Anthurium andraeanum Red Tail Flower
ANTH-SIE
- Description
An evergreen tropical with dark green arrow shaped leaves up to 30cm in length and the well known, typical, heart shaped Anthurium flowers. The flowers are often seen in exotic flower arrangements or sticking out of small vases in restaurants. Sierra has a bright red, waxy spathe that opens out slightly cupped shaped to almost flat with a protruding light yellow spadix giving it it’s common name of tail plant. Interestingly Anthurium are used in the NASA clean air studies due to their effective removal of ammonia and other chemicals from the air.
Not really cold hardy so is usually grown as a house plant or in a heated conservatory giving it a bright spot but out of direct midday summer sun. It does make great tropical summer bedding though, plunging the plants into part shaded borders from about Mid-May until Mid-september. Bring back under heated glass before temperatures start regularly dropping below 10c although we have had them survive short spells at 5c. Other than it’s lack of cold hardiness it is very easy to grow being in flower for much of the year and each bloom lasting for what often seems like forever. Plant in any moist but well drained compost with the crown just above the soil surface. Feed fortnightly with a balanced liquid fertiliser from April through to September stopping feeding and reducing watering down for the winter months. They can also be grown epiphytically, planting as you would a bromeliad or orchid. Mature plants can reach up to 50cm in height with a similar spread.
Sent as a young plant in a 9cm pot.
- Position
- Flowering
- Growth