Name: Anthurium species and varieties, aka flamingo flower (or so I read…everyone I know just calls them “Anthuriums.”)

Type of Plant: Herbaceous epiphytes that grow in tropical areas from Central to South America. The heart-shaped spathe that we call the flower is really a colorful, modified leaf. The real flowers are tiny and are located on the spadix, which is a round fleshy stem or spike covered with the inflorescences. This spadix has both male and female flowers on it.

Why I Love/Hate this plant: First of all, I love how fantastical the flowers are – they look plastic! They look like 1950’s Hawaii party decorations! And those incredible flowers last a long time. Secondly, I love how this plant produces blooms pretty much continuously when the plant is happy. And finally, I love that the plant wants bright light but not direct sun in order to grow well and flower…so perfect as a houseplant!

A Word to the Wise: Since these plants are, in nature, epiphytes, they don’t need or want damp soil to grow well. Consider growing them in cactus mix or in a mixture of ½ potting soil and ½ orchid bark. Also, be sure not to over water as they require great drainage. Usually a once-a-week watering will be perfect.

Putting some time-release fertilizer, or a time-release product combined with a granular organic fertilizer in the potting mix is a good way to fertilize so that the leaves are never burned by too much fertilizer.

And finally, grow these in an eastern window, or near but not in a western or southern-facing window. Bright light but not direct sun, that’s what these plants want.

One thing to love is that the Anthurium flowers come in many colors. Red, orange, pink, white, streaked and coral…probably others to come!

The leaves are as shiny as the spathes, making the entire plant look vibrant.

Being a lover of coral, I fell for this Anthurium and brought it home this winter.