The Easiest Anthuriums For Beginners To Grow

You’re new to rare plants and are intrigued by Anthuriums. You want to add them to your collection, but you have no idea where to start. There are so many different species! Which ones should you get that are more likely to survive? Keep reading for a list of the easiest Anthuriums for beginners!

Disclaimer: This list is mostly based off of my own experiences and opinions, but aligns with the observations of many others who also grow these plants. You may find certain plants easier or harder to grow depending on your skills, habits, and environment. This list is in no particular order.

Anthuriums Are Ideal For Beginners

Anthuriums in general tend to be more tolerant of dryer conditions than other indoor houseplants like Philodendrons. Their thick, sturdy leaves and thick roots can store water. They prefer not to have “wet feet”, which can cause root rot. Pests and diseases are few and far between. As long as you provide the right amount of light and maintain a consistent watering schedule, many Anthuriums can tolerate less-than-ideal conditions. However, this means that they will grow slower than they normally would when given the best conditions.

Anthurium veitchii

Of course, we must start off with the King of them all⁠—Anthurium veitchii, the King Anthurium! This plant is truly one of the easiest Anthuriums for beginners. Not only are the rippled leaves fascinating, they are notoriously tough. Stuck in a dark shipping box for two weeks? No sweat. Low humidity? Bring it! Anthurium veitchii shrugs it all off and keeps on growing.

Anthurium pallidiflorum

Most of the strap-leaved Anthuriums are quite hardy. The most commercially-available species are Anthurium pallidiflorum or Anthurium vittarifolium. I currently have an Anthurium pallidiflorum and it’s one of the easiest, no-fuss plants in my collection. The velvety, cascading leaves get longer and bigger as it grows. They rarely develop crispy tips in low humidity, even when I forget to water and the soil goes completely dry. It pretty much thrives on neglect and is great for beginners.

Anthurium crystallinum

Anthurium crystallinum has become one of the more common “rare” plants. It’s not very surprising once you realize that they’re also quite easy to take care of. They are now quite affordable and can be easily found everywhere online. They tolerate shipping well and acclimate without too much fuss. As long as you meet their basic needs in terms of watering, light and humidity, they can and will pump out new leaves quite quickly.

Anthurium besseae

A little-known Anthurium that deserves to be on every plant collector’s list— Anthurium besseae! This species is stunning and acclimates well. It is similar in shape to Anthurium crystallinum, but the leaves are so dark green that they look black. As long as humidity is maintained at 50% or higher, this species grows quite readily. In environments with low humidity, the new leaves have trouble unfurling and can tear. But once they emerge, they don’t usually develop crispy edges or tips even in 40% humidity.

Anthurium magnificum

Anthurium magnificum has similar care needs to Anthurium crystallinum, although they do tend to grow slower than the latter. They tolerate shipping decently, possibly losing a leaf or two before acclimating (assuming your plant isn’t exposed to extreme heat or cold or shipping delays). Low humidity can cause newly-emerged leaves to tear, so extra attention needs to be given when a plant is putting out new growth.

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Check out these additional articles on Anthuriums:

• The Top 10 Anthuriums You Must Have
• The Botanical Chick’s Aroid Potting Mix
• An In-Depth Guide to Anthurium Care

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Anthurium villenaorum

An excellent plant for a beginner is Anthurium villenaorum. I would actually rank this plant as number two after Anthurium veitchii in terms of care and all-around toughness. The leaves are dark with gorgeous venation, and as thick as leather. Because the leaves are so thick and tough, they rarely (if ever) tear when they emerge from the cataphylls in low humidity environments.

Anthurium clarinervium

Another extremely popular Anthurium that has been found all over social media is Anthurium clarinervium. It has come down in price a bit, but more mature specimens are still quite expensive. These plants are much slower-growing than their nearest look-alikes, the Anthurium crystallinum. Don’t be surprised if your Anthurium clarinervium takes its sweet time putting out new leaves. Despite that, it’s still quite hardy and does fine with less attention.

Anthurium Luxurians

Most plants with very textured, quilted leaves tend to be very finicky and hard to care for due to high humidity demands. One particular plant that doesn’t seem to fit this category is Anthurium luxurians. While it is slow-growing, it seems to do just fine under regular indoor humidity conditions of 50% or higher. Anthurium luxurians is a pretty expensive plant, so you may be better off starting with a younger, juvenile plant like I did.

Anthurium Warocqueanum ‘Esmeralda’

Compared to the typical Anthurium warocqueanum, Anthurium warocqueanum ‘Esmeralda’ seems to be a lot more tolerant of lower humidity and lower temperatures. If you’re unable to keep a regular Anthurium warocqueanum happy, I would recommend trying this variety instead.

The majority of these plants I have purchased from Ecuagenera or Etsy. Make sure you check out my post on how to buy rare plants for cheap or for free!