Anthurium Cultivation

Temperature

Anthuriums thrive when the night temperature is never lower than 65° F and the day temperature is about 80° F.

Shading from sunlight is necessary for normal growth for anthuriums. The degree of shading varies with the cultivar, the age of the plant, and the climate under which it is grown. The shade requirements usually range from 50% to 90% of full sunlight. Insufficient shading often results in damage to leaves and flowers, and may cause plant death. Damage to flowers include fading of spathes (especially pastels) and burning of spadices. Growers use various methods to provide shade. Many producers use saran cloth houses supported with lumber or glavanized pipes and wire. They provide uniform shade; permit plants to be planted immediately after construction; reduse bird, insect, and wind damage; provide maxium freedom of work space; and provide more flowers per unit area.

Lath houses or plantings of tree fern, 8 X 8 feet apart, are also used to provide shade. Approximately 600 tree ferns are required per acre and take approximately 1½ years to provide enough shade for anthuriums. Some growers use citrus or lychee trees or a forested area cleared of underbrush for shading.

To minimize infection of the bacterial blight disease and mechanical damage due to rain, some growers are now growing anthuriums under polyethylene plastic in combination with saran shade cloth to keep rain water off the anthurium.