The Flamingo Flower plant is one of the most exciting houseplants around. With its bright, vibrant colours and luscious, shiny dark green leaves, it works wonderfully as the centrepiece to any indoor plant display, complimenting the other plants, and adding a flash of colour. What more do you want from a houseplant?
A beautiful plant is not the only thing you get when you buy a Pink Flamingo Flower - like so many other indoor plants they offer a wide range of other benefits, like improving the air quality within your home, which in turn can have a wonderful impact on your mood and productivity. Having a collection of houseplants in your home is a good thing, of that there is no doubt.
They do come with a small amount of responsibility, though. These are living things, and they will require a little bit of care. So in this blog we are going to take a look at everything that you need to do to really help your Flamingo Flower plant thrive, so you can enjoy its stunning blooms for many years to come.
Are Flamingo Plants easy to care for?
Flamingo Flower plants take an average amount of care - not the easiest, not the most difficult compared to other houseplants. As a tropical plant, the key to Flamingo Plant care is recreating the natural environment that they are used to - which isn't as difficult as it may sound! A home in the UK can easily recreate the tropical rainforests that they are used to!
They have a few different names, sometimes called a Flamingo Lily (they are from the same plant family as the Peace Lily), as well as the Tailflower, Red Peace Lily and Red Heart Plant - referencing the bright flowers that they produce.
Flamingo plants are pretty good at adapting, particularly when it comes to light conditions, so they will work with you and can adapt to wherever you put them. The main thing to focus on is watering, as they do like regular waterings to recreate the moist soil that they are used to - but we will go into the specifics of that further down this article. If you are capable of watering a plant, though, you are more than qualified to own a Flamingo Flower plant! They are suitable for first-time plant owners - all you will ever need to know to really help your plant thrive is in this article.
What are Flamingo Plants?
Flamingo Flower plants, or Anthurium plants to give their botanical name, hail from the tropical rainforests of South America and the Caribbean. They are usually found growing within trees, in the crevices, where they find the right balance of warmth, water and light. Growing under taller trees means that the light they receive can be a bit sporadic, which is how they've adapted to grow in differing light conditions.
The most common form of Anthurium plants are andreanum. The Anthurium flowers from these plants can come in a variety of colours - pink, red, white and purple most commonly. They all have heart shaped leaves, and they are all incredibly attractive. They are perfect blooming tabletop plants - a wonderful centrepiece.
How to care for a Flamingo Plant
Flamingo Flower (Anthurium) care is pretty straightforward, but requires a little knowledge. Now that you know where they come from, everything in this section should make a lot of sense - it's all about recreating those conditions to help your plant thrive, with regular blooms to ensure it is always looking its best! We'll cover each element of pink Flamingo Plant care - but the following advice applies to anthurium plants of any colour.
Let's start with the most demanding aspect of how to care for a Flamingo Lily; watering. As you know, These plants come from the rainforest, and so are used to plenty of rain - however, they usually are located in tree crevices, so don't stand in soggy soil. It's your job to recreate that with little and often waterings. Don't keep your Anthurium constantly wet, and don't let it dry out - find the balance in between.
Drainage holes are absolutely vital here. You want the water to drain though every time you water so that the plant can have a nice drink, but not be left surrounded by water - this can cause root rot. The best way to check is to put your finger into the soil - if it is dry two inches down, then it's time for a watering, and if not, it's best to leave it for the time being. They will require more water during the growing season (Spring and Summer), then in the colder months.
Next, light. They prefer moderate or medium light, similar to in the rainforest when the light is filtered out by the taller trees and their leaves. They will struggle in direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaves and turn them yellow. On the other hand, they prefer to be around bright light, but can adapt to medium light. Too little light and those glossy leaves might start to sag a little, which would be a shame.
They also like humid conditions, to mimic the high humidity of the rainforest. They make great bathroom or conservatory plants, but will be happy in any warm home - just keep them away from drafty windows or radiators which might get too hot. A spritz with a water mist will really help, every day if you can, particularly during the warmer weather. They will produce aerial roots - aim for these when you spray your misted water.
You should look to repot Flamingo plants every couple of years - use a pot no more than double the size of the nursery pot.
Here's our quick-fire guide to Flamingo Plant care:
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Origins: South America and the Caribbean
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How much light: Plenty of bright, indirect light, but can adapt to more moderate light
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Water requirements: When the top soil is dry, a small amount of water. Little and often is the key here. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy
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Humidity requirements: A quick spritz with a water mist would go down very nicely!
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Soil requirements: Well-draining multi-purpose compost is fine
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Temperature requirements: 15°C to 29°C, minimum 13°C - standard UK house temperature is fine
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Pruning requirements: Remove spent flowers and dead foliage - this will encourage new growth
Propagating Flamingo Plants
The easiest way to propagate a Flamingo Plant is by division. This is best done when you are repotting - simply pull apart the plant and root ball gently, and place them in decorative pots. It's that easy.
Perfecting you plant game with Prickle
Now that you know everything about Flamingo Lily care, you can start thinking bigger! They work brilliantly as part of a huge flower arrangement, or as smaller collection. As not all the flowers bloom at once, the blooms last for a long time, so whatever display you opt for. Have a look through our house plant collection, and also check out the popular garden plants at Prickle.
If you have any plant-based questions at all, get in touch with our team of experts, who would be more than happy to help - on social media (@prickplantsuk) or via email (contact@prickleplants.co.uk).