprise all. Happy growing!
