Can Anthurium Grow in Water?

Are you drawn to the glossy and colorful anthurium plant? Who can blame you! As such, you may be looking for the best way to grow this plant. In this article, we discuss whether the anthurium plant can be grown in water or not.

Can Anthurium Grow In Water?

Yes, you can grow an anthurium in water. With that said, you may limit the plant’s life if you choose to grow your anthurium in water instead of soil.

There have been instances where anthurium hybrids have succeeded in growing solely in water using light fertilizers occasionally. However, anthuriums naturally grow up trees.

What Are Anthuriums?

Anthuriums are epiphytes that grow on the barks of tropical roots high above the soil, but not submerged in water. They prefer moist and humid environments, but can’t tolerate overwatering and can even die due to root rot.

They are also popularly known as the flamingo flower, flamingo lily, and tail flower as Arthurium in Greek relates to the word “tail.” They are herbaceous epiphytes and are evergreen tropical perennials from the Araceae family with over a thousand known species.

Though beautiful and stunning in their looks, they are to be handled with care as they are poisonous all over. So ingesting them in any way should be avoided as that can cause severe health issues and irritation to the skin.

Interestingly, anthuriums can bloom all year round, but what is perceived as the flower is actually a spathe – a protective leaf meant to protect the spadix.

Best Place to Grow Anthurium?

With this information in mind, it can be hard to figure out where to plant your anthurium plant. If you’d like the coolest way to grow anthuriums, then leave the plant in a glass jar full of water.

If you think they might need more than water to survive, then you can easily plant them in a well-draining light soil medium.

You might have questioned if it was better to grow them in water as a hydroponic or take the conventional route of growing them in soil. They can be grown in water for a while, but it’s crucial to understand that they are not made for an aquatic medium.

Nonetheless, they are commonly grown in water, and as they are an extremely hardy species, they can survive on water alone for years. Growing them in water is also much lower maintenance and hassle-free. If you’re a frequent forgetter of watering your plants, growing anthuriums in water would be easier for you.

How To Grow Anthuriums In Water?

Here are the steps you need to follow to grow or propagate an anthurium in water.

  • Choose a clean and appropriately sized container. You can choose glass vases that you can simultaneously use as decorative pieces, too, since anthuriums have an attractive look
  • Take cuttings from a mother anthurium plant. You can take them from a full-grown plant and make cuttings on the stem attached to some root structure. Make sure to choose healthy cuttings that don’t have any root rot
  • Clean the roots and remove any soil, if present. At this point, you can remove the rotted parts as well
  • Next, place your plant in your container. You can add pebbles if you wish to, but you can simply plant them in water alone as well. Make sure to use non-toxic water. You can use tap water if you’re sure it’s free from contaminants and chemicals. Otherwise, you can use mineral water or rainwater
  • Place them in a safe spot away from harsh, direct sunlight. Bright light is required but not direct sunlight, as that can cause the leaves to burn. However, too little light can lead to fewer blooms, so be careful not to place them in dark areas. Ideally, a humid environment would be better, so indoors, you can even put them in your bathrooms

How To Plant Anthuriums In Soil?

If you’re planning on planting them in soil, make sure to use free-draining soil. However, it should be able to hold some water as well. When planting, choose a pot with drainage holes and use a potting mix of perlite, peat moss, coconut husks, and free drawing light soil. Make sure to water your plant enough to keep it damp, not soaked. Overwatering can cause root rot and destroy your plant. Water once or twice a week, depending on how much water your plant requires. Or you can check the dryness of the soil and water according to that.

As for fertilizers, you can use light fertilizers after a few months of planting. You can fertilize your plant every four to five months, but anthuriums don’t generally require much fertilization.

Final Thoughts

They are a very trendy houseplant choice as they can be grown in water and make colorful desk plants. With that said, they are not aquatic plants and don’t grow in water in their natural environment.

So, while it has been possible to propagate them in water for a while, a light, free-draining soil medium is perceived as a better choice by experts. All in all, they will make excellent additions to your indoor plant collection.