With its attractive foliage, deeply colored flower sheaths and beautifully shaped bulbs, the flamingo flower is one of the evergreens on the windowsill. With good care and in a location that the plant likes, the anthurium will develop splendidly. Sometimes so good that it becomes too big for the windowsill. Can you just cut them back?
Can you cut back an anthurium?
Should you cut back an anthurium? An anthurium should not be cut back; Instead, dead and browned inflorescences and yellowed foliage can be removed. If plants have become too large, we recommend dividing the plant instead of cutting it back.
The anthurium should not be cut back
Flamingo flowers grow expansively bushy and should therefore not be cut back. Only dead and browned inflorescences and yellowed leaves are removed.
- Always use clean, very sharp cutting tools for this care measure (€14.00 on Amazon).
- Cut off just above the substrate.
Long, sparsely growing leaves
Sometimes the anthurium does not grow densely and greenly as desired, but only produces a few, very long and unstable leaves. Please do not simply cut them back, as this is a care error.
The anthurium doesn't like direct sunlight, but it still needs a lot of light. If it shows the growth habit mentioned above, it is too dark. Place the plant in a bright, sunny spot on the windowsill and be patient. As a rule, the flamingo flower sprouts new leaves and the sparse appearance grows.
But what to do if the plant has grown too big?
In this case, instead of radical pruning, we recommend dividing the plant. If possible, you should wait until spring to carry out this care measure.
- Carefully take the flamingo flower out of the old pot.
- If it cannot be removed from the container, knead plastic pots slightly. Clay pots may need to be destroyed.
- Carefully pull the plant's root ball apart. Depending on the size, you can divide the anthurium into two or three individual plants.
Now you can put the reduced ornamental plants in individual pots. Since the root ball, like many epiphytic plants, does not grow very extensively, the plant containers should not be too large. Good drainage is also important, as the flamingo flower is very sensitive to waterlogging. Cover this with a piece of pottery so that the earth is not washed out.
Orchid soil or a mixture of compost soil, peat and sand have proven successful as a substrate. If you would like to use commercially available potting soil, be sure to add Styrofoam balls or expanded clay to it.
Tip
Anthuriums are poisonous plants and can irritate the skin. Therefore, wear gloves when working on the plant.
