Plant Profile: Anthurium

Anthurium Care in North Carolina: How to Raise a Dramatic Houseplant Without Losing Your Mind

Let’s get one thing straight: Anthurium is the botanical equivalent of a moody celebrity. Gorgeous? Yes. Eye-catching? Absolutely. Low-maintenance? Well… not exactly. But if you're a North Carolina gardener ready to dabble in indoor tropicals, this glossy-leaved stunner might just be worth the occasional attitude.

This article is part of our ongoing series for NC gardeners who are ready to move their green thumbs indoors. We’ve already dug into succulent basics and aloe care, and now it’s time to get a little bolder with your plant parenting.

Ready to adopt your first Anthurium (and maybe question your life choices a little)? Let’s get into it.

What Even Is an Anthurium?

If you’ve seen a plant that looks like it was designed by someone who moonlights at a wax museum—smooth, shiny leaves, and bright red or pink heart-shaped “flowers”—you’ve met Anthurium. Technically, those aren’t flowers at all. The showy part is called a spathe, and the weird tail-looking thing in the middle? That’s a spadix. (Nature really went for it on this one.)

Anthuriums are native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, which means your North Carolina living room is going to have to do a bit of pretending.

How to Convince Your Anthurium It Lives in a Tropical Paradise

1. Light: Bright But Not Too Bright

Your Anthurium wants to be near a window, but not in the window. Think of it like a vampire with a vitamin D deficiency—it wants the light, but it will burst into flames if you give it full sun.

A bright east-facing window is ideal, or a few feet back from a bright south-facing one. If the leaves start looking bleached or crispy, your plant is crying. Move it slightly away from the sun.

2. Watering: Channel Your Inner Goldilocks

Too much water? Root rot. Too little water? Crispy drama leaves. You want to keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy. (We know—vague, but welcome to houseplants.)

In NC, the climate is humid enough to give your Anthurium a boost, but indoor heating or AC can dry things out. Stick your finger into the soil about an inch—if it’s dry, water it. If it’s moist, wait a few more days.

Use lukewarm water, because cold water is rude, apparently.

3. Humidity: Let’s Get Steamy

Anthurium thrives on humidity. Your bathroom might be its dream location—if it gets enough light. If not, consider a pebble tray, regular misting, or even a humidifier.

Or just accept that your Anthurium will judge you for your dry air. It’s fine.

4. Soil and Potting: Fluffy Is Better

Your Anthurium needs soil that drains well but holds a bit of moisture—just like your favorite sponge cake. Interestingly, this plant can grow directly on a volcanic stone. If you see it established this way, snap it up! It’s so fun and interesting but not the easiest thing to start on your own. We have kept it both ways in our office and it’s gorgeous either way!

Use a mix of orchid bark, perlite, and peat moss, or grab a premade aroid mix. Make sure your pot has drainage holes. Anthuriums hate wet feet even more than you hate soggy socks.

5. Feeding: Yes, Even Divas Need Snacks

Feed your Anthurium once a month during spring and summer with a balanced houseplant fertilizer (diluted to half strength). In fall and winter, let it chill. That’s its off-season, and honestly, same.

Common Anthurium Problems (And Their Dramatic Symptoms)

• Yellowing Leaves: Too much water, not enough drama.

• Brown Tips: Low humidity or inconsistent watering. Your plant is mad. Fix it.

• No Flowers: It’s probably not getting enough light. Also, some varieties just aren’t heavy bloomers—look for Anthurium andraeanum for the showiest “flowers.”

Is Anthurium Pet-Friendly?

Nope. Anthurium is toxic to pets (and small humans). Keep it out of reach, or prepare for a very expensive vet visit and one seriously guilty conscience.

Best Spots in the Home for Anthurium in NC

• Bright bathrooms (hello, steam!)

• Near a window with filtered light

• Home offices (it's great for background beauty during Zoom calls)

Anthurium + NC = Surprisingly Compatible

While it may not seem like this tropical stunner would thrive in a North Carolina home, our naturally humid summers can actually help—just keep the AC from turning your indoor air into a desert. And when the leaves start to droop or brown, don’t panic. Remember: Anthurium is dramatic. You're not a bad plant parent.

Final Thoughts from a Fellow NC Gardener

Is Anthurium a little extra? Yes. But so are you, probably. And that’s why it works.

Give this glossy, theatrical houseplant the attention it demands, and it’ll reward you with blooms that last for weeks and leaves that gleam like they’ve been buffed by a team of tiny butlers. Or at least until you forget to water it. (Again.)