Do you like Anthurium? It may be a plant that, at first, does not attract your attention too much, but when you get closer and become curious about other varieties, in addition to the common one with red flowers, you are very easy to fall in love with this botanical genus, so much so that when its leaves turn brown, it’s no wonder all the alarms go off.
You may be wondering if you overwatered it or if it doesn’t feel comfortable where you put it. Well, first of all, the best thing you can do is… calm down. Yes, because then I will tell you why anthurium can have brown leavesand what steps you need to take to regain its natural beauty.
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direct sun or light
If there’s one thing Anthuriums fear more than anything, it’s direct sun. They are plants that require a lot of light, but their leaves are not designed to withstand the direct impact of the sun’s rays., nor those who pass through the windows. Indeed, they are plants that live in the shade of others that grow much taller, such as trees, palms and vines with which they share a habitat.
Therefore, if we see that a day dawns with yellow or brown spots that the day before did not have, and these spots are only found on the leaves most exposed to light, we can assume that our anthurium burns. So that it doesn’t get worse We will move it.
Unsuitable land or water
Anthurium isn’t a difficult plant to grow, but if there’s anything that can worsen its health by leaps and bounds, it’s planting it in unsuitable land and/or using cold water. inadequate irrigation. Because? Because it is an acidic plant, that is, it grows in soils with an acidic pH, between 4 and 6. If we plant it in soil with a neutral or alkaline pH (i.e. 7 or more) and/or water it with alkaline water, the leaves will turn brown over time..
And it is that this type of plants need iron to grow and carry out photosynthesis normally, but in alkaline soils this nutrient, although it may be present, is inaccessible. That is why it is so important to plant anthurium in acidic soil, containing blond peat and/or coconut fibre. Another option is to buy a specific substrate for acid plants, such as the Flower, Battle or Boix brand. Likewise, irrigate with rainwater whenever possible, or with water with a low pH, between 4 and 6.
If we see that it has chlorotic leaves, that is, they turn yellow from the tip and the margins inwards, leaving the nerves green, we must know that they will later turn brown, also starting from the outermost part of the sheet inwards. To solve it as soon as possible, we will apply a foliar spray fertilizer for green plants.
Lack of space
It is a cause that generally goes unnoticed, because it is not given the importance it really has. Often we buy plants and leave them in those same pots for years and years, believing they don’t need changing. But the truth is that if they start to have brown leaves and there is no apparent reason, we should suspect that they have run out of space to keep growing.
How do you know for sure? The first thing is to stop thinking that they only need a transplant if the roots come out of the holes in the pot. Of course, this is one of the reasons why it should be planted in a larger one, but it is not the only one. In fact, it must also be done if it is new, and if after seeing it at first glance it seems that the pot is a little too tight.
We will plant it in a pot with a hole in its base, filled with acidic plant substrateor with coconut fiber, of which we leave you a video so you know how it is:
Over or under watering
Too much and too little water will cause anthurium leaves to turn brown. Therefore, it’s time to find out what the symptoms of each are and what to do for the plant to recover:
- over watering: When we water too much, the leaves begin to turn yellow and then turn brown. The first ones will be those at the bottom, then the following ones. Additionally, mold and/or verdigris may appear and the floor will become very heavy. For this reason we will apply a systemic fungicide spray like this and plant the anthurium in a pot with new soil. Attention: we are not going to undo the root ball or bread, but if there is loose soil, we will remove it. Then we will not water, but we will wait about 3 or 4 days to pass.
- lack of watering: when the anthurium is thirsty, the first damaged leaves will be the new ones. These will turn yellow and quickly turn brown. Likewise, we will see solid ground and, if we take the pot, we will notice that it weighs little. Fortunately, it is solved quite quickly, since it is enough to immerse the pot in a container of water for about 30 minutes, and from there water more often.
But, how often to water the anthurium? In fgeneral, it is advisable to do up to 3 times a week in summerand between 1 and 2 times a week during the rest of the seasons.
need fertilizer
Anthurium needs nutrients to grow and produce its flowers, which is why when it stays in the same pot for a long time, there comes a time when the leaves turn brown. So, in addition to making sure it’s in the right container, we need to fertilize our plant in spring and until the end of summer.
For this we will use a fertilizer, or if you want an acid plant fertilizer, liquid like this one. The instructions for use must be followed, as this is the only way to avoid the risk of overdose.
Were these tips helpful to you? We hope that your anthurium will soon be beautiful again.