Originating from the humid tropical forests of South and Central America, the anturium (Anthurium andraeanum) is one of the most resilient and decorative houseplants.
The most striking feature of the plant is its showy spathes (not flowers) in red, white or pink. However, sometimes, after a year of displaying them, they do not reappear. Why could this be? Let’s review what experts say and how to fix it.
The Flowers of Anthuriums
Before looking at the problems that can make anthuriums fail to “flower”, it is sensible to understand their structure well.
Although they may appear to be flowers, the colourful spathes of the anthurium are, in fact, leaves that arise from the peduncle and wrap around the central spike (the spadix) where the true flowers sit. In other words, the flowers of the anthurium are tiny and are located on that yellow spike inside the red, pink or white leaf.
Why does that leaf have such a vivid colour that makes it look like a flower? The reason is simply to protect the true flowers while they develop, as well as to attract pollinators.
Why Doesn’t the Anthurium Flower?
“The anthurium plant cannot be in bloom all the time; there needs to have been at least a resting period of about five or six months, roughly,” explains Jaime, a plant expert from Huerta Forestal (@HuertaForestalDeJaime). In other words, you cannot expect your anthurium to be flowering all the time. Nevertheless, if several months have passed and it still isn’t flowering, there may be a problem.
The majority of plant experts agree on five main causes: the pot has become too small, it has an inadequate potting mix, it lacks fertiliser, it is lacking (or has too much) moisture, or it lacks light. Let us examine each in more detail:
1. It is in a small pot
All too often we keep the anthurium in the same pot in which we bought it, and it gradually becomes too small. We will notice this because the roots begin to emerge from the drainage holes.
Transplanting it into a pot one or two sizes larger (no more) will stimulate its growth and flowering. “It feels more comfortable in its new pot, there are more nutrients, more space, etcetera,” says Jaime.
Cé Rodríguez, a plant expert and creator of en20metros Huerto Urbano, recommends transplanting it each year, removing dead or damaged leaves or stems, freeing the rootball, renewing it with fresh potting mix and taking off the cultivation mesh. This mesh, although often claimed to be biodegradable, is frequently not removed and “suffocates” the plant.
2. An inadequate substrate
Anthuriuns are semi-epiphytic plants. “They can develop in soil, in substrate, or with aerial roots,” explains Ignacio Guío, better known online as Chico Plantas. In their natural habitat, they grow among leaf litter, partly buried in the soil and with the roots a little above the leaves or trunks.
If the substrate is too compact, the roots can end up rotting. The ideal is to reproduce (as far as possible) the soil in which they grow naturally. For this, Guío uses pine bark (which provides a touch of acidity that anthuriums appreciate, as well as aiding drainage), coconut fibre (light and ideal for retaining moisture) and universal potting mix to feed the plant.
Meanwhile, Cé Rodríguez advises using one part high‑quality substrate, one part worm humus, one part perlite (to improve aeration) and one part orchid substrate (bark fragments), all well mixed. On top, you can cover with a little sphagnum moss.
3. It needs fertiliser
Fertilising is also important. Jaime recommends a home-made potassium-rich fertiliser that you prepare simply by boiling two passion fruit peels, chopped, in a litre of water. Use it once a week until the flowering stems begin to emerge, then you can reduce to once every two weeks.
You can also use bloom fertiliser sprayed on the leaves and on the sphagnum moss every fortnight. Do bear in mind that, although feeding is beneficial, you should not overdo it—an overdose can kill the plant.
4. It lacks humidity
“The anthurium is a plant that loves humidity,” explains Jaime of Huerta Forestal, who recommends misting it with water once every two to three days. He is in agreement with Guío, who also suggests occasionally spraying them “so that they have ambient humidity and feel a little like in their habitat of origin.”
Additionally, getting watering right is essential, as both overwatering and under-watering can damage it and prevent flowering.
5. It needs more light
Regarding light, although it tolerates low light or indirect light, if you want it to flower the best approach is to place it somewhere with very good illumination. According to Guío, after testing several locations the conclusion is clear: “the more blooms it has produced, the more light it receives — not in shade or semi‑shade, but in a well‑lit spot without direct sun.”
