Anthurium luxurians – Care

Unlike many other anthuriums, the luxurians thrives in its natural habitat with comparatively little light – its heavily textured leaf surface increases the light-absorbing area and is an adaptation to shady locations in the rainforest. As a rough guide, an area of about 15 to 60 µmol/m²/s PAR (PPFD) is sufficient for this. With approximately 12 hours of light, this corresponds to a DLI of about 0.6 to 2.6 mol/m²/day – noticeably less than most other anthuriums. A spot near a window with filtered light, for example behind a curtain, is suitable; however, you should still avoid direct sunlight, as even the thick, leathery leaves can burn.

The luxurians has thick, fleshy roots that are sensitive to waterlogging. Therefore, water only when the top 3 to 5 cm of the substrate have dried out noticeably, and always allow excess water to drain quickly. However, it does not tolerate the root ball drying out completely for extended periods. Room-temperature, low-calcium water is best tolerated. In autumn and winter, when growth slows down, watering is also less frequent.

The Anthurium luxurians is not a heavy feeder and grows rather slowly overall, which is why one application every 4 to 6 weeks with a highly diluted liquid fertilizer (one quarter to a maximum of half the recommended amount) during the growing season is perfectly sufficient. Too much nitrogen quickly leads to unsightly leaf burn in this species instead of more growth. A rough guideline for anthuriums in general is a pH of about 5.5 to 6.5 and rather low EC values of 1.0 to 1.5 mS/cm. For precise dosing, follow the manufacturer's instructions on the respective packaging. If the plant is only placed by the window in autumn and winter, the light becomes weaker and fertilization is reduced accordingly or paused. If, on the other hand, it grows year-round under sufficiently bright plant lights, the already modest feeding schedule can be maintained without further reductions.

We consciously alternate between different fertilizers for our own plants – currently including COMPO COMPLETE, Foliage Focus, Liquid Gold Leaf, and Hesi TNT-Complex, supplemented with Hesi Root Complex, Hesi PowerZyme, and CalMag as needed.

A loose, organic-rich, yet well-draining substrate suits the luxurians best – an aroid mix of orchid bark, perlite, and some potting soil works well. The thick roots need ample space to breathe; an overly packed or too fine substrate should be avoided. Repotting should be done as soon as the pot becomes visibly too small or the plant has grown significantly, usually every 1 to 2 years.

The Luxurians generally thrive in normal indoor air humidity levels ranging from 40 to 50 %, but the foliage appears noticeably more robust and plump at higher levels between 60 and 70 %. A humidifier or a bowl of pebbles can help raise the humidity levels as needed. The ideal temperature range is between 16 and 27 °C; cold drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations should be avoided.

*Die luxurians* generally grows rather slowly and forms heart-shaped, thick, fleshy leaves with a strongly domed, blistered surface. New leaves initially appear in a delicate pink to gold tone and only gradually mature to the characteristic deep dark green – this color change is completely normal. If grown from seed, it can take up to four years for a plant to mature and flower on its own. A distinct dormant period is not uniformly documented, but it grows noticeably slower in winter.