If you have been fortunate enough to get your hands on the Anthurium Brownii, then you already know how nice this plant looks with it’s green foliage that almost looks like a pair of wings.
Anthurium Brownii is an epiphyte native to South America which means it’s used to being grown on trees under a canopy without soil.
You will want to do your best to mimic these conditions, but you can also grow in soil and a container like most people do anyways.
With that said, you will have to know the proper care tips to grow this plant successfully.
So let’s get right into it.
Light requirements
Since Anthurium Brownii is used to being grown in a tropical environment under a canopy, this plant needs bright indirect light to really thrive.
Too much direct light will cause damage to the leaves and really low light conditions will cause weak growth or a stretched out appearance.
So partial shade or medium light will be the way to go with this Anthurium.
This type of light can be provided outdoors by placing Brownii under some trees, under a porch, or really anywhere that gets a good amount of light combined with shade for protection.
When growing indoors, most windows can also provide this.
I would use any window except a South facing window as this can get more direct light than the others.
Pro Tip: Keep your Anthurium at least 1 foot away from any window to reduce the chances of direct light from hitting the foliage.
Anthurium Brownii Soil
The key to growing Anthurium Brownii in soil is that the soil needs to be able to drain really well, but also be able to keep some moisture at the same time.
A good combination will look something like this.
- Peat or Sphagnum Moss
- Perlite
- Other gritty organic materials
Peat moss and Sphagnum moss are good at keeping some moisture but also drain pretty well.
The Perlite and other organic materials will ensure maximum drainage on top of the soil.
You can’t really go wrong with this combination.
How to water Brownii
When watering Anthurium Brownii, it’s best to check the soil each time before watering rather than relying on an exact set schedule.
The reason for this is due to a variety of factors such as temperature, humidity, seasonality, container size and so on so it can vary.
So when watering, make sure you do so fully each time until water flows freely through the drainage holes in your container.
During the warmer months, after at least a week has passed, check the soil.
If the top inch or two is completely dry then you can water, if it’s still moist then you can hold off on watering for a day or two until it’s pretty much dry.
That’s really all there is to it.
This will prevent getting an overwatered plant which can cause serious issues like root rot and the like.
Temperature and Humidity
As mentioned before, Anthurium Brownii is native to South America so it’s used to warm temperatures with a good amount of humidity as well.
A solid growing range for temperature will be somewhere between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Don’t try to exceed this range in either direction as you will start running into issues with this plant.
So if you’re growing outdoors as the temperature is going to go outside this range then it’s best to bring your plant indoors.
If it’s just a few degrees lower or higher then your plant will be fine, I’m just talking about major increases or decreases.
Thankfully this plant can be grown as a houseplant year round since most homes can accommodate this temperature range.
When it comes to humidity, Anthurium Brownii will tolerate humidity between 40% and 60% quite well.
If you live somewhere that has this naturally outside then you’re good to go.
If you’re growing indoors however, then there is a chance that your home won’t be able to provide enough on it’s own.
So if you notice signs of lack of humidity such as the plant looking dry or curling then there are a few ways you can increase humidity naturally.
- Use a water pebble tray under the container
- Group other plants nearby
- Grow near water sources like in a kitchen
- Use a humidifier
How to propagate Anthurium Brownii
I would say the easiest way to propagate Anthurium Brownii is by using woody stem cuttings.
These are aged stems that can be readily propagated which is best done in the spring or summer.
So to do this here are the steps.
- Wear some gloves as most Anthuriums are a bit toxic
- Have some sterile gardening shears at the ready
- Prepare a container with fresh soil
- Select a woody stem to use and make a cutting that is at least 4 to 6 inches long under a leaf node
- Remove any leaves towards the bottom of the stem cutting
- Let the stem dry/heal for a day or two
- Place the stem a few inches deep into the soil and wet the soil
- Place the container in a warm location with indirect light and keep the soil moist
It will take several weeks for solid roots to form but other than that, that’s all there is to it.
After a month or so has passed you can lightly pull on the stem to see if there is any resistance and if there is then good job, you have solid roots formed.
Pruning
Since Anthurium Brownii only grows to be about 2 to 3 feet on average, you most likely won’t need to prune all that much.
With that said, if you ever have damaged leaves then it’s a good idea to prune those away so they don’t waste energy for your plant when it could be better spent elsewhere.
Remember to wear gloves when pruning as well.
Pests
If you ever notice the plant wrinkling, has holes in the leaves, white or black spots then there is a chance you have a pest problem.
Pests such as mealy bugs, spider mites, aphids or scales can invade and damage your plant if the conditions are right for them.
If spotted, these pests need to be dealt with immediately.
Some pests can be gotten rid of with just water and a towel while other may require things like neem oil or other pest control measures.
Fertilizing
When fertilizing Anthurium Brownii, this can be done with either liquid fertilizer or slow release fertilizer.
If you’re using liquid fertilizer then this can be done once or twice a month during the spring and summer at 1/4 to 1/2 strength.
This will be plenty of fertilizer as you really don’t want to overdo it and risk causing damage to the roots over time which is known as fertilizer burn.
So play it safe and use just a small amount.
Conclusion
I hope you will find these tips useful as it’s really all you need to grow and care for your Brownii Anthurium successfully.
It may seem like a lot at first for some of you, but it most certainly gets easier over time with experience.