How to Care for Anthurium Pendulifolium: The Easy Guide

Anthurium pendulifolium (an-thaw-ree-uhm pen-dul-i-fol-i-um) is one of the many ornamental plants under the Anthurium genus.

Last year, when my girlfriend asked me to gift her some ‘ornaments,’ I gave her this plant. I was technically correct. She had to accept and take care of it. She asked me about the tips.

I told her that Anthurium pendulifolium needs weekly watering, well-draining soil, bright-indirect light, at least 80% humidity, and a temperature ranging from 65-85°F (18-30°C).

People usually grow this plant for their foliage and give you the option of either potting or hanging them.

It is relatively easy to care for these plants if you are cautious enough. Let’s talk about that in detail.

Overview of Anthurium Pendulifolium

Anthurium Pendulifolium is an ornamental plant that has a downward growth. It is closely related to another plant of the Anthurium family.

Anthurium Pendulifolium Care

Caring for Anthurium pendulifolium is not a tedious job if you are brave enough. Even if you give a minimum amount of care, you will get a healthy plant.

Look below for their suitable conditions and optimal care needs.

1. Adequate Sunlight and Suitable Location

As Anthuriums belong to the tropical regions, they prefer bright light on them. Remember, bright light doesn’t mean direct light, though.

The shape and size of the plant somewhat depend upon the amount, duration, and quality of the light it is growing under.

Anthurium pendulifollium grows best under bright indirect sunlight. However, they can manage in low lights, but they won’t bloom.

In their origin zone, they grow under the shade of big trees. It would be best to emulate their native conditions at your home as much as possible.

This may sound strange but jstor.org claims low light intensity promotes high photosynthesis.

Pendulifollium grows best if you place them close to an east-facing window. Shade them with curtains and drapes if you want to put them on a south or west-facing window.

Irregular lights show the following symptoms in Anthurium pendulifollium.

The trick is to keep it away from the direct sun. So, keep it a few feet away from the window and rotate it occasionally to ensure even growth.

Anthurium does great in 400 Footcandles (FC) of light while it needs at least 100 FC for survival. If the lights are not enough, you can go for artificial grow lights.

2. Regular Watering

Anthurium pendulifollium is an air plant, so do not leave it in moist soil for long periods of time.

You can water this plant by conducting a “finger-moisture test” first. Before watering the plants, you can stab your finger or chopsticks into the soil to check the water level.

If the soil is too dry to touch, water the plants well with lukewarm water. Extremely hot or cold water can damage plants at the roots.

Basically, watering it once a week is fine during the plant’s growing season. And, like most indoor plants, don’t water too often in winter.

Keep the soil on the moister side from March to September.

When you observe that the top 1 inch of the soil has dried off, you can water the plant again. If your plant faces long dry spells, it will grow slowly.

If your plant is dry for a long time, you can soak the pot in water for a few minutes and let it dry before watering again.

Look for the following underwatering or overwatering symptoms as well.

Basically, the amount of water the plant requires depends on other factors like light, humidity, temperature, etc.

3. High Temperature

A tropical plant, like Anthurium pendulifolium, loves when the temperature is on the hotter side.

They can grow happily in USDA 10 or more. You can safely say it can thrive at temperatures above 55°F (12°C).

Anthurium pendulifolium likes temperatures from 65-85°F (19-30°C). The plant can handle 70-75°F (21-24°C) at night.

The plant is at high risk of succumbing at temperatures lower than 50°F (10°C). So, make sure the temperature doesn’t drop below the limit.

Look below for the effects of temperature on the plant’s activity.

• Low temperature hinders the plant’s enzyme activity.
• Extremely high temperature declines the photosynthesis rate after a certain time.

Keep these Anthuriums away from drafty windows and air conditioning vents to protect your plants. Another important thing is not to let them sit outside in winter.

You can buy heat pads and frost blankets to shield your plant from frosty weather.

4. High Humidity

Growing up in the tropical rainforests of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, Anthurium pendulifolium is accustomed to high humidity.

If you want to see your plant flourish, you need to up the humidity around the plant.

Anthurium pendulifolium loves humidity of around 80% and flourishes the most in such moisture.

The amount of humidity is directly proportional to the amount of CO2 intake in the plants. In high moisture conditions, stomata open up more, resulting in increased CO2 consumption.

According to Anthura, if the humidity is low, cell regeneration slows down and evaporation rate is increased.

You can start by placing your plants in a high humid zone like the bathroom and kitchen in your home, buying a humidifier, or placing a pebble tray near your plant to maintain the humidity artificially.

Misting the plant occasionally also helps.

Just don’t mist them at night or the excess water won’t evaporate properly.

Grouping the plants is also considered a good practice. But, check the plants thoroughly for pests and diseases to avoid spread.

5. Moisture Retaining Soil

Being an epiphyte, Anthurium pendulifolium grows on the support of other sources in its natural habitat.

Anthurium pendulifolium loves soil that can retain moisture and has excellent draining. Soil aeration plays a pivotal role in the growth of plants.

The soil that can do the above is sandy loam soil. It can retain water well but also can provide good drainage.

You can opt for a little acidic soil which ranges on the pH scale from 5.5 to 6.5.

Look below to create the perfect mix according to your convenience.

• Half potting soil and half perlite/orchid mix.
• Four parts, five parts regular mix, and one part charcoal.
• Equal parts of pumice, sphagnum moss, charcoal, mulch, peat moss, and gravel.

Remember, the trick is to keep the soil moist and not soggy, so it would be best to choose well-draining soil.

6. Liquid Fertilizer

When it comes to extra nutrients, pendulifolium is not so demanding. Like most air plants, this plant is not a heavy feeder.

Whenever you think of fertilizing this plant, keep this in mind, you are feeding fertilizers for boosted growth, not to help this plant grow.

Dilute the regular fertilizer to 1/4th of strength and feed this plant monthly during its growing season to see improved results.

Fertilizing during winter? A big no-no. Doing this causes salt to accumulate on the plant base and kills the plant eventually.

The best thing you can do to this plant is feeding it with a weak liquid fertilizer every week.

Slow-release fertilizer is also a good option but you must feed it only once every six months.

The following signs show problems due to fertilizers in your plant.

Well, if you want to go for commercial fertilizers, we have a list for you.

• Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food (Liquid)
• Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Orchid Food
• Sun Bulb Company 8305 Better Gro

7. Plant’s Features and Growth Rate

Anthurium pendulifolium grows at a medium to slow pace.

These plants showcase beautiful matte-glossy leaves that are shaped like a lance. They can be potted or hanged in baskets.

Like its close relative, Anthurium pendens, this plant has downward growth. Due to this property, plant enthusiasts prefer hanging this plant in baskets.

The topside of the leaves displays glossy green color, whereas the bottom side is paler and more matte compared to the top.

This plant has long leaves that can grow up to the length of 48 inches in their natural habitat. Whereas indoors, the leaves can grow up to 25 inches in length and 15 inches wide.

The plant can grow up to be 22 inches wide, while the length can be 25 inches.

The bloom of this plant is quite negatable and not eye-pleasing. They have a long purple spadix and creamy-white to green spathe.

They can last up to several weeks and bloom every three months, all year round.

They grow big. You don’t trust me? Watch this,

8. Repotting Anthurium Pendulifolium

Anthurium pendulifolium grows at a slow to medium pace. So, you may not need to do frequent repotting.

You can think about repotting this plant once you witness the signs of rootbound and the plant starts having slow growth.

Check the drainage holes frequently to see if the roots pop out of them. If affirmative, repot the plant.

It is recommended to change the potting soil every year so that the soil in the plant remains fresh. Do the repotting in the spring season.

The roots need ample space to grow. So, repot the plant in a container at least 2 inches larger in diameter than the current container.

Tips to Repot the Plant Properly

• Prepare a pot and layer the bottom of the pot with pebbles.
• Fill half of the pot with the prepared potting mix. Add perlite, pumice, and orchid bark to increase airflow.
• Gently take the plant out of the old pot and remove excess soil in the root area, untangle the roots and trim off the brown and mushy roots.
• Place the root of the plant at the center of the new pot.
• Fill the space with the potting soil and leave some room at the top for future fertilization.
• Water the plant properly till the water leaks from the drainage holes, and place the plant in a warm location with enough light.

9. Occasional Pruning

Anthurium pendulifolium’s long, elegant leaves make it difficult to decide whether or not to clip them.

Pendens might benefit from mild pruning regularly to keep their look in check. Yellowing, damaged, and brown sections of the leaves should be pruned away.

Flowers generally take away the nutrients from the plant. So, it’s up to you to decide whether or not to separate them from the plant.

Look for the damaged, dead leaves and prune them if you are sure that a fungal infection does not cause it.

Remember to properly sterilize your tools before going forward with the pruning process. Prune the plant, starting from the bottom all the way to the top.

Trim properly! Do not damage the healthy leaves during pruning.

Toxicity of Anthurium Pendulifolium

Anthuriums are beautiful; there is no doubt. But this gene is also known for its toxicity to pets and kids.

Uncar.edu has classified certain plants according to their toxicity. They give Anthuriums 3,4 for their toxicity content.

Look at the table below to know what the numbers mean.

If swallowed, calcium oxalates crystals in Anthurium pendens can irritate the lips, tongue, throat, and stomach.

If your kids or pets contact this plant, follow the following helpline as soon as possible.

Contact the American Association of Poison Control Center at (800) 222-1222 or ASPCA Poison Center at (800) 426-4435 for pets immediately.

Propagating Anthurium Pendulifolium

Understandably, you’d want to reproduce this royal and imposing plant. Who wouldn’t be happy to see this beauty grow to its full potential?

You can use the stem cutting method to propagate Anthurium pendulifolium.

You could reproduce the plant from seeds, but it would be time-consuming, and I’m sure plant aficionados like you would prefer not to do so.

Go on with the propagation process during spring when it grows to its full potential.

Quick Check Before Propagation

Check for the following things before propagating Anthurium pendulifolium.

Before propagating them, do not forget to inspect the plant for pests and diseases thoroughly.

Steps to Propagate Anthurium Pendulifolium

Anthurium pendulifolium’s roots are found near the base of the stem since it is an epiphyte. Follow the steps below to propagate the plant successfully by either stem cutting or root division.

Stem Cutting

• Choose a stem that has at least one leaf and one healthy node.
• Before commencing the cutting process, choose sterile equipment or sterilize them.
• Cut at least 6-inches of the stem to guarantee success in the propagation process.
• The plant can be rooted in water. If you wish to do it in soil, skip to the next step.
  • • Find a clear jar and partially fill it with water. Submerge the cutting in the water.
    • Make sure your leaves aren’t immersed in water; otherwise, the cutting won’t root.
    • Put the cutting in a good spot and change the water once a week.
    • In a few weeks, you’ll be able to see the roots. Before potting the roots, let them develop to at least one inch in length.
    • It’s now time to plant them in the pot.
• Select a pot with suitable drainage holes. Half-fill it with the potting mix suggested earlier.
• Place the cutting in a small hole in the center. You should use potting soil to fill the leftover area. Make a little space at the top for future use.
• Place the cutting in an environment with ample humidity, light, and warmth.

Root Division

Alternatively, you can also perform root division on the plant.

• Gently take the plant out of the pot and remove excess soil on the roots.
• Trim away all the excess, dying, and damaged roots. Do it carefully, or you will damage the healthy roots.
• Divide the root ball into 2-3 sections with at least 2 or 3 stems.
• Plants the sections on different pots and place them in suitable conditions.

Delve deeper with the article “How To Propagate Anthurium?”

Common Problems with Anthurium Pendulifolium

Anthuriums can grow unhindered by problems, but few pests and diseases sometimes disrupt their peaceful growth.

Please continue reading to find out about them and their solutions.

1. Common Pests

Most of the time, your Anthurium is unfazed by pests problem. But sometimes, when the conditions do not suit them, they invite pests on them.

The most common pests that attack these plants are Mealybugs, Aphids, Scales, Thrips, Nematodes, and Spider mites.

I have mentioned common pests and their infestation symptoms below. Look out for them.

Solutions

• Once the infestation has done massive damage, there is no going back. You should discard the plant altogether.
• You can hose some ‘not-so-sturdy pests off with a water hose.
• Take a ball of cotton and dip it in and dip it in isopropyl alcohol. Dab the ball in the leaves and stem to get rid of pests.
• You can expose the soil to bright sunlight. This will be enough to kill the nematodes.
• Use neem oil or other horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to get rid of the pests.
• Look for the appropriate insecticide and spray on the plant as a last resort.

Confused about how to use neem oil on plants? Read “How to Use Neem Oil on Indoor Plants?”

Preventive Measures

• The main problem that invites pests is overwatering. Avoid overwatering to be on the safe side.
• Do not bring any plants home before scrutinizing them.
• Clean the leaves of the plant to avoid any pests build up.

2. Common Diseases

Plant diseases are infamous for killing the plant slowly and gradually. The same is the case for Anthurium Pendulifoilum.

If any disease is not diagnosed in time, the plant may succumb to it.

These diseases affect this plant: bacterial blight, Rhizoctonia root rot, black nose disease, and phytophthora.

Let’s look at them in detail.

Solutions

• Bacterial blight can be controlled but sadly cannot be cured. Discard the plant as soon as you discover bacterial blight.
• Commercial fungicides like Garden Safe Fertilizer can treat Rhizoctonal root rot.
• Check the roots properly for damages and rots, and prune off the affected parts without damaging the healthy roots.
• Fertilizers rich in phosphorus can help you get rid of phytophthora.
• You can cut off the spread by pruning the affected parts.

Preventive Measures

• Infected tools cause most diseases. Sterilize the tools properly before pruning or trimming the plant.
• Place the plant in its optimum required conditions.
• Use proper fungicides from time to time to avoid fungal diseases.
• Misting the plant at night can cause problems for the plant as the water takes longer to evaporate.
• Use well-draining and porous soil to avoid water buildup.

Did you run into other problems? Read “Why is My Anthurium Losing Flowers?”

Conclusion

Anthurium pendulifolium adds a great charm to your household if it grows to its full extent.

Provide it with proper care and maintenance from time to time to ensure that it grows into a beautiful ornamental plant.

Good luck!

Read about the care guide on Anthurium varieties such as: Regale, Besseae, Forgetti, Angamarcanum, Pedatum,  Wendlingeri, Brownii, and Papillilaminum.