Anthurium Luxurians Care - Light, Watering, Soil & Propagation

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

The Anthurium Luxurians is a rare, very sought after Aroid. As such, it is expensive if you find it. In fact, I’ve seen the plant priced between $1,000 and $2,000.

The most stunning part of this plant is no doubt its large, heart-shaped bullate leaves. The texture created by the blister-like bumps make is very unique looking.

In a way, it looks like the Anthurium Splendidum. Although if you look closely, you can easily tell the difference.

The plant is native to South America especially the rainforests of Colombia.

How do you care for the Anthurium Luxurians? The Anthurium Luxurians needs bright, indirect light to thrive. It prefers warm, humid environments and well-draining soil.

To get the most growth, fertilizer it likewise important although avoid overfeeding the plant.

Table of Contents

Anthurium Luxurians Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Anthurium Luxurians needs bright, indirect light to maintain its stunning leaf color and texture. This is one of the most important things when caring for this plant.

It will likewise do well in medium light.

And although it can tolerate low light, I suggest avoiding this as it can slow the plant’s growth and cause it to become leggy.

Just as importantly, keep your Anthurium Luxurians away from direct sunlight or very harsh light. These will discolor its leaves. Or if the light is very intense or the plant gets long periods of exposure, even burn its foliage.

As such, outdoors, keep it in partial shade away from full sun.

Indoors, an east facing window is ideal. If you decide to put it in a west or south facing window, it is a good idea to distance it at least 3 feet from the opening.

Alternatively, you can filter the light by using shades or blinds.

The key is to protect the plant from the sun’s rays especially between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. when it is strongest. Similarly, you want to avoid very hot summer sun as well.

In the winter, if your home does not get a lot of light, you may need to move the plant to the brightest window. Or you can supplement the natural light with grow lights.

Temperature

The Anthurium Luxurians is native to tropical environments. This is why its optimal temperature is between 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

It thrives in warm, sunny climates.

Just as importantly, it does note experience cold weather in the tropics. Therefore, it has weak resistance to this.

As such, avoid leaving it anywhere the temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Although it can tolerate short periods there, it will soon struggle and experience stress.

The plant’s growth will also slow down. And it will stop after a certain point if it gets too cold.

The colder it gets or the longer the plant stays in the cold, it bigger its risk of cold injury. Thus, try to avoid this.

Instead, it does best in USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12. The perpetual sunshine in these areas keep your Anthurium Luxurians healthy and happy all year round outdoors.

If you live below Zone 10, you can still take the plant outside during the warmer months. But make sure to take it back indoors once the temperature drops to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Humidity

The Anthurium Luxurians loves humidity. And it does best in humidity between 70% and 80%. Fortunately, it can tolerate lower humidity but only up to 50%.

Therefore, depending on where you live, you may or may not need to help the plant out with air moisture.

If you live somewhere with tropical climate or near a body of water like a lake, then humidity should easily stay around 50% and higher.

However, if you live in a drier environment like the desert, it is a good idea to keep an eye on daily humidity. If it regularly stays below 40%, you will need to either mist the plant regularly or get a humidifier.

Otherwise, if the plant is kept in too low humidity, you will eventually see its leaves turn brown and crispy. This will start at the tips and edges. And it will work its work until the entire leaf is brown, dry and brittle.

How Often to Water Anthurium Luxurians

Watering your Anthurium Luxurians is probably the more challenging aspect of its care. That’s because the plant likes water. But is cannot tolerate getting wet feet.

If overwatered, it will be susceptible to root rot.

Therefore, it is important to find that balance. Thus, I suggest taking some time to get to know the plant’s watering requirements the first few weeks you own it.

On average, it needs watering once every 7 to 9 days or so. But this can vary significantly due to the weather.

Come summertime, the hot weather will make soil dry up faster. Meanwhile the opposite is true during winter when it is cold and there is little sunlight.

So, you may need to water the soil 2-3 times a week during summer if it gets really hot. Similarly, in cold winters, you may only need to water the plant once very 2 or 3 weeks.

As such, the best way to water your Anthurium Luxurians is to always check the soil before adding nay water.

Only water if the top 2 inches of soil has dried out. Avoid doing so before that so you don’t run the risk of overwatering.

You also don’t need to be precise. And can wait up to the soil is dry halfway (50%).

Anytime in between these two levels, you can water the plant.

This will prevent overwatering. And it will let you avoid allowing the soil from going completely dry as well.

Related

Anthurium Luxurians Potting Soil

The best potting soil for Anthurium Luxurians is an Aroid mix. This kind of soil is designed for Aroids which includes plants from the Araceae family like anthuriums, monstera and philodendrons.

The soil is made to be chunky and well-draining.

This allows a good balance of water and air so that the roots get both.

Note that not all nurseries carry aroid mixes. And you’ll find that different stores will have their own ingredients and blends of aroid mixes.

As long as the soil has the same features and produces the same results, it will work well for your Anthurium Luxurians.

That said, if you cannot find an Aroid mix or prefer to make your own potting soil at home to save money, you can use this recipe instead.

Combine:

1 part peat
1 part perlite
1 part pine bark

Mix well and fill the pot with this soil.

Fertilizer

The Anthurium Luxurians will benefit from fertilizer. But it does not need a lot to help it grow faster and produce more foliage.

As such, avoid the temptation of giving it more plant food or applying more frequently than needed.

When it comes to feeding your plant there are many options you can go with.

You can opt for slow release fertilizer which will allow you to only feed the plant 2 or 3 times a year. Follow the instructions on the label as the application will vary per product.

On the other hand, if you prefer to use traditional liquid houseplant fertilizer, you can go with either a balanced formulation or a high phosphorus blend.

If you’re more concerned with the health and growth of the plant use a balanced fertilizer. On the other hand, if you want to encourage it to grow more flowers, go with the high phosphorus fertilizer.

Both work but with different effects based on what you want to focus on.

Only feed the plant when it is actively growing. You don’t need to feed it in the fall or winter as its growth with slow due to the cold weather.

Also, apply once every 4 weeks diluting it to a quarter strength.

The frequency and the diluted concentration will decrease the risk of over fertilizing the plant while still giving it all the nutrients it needs to grow fast.

As much as possible, you want to avoid overfeeding the plant as this can lead to fertilizer burn which will damage or destroy the roots.

If you think that’s you have a heavy hand in applying plant food, you can flush the soil every couple of months or so to play it safe.

Pruning

This anthurium produces huge leaves in the wild reaching over 2 feet long and 1.5 feet wide. While its foliage does not grow as large indoors in pots, they still do reach a good enough size to make them attract attention.

The plant itself will eventually find its way onto the floor due to its size. Although, you’ll be able to place it on a table or countertop for while before that happens.

That said, it does not need a lot of pruning because the leaves make up majority of the plant. And it will not grow a ton of leaves either.

Instead, the plant focuses on quality rather than quantity. And you can see this is the intricate nature of its foliage.

Therefore, you do not need to prune the plant often. This is likewise true because it stays quite compact.

However, make sure to remove any discolored, diseased, old or damaged leaves.

How to Propagate Anthurium Luxurians

The most efficient way to propagate Anthurium Luxurians is from stem cuttings.

It is simple, roots fairly quickly and very reliable as far as success rates go. Therefore, it is a much easier way to grow more of this plant as opposed to root division or from seed.

To propagate your Anthurium Luxurians:

Take a healthy stem cutting with at least 2 leaves. Make sure the blade of your cutting tool is sterilized before making any cut to avoid passing bacteria or fungi to the plant. You can use rubbing alcohol to disinfect the blade.
Once you have the stem cutting, apply rooting hormone to the cut end.
Then plant the cutting into a pot filled with fresh, well-draining potting mix. You can use aroid mix or the recipe above.
Water the soil until moist.
Place the cutting in a bright location with indirect light.
If your home has good humidity, this will help the new plant root and grow faster. If not, cover the cutting with a plastic bag to increase humidity around the plant.

How to Repot or Transplant Anthurium Luxurians

The Anthurium Luxurians usually needs repotting once a year. But this will ultimately depend on how fast your plant grows.

The more light, humidity and fertilizer it gets, the faster it will grow. Similarly, keeping it away from pests and diseases will let it grow faster.

When repotting, choose a pot that is one size larger. Avoid the temptation of using bigger pots because the excess soil increases the risk of overwatering once it gets wet.

The best time to repot your Anthurium Luxurians is during spring or early summer.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

Unfortunately, it is toxic. This means it is important to think about where you want to place the plant especially if you have young children or pets running around.

Accidental ingestion can cause mild to serious side effects depending on how much they’ve consumed.

Some symptoms can include vomiting, excessive drooling, shortness of breath, diarrhea and pain.

Call your pediatrician or veterinarian immediately.

Anthurium Luxurians Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

Pests can be a problem although they are less likely to happen if your plant is healthy. Also, keeping the plant indoors reduces the chances of pests compared to growing it outside.

That said, pests may still occur since there is no 100% reliable way to completely prevent them.

The most common pest problems for this plant include spider mites, mealybugs, scale and thrips. These are all sap sucking insect.

As such, when they feed on your Anthurium Luxurians, they rob it of its internal juices which contain moisture and nutrients.

So, if left untreated, as the pest population grows it will weaken your plant causing it to wilt, grow slower and get discolored over time.

This is why regular inspection is crucial. The earlier you catch the bug problem, the easier it is to treat. Also, they’re likely to do less damage due to their smaller number.

You can use neem oil or insecticidal soap to get rid of these pests if you want to use natural methods. Alternatively, you can use pesticides as well although I don’t suggest it especially if you have kids or pets in the house.

Diseases

Too much moisture is almost always the main cause of diseases. This includes bacterial and fungal infections.

And the most serious of these is root rot which is a result of waterlogged soil or watering too frequently.

Similarly, leaf infections occur due to excess moisture.

Thus, it is important to try to keep the plant on the dry side and avoid too much water be it in the soil or leaves.

Anthurium Luxurians Care – Light, Watering, Soil & Propagation