Anthurium Forgetii Care - Light, Humidity, Water, Soil & Propagation

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

The Anthurium Forgetii is a beautiful plant that with dark green foliage and visible veins. It is relatively small compared to other anthuriums. Nevertheless, it is stunning to look at.

Its leaves make up most of its size which makes it even more gorgeous.

The plant is epiphytic with a few varieties available. The most common are the:

Regular Anthurium Forgetii – which has green leaves and light green veins
Anthurium Forgetii Silver (or Silver Form) – which has silver veins

Other Anthurium Forgetii varieties I’ve come across during my travels include those that have been labeled as:

Anthurium Forgetii White
Anthurium Forgetii Dark or Dark Form

The plant features relatively large leaves (compared to its overall size) that are somewhat oval with a slightly pointed tip. These are held by long, thin stems.

Of course, the most stunning part of the plant are its veined foliage.

The Anthurium Forgetii is native to Colombia and Ecuador.

Table of Contents

Anthurium Forgetii Plant Care

Light Requirements

Light is an important aspect when caring for the Anthurium Forgetii. Fortunately, it is one of the easier aspects of this fussy plant (at least relative to other anthuriums).

The plant prefers medium to bright indirect light. This makes it well-suited to indoor care.

And it does not mid low light as well, as long as it does not get too dim or dark.

Just as importantly, the plant is sensitive to too much light. Therefore, avoid very strong, harsh or intense light. Also, keep it away from direct sun during the middle of the day.

Its leaves cannot withstand much exposure to this kind of light. And they will eventually burn.

That said, it does not have a problem with morning or late afternoon direct light. As such, this makes an east facing window ideal.

As a general rule, the Anthurium Forgetii enjoys morning sun and afternoon shade. Again, this is because the afternoon sun is much more intense.

Temperature

Temperature is another easy aspect of care as the plant easily adapts to indoor living conditions. It prefers temperatures between 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit which is what most homes get.

However, depending on where you live, how hot the summer get and how cold the winters become, you may need to make some adjustments.

As long as temperature stays in this range, the plant will be happy.

It also enjoys consistent climate conditions. Therefore, keep it away from air conditioned rooms, fireplaces, radiators, stoves or similar appliances.

Since the plant is native to the tropical regions of South America, it is used to warm weather all year round.

This is something to keep in mind especially if you live in areas with four seasons.

The plant does not tolerate the cold well. Therefore, avoid leaving it in temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12, you can likewise keep the plant outdoors the entire year. That’s because it stays sunny 365 days a year in these regions.

Humidity

The Anthurium Forgetii likes humid environments. And it shows you its appreciation when you keep humidity at 60% and higher. You’ll see it grow faster and produce more leaves. Also, its color is more vibrant.

That said, high humidity isn’t something everyone can maintain. A lot of this depends on where you live.

Thankfully, the plant can tolerate slightly lower humidity. Although, you’ll still need to keep at least 40% or so to keep it happy.

The easiest way to tell whether or not it can withstand your home’s humidity is to pick a good spot with sufficient light and observe its leaves. If its leaf tips and edges get dry, turn crispy or brown, it means that the plant needs more humidity.

Otherwise, it is doing just fine.

If the former happens, you’ll need to help it out a bit.

I do suggest getting a digital hygrometer so you can track what humidity is starts having problems with. That will serve as your benchmark.

From there, you know what to shoot for.

And you can also test whether the humidity boosting strategies are working enough or do you need to do more.

Here are some options:

Invest in a humidifier
Mist the plant a few times a week
Place it on a pebble tray
Move it to the bathroom
Group it with other houseplants.

How Often to Water Anthurium Forgetii

Watering is where the Anthurium Forgetii gets quite fussy. And this is where you want to pay more attention to.

The key to keeping the plant happy is balance. By that I mean, not too much water and not too little either.

The reason for this is that the plant is sensitive to overwatering. However, you cannot just let the soil dry out between waterings because it does not like that either.

Therefore, try to stay in the middle range.

This is between the top 1-2 inches of soil going dry all the way until about 50% of the soil is dry.

Between this range, you’ll avoid watering too frequently and allowing it to get dehydrated.

The other aspect that makes the watering your Anthurium Forgetii tricky is the changes in the weather. This is less of an issue if you get perpetual sunshine where you live. But if you get hot summers and cold winters, then you’ll also need to adjust based on the seasons.

That’s because when the weather gets hot during summertime, the plant will need more regular watering to prevent the soil from drying up too much.

In the winter, the cold (and the plants inactivity) means that you don’t want to water too often since it increases the risk of overwatering (as the soil takes much longer to dry).

Therefore, the best way to tell is to always check the soil before adding more water.

Related

Anthurium Forgetii Potting Soil

The best soil for Anthurium Forgetii is an aroid mix. This allows the roots to breathe and drains excess moisture quickly while retaining just enough to keep the roots hydrated.

It is also worth noting that you don’t need to plant it in soil. In the wild, it lives on tree branches and on other plants. Therefore, you can allow it to attach itself to bark or branches and it will thrive.

But for the most part, most houseplant owners grow the Anthurium Forgetii in soil.

And in order to mimic its native habitat, it is important that the soil is loose, chunky and provides good drainage. This ensures that the roots get a good balance of moisture and oxygen.

Avoid using regular potting mix (at least on its own). This will usually retain too much moisture.

If you can’t find an aroid mix, you can make your own DIY potting mix as well.

A simple combination of:

2 parts orchid mix
1 part peat
1 part perlite

Works really well.

If you prefer fewer ingredients, you can go with

1 part peat moss (or coco coir)
1 part orchid bark

Finally, don’t forget to use a pot with drainage. This will ensure that the excess liquid that drains from the soil drips out of the pot.

If you keep a saucer under the pot, make sure to throw the water the pools there regularly.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is another aspect of the Anthurium Forgetii where it gets fussy.

Why?

Because the plant needs the nutrients. However, it does not like too much of it.

Therefore, it is crucial to follow the instructions of the produce you get. Avoid adding more than it says and avoid applying more frequently than needed.

The plant does well with a balanced liquid fertilizer. Make sure to use half strength when you apply. Avoid fertilizing when the soil is dry since the concentration becomes stronger then as well.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the plant only needs to be fed during its growing season (spring and summer). There’s no need to fertilize it during the colder months as it is not growing during this time.

Too much fertilizer will cause the leaves to get discolored. More importantly they’ll burn the roots as well.

Pruning

The Anthurium Forgetii is a small plant (at least relatively). It won’t grow as big as most anthuriums. And it won’t get anywhere near the larger ones either.

Therefore, just as the Anthurium balaoanum is perfect for growers who like a huge accent piece, the Anthurium Forgetii is perfect if you have limited space for your plants.

The biggest I’ve seen so far was between 1 to 1.5 feet tall and about 1.5 to 2 feet wide with about 5 large leaves and very skinny stems holding them up.

Most Anthurium Forgetii varieties are smaller. It is also why you’ll usually see them sold in very small pots.

Since most of its size consists of its leaves, there’s very little pruning needed. I haven’t seen the plant with tons of leaves either. So, you don’t want to trim off the few that it has.

More importantly, from what I’ve seen, it takes months before it grows a new leaf. Therefore, cherish each leaf as much as you can.

If you do, it will reward you since the plant’s foliage are stunning.

How to Propagate Anthurium Forgetii

While the Anthurium Forgetii is fussy when it comes to water and feeding, it has no issues with propagation.

Therefore, this is something you want to take advantage of given that it is a stunning plant.

The downside is that the best way to propagate the plant is to divide it.

This means taking some roots as a section of the plant and growing it separate. The disadvantage of this is that since the Anthurium Forgetii is a small plant to start with, you need to wait for it to grow bigger before propagating again.

Nevertheless, this is something I do suggest doing so you can enjoy the plant more.

The best time to propagate the Anthurium Forgetii is early spring.
You’ll need to take the plant out to sperate the roots. Thus, it is a good idea to propagate when you repot the plant.
Choose the section you want to take away from the parent. Make sure it has roots in it and at least one leaf.
Using your hands, carefully pull that section apart from the root ball.
Once you have the root cutting you can plant it in its own container with well-draining potting mix.
Keep it in a spot with good lighting (but no direct sun), warm and humid.
Since you’re starting with a semi-grown plant it will grow quite quickly. Although it may take a week or so to recover from the stress of being uprooted before it begins to grow again.

How to Repot or Transplant Anthurium Forgetii

The Anthurium Forgetii is not a fast grower. Since it is a small plant, you don’t need to worry much about repotting.

Still, you’ll need to move it to a larger pot in about 2 years or so. When you do, choose a pot that is at most 2 inches wider in diameter. Avoid going bigger than that.

If you purchased the plant from a shop, you can keep the plant in its nursery pot provided that the shop used the right kind of soil. I’ve had to do this to a few plants because some shops will use the same soil for all their plants.

You’ll only need to move it once it outgrows it container.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

Sadly, yes. As cute and adorable looking the Anthurium Forgetii is, it is toxic. But only when ingested. Therefore, there’s no risk with adults.

However, pets and young children can chew on or consumer parts of the plant due to curiosity or accidentally. Therefore, it is best to keep it away from them for safety purposes.

Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

Pest are always going to be a threat when it comes to houseplants. Aroids in particular seem to attract sap sucking bugs in general.

Therefore, be on the lookout for spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, thrips and scale.

These are best treated as early as possible because they grow very quickly in number. And once they become an infestation, it is much harder to eradicate them.

Larger populations also do more damage to your plants.

Diseases

Diseases are less of an issue. However, bacterial and fungal infections can still happen.

Whenever there’s moisture, the risk of disease increases.

As such, avoid overwatering the plant and letting the soil get waterlogged. Also, don’t wet the leaves too much or mist them to the point where foliage stays wet.

If you keep the plant in a greenhouse or somewhere very humid, make sure there’s enough air circulation otherwise too much moisture may build up as well.

I have a friend who’s anthurium got fungal disease because of this.

Anthurium Forgetii Care – Light, Humidity, Water, Soil & Propagation