How To Save a Dying Anthurium (11 Causes and Solutions)

Anthuriums are beautiful, long-lasting flowers that make great houseplants.

But sometimes, even with the best care, they can start to wilt and die.

If your anthurium plant is looking sickly, don’t despair!

There are several things you can do to save it.

Why Is My Anthurium Dying?

Before you can save your anthurium plant, you need to figure out what is causing it to die.

Here are some common reasons why anthuriums die and what you can do about them:

1. Overwatering

One of the most common reasons for anthuriums to die is overwatering.

Anthuriums are native to tropical climates and prefer soil that is consistently moist but not soggy.

If you water your anthurium too often, the roots will start to rot, and the plant will wilt and die.

Overwatering can also happen if the pot you’re using doesn’t have good drainage or the plant is sitting in water.

How To Tell If You’re Overwatering Your Anthurium

There are a few signs that you’re overwatering your anthurium:

• The leaves are wilting and yellowing
• The leaves have brown spots or edges
• The stem is soft or mushy
• The roots are brown and mushy
• The plant is overall very unhealthy looking

How To Save An Overwatered Anthurium

If you think you’re overwatering your anthurium, you first need to stop watering it so much!

Let the soil dry out completely before watering again.

You may also need to repot the plant in a pot with better drainage.

If the roots start to rot, you may need to cut them off and replant the anthurium in fresh soil.

Anthuriums need to be watered about once a week or when the top inch of soil is dry.

2. Underwatering

Anthuriums are tropical plants and need to be kept moist at all times.

If you don’t water your anthurium enough, the leaves will start to wilt, and the plant will eventually die.

They must be watered about once a week or when the top inch of soil is dry.

How To Tell If You’re Underwatering Your Anthurium

There are a few signs that you’re underwatering your anthurium:

• The leaves are wilting and yellowing
• The leaves are crunchy and dry
• The leaves are curling
• The plant growth is stunted

How To Save An Underwatered Anthurium

If you think you’re underwatering your anthurium, you first need to water it more often.

Water the plant deeply about once a week or when the top inch of soil is dry.

You may also need to increase the humidity around the plant by misting it or placing it on a pebble tray.

3. Poor Drainage

If the pot you’re using for your anthurium doesn’t have good drainage, the roots can start to rot, and the plant will die.

It’s essential to use a pot with drainage holes and ensure it is not sitting in water.

Using a potting mix that drains well is also a good idea. This can be achieved by adding perlite or vermiculite to the potting mix.

How To Tell If You Have Poor Drainage

There are a few signs that you have poor drainage:

• The leaves are wilting
• The leaves are yellow
• The stems are soft
• The roots are rotten

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Fix Poor Drainage

The best way to fix poor drainage is to repot the anthurium into a pot with better drainage.

If you can’t repot the plant, you can try to improve the drainage of the existing pot by drilling holes in the bottom of the pot.

Also, ensure that the pot is not sitting in water and that the potting soil mix is well-draining.

4. Too Much Sunlight

Anthuriums are tropical plants and need filtered sunlight to thrive.

If they’re exposed to direct sunlight, the leaves will burn, and the plant will eventually die.

The best place to keep your anthurium is in a spot that gets bright indirect light.

How To Tell If Your Anthurium Is Getting Too Much Sunlight

There are a few signs that your anthurium is getting too much sunlight:

• The leaves are yellow
• The leaves are brown and crispy
• The plant is dropping leaves
• The leaves have white or brown burns

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Save An Anthurium That’s Getting Too Much Sunlight

If you think your anthurium is getting too much sunlight, you first need to move it to a spot with less sunlight.

The best place for an anthurium is in a spot that gets bright indirect light.

An east- or west-facing window is a good option. This will give the plant the bright light it needs without exposing it to direct sunlight.

You can also try placing the plant behind a sheer curtain to filter the light.

5. Not Enough Sunlight

While anthuriums need filtered sunlight to thrive, they also need a certain amount of light to bloom.

Anthurium plants need at least six hours of sunlight a day to bloom.

When they don’t receive sufficient sunlight, they begin to display signs of distress.

The leaves start to turn a yellowish hue, and the plant’s growth becomes elongated and leggy.

The stems may stretch and reach out, desperately seeking the light they need for proper development. This leggy growth is a clear indication that the plant is not receiving adequate sunlight, hindering its ability to bloom and thrive at its full potential.

How To Tell If Your Anthurium Is Not Getting Enough Sunlight

There are a few signs that your anthurium is not getting enough sunlight:

• The leaves are yellow
• The leaves are pale
• The plant is not blooming
• The plant is leaning toward the light
• The growth is stunted

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Save An Anthurium That’s Not Getting Enough Sunlight

If you think your anthurium is not getting enough sunlight, you first need to move it to a spot with more light.

An anthurium needs at least six hours of sunlight a day to bloom.

An east- or west-facing window is a good option. This will provide the plant with the bright light it needs.

You can also try using a grow light to give the plant the extra light it needs.

6. Temperature extremes

Anthuriums are tropical plants and need consistent temperatures to thrive.

They can’t tolerate extreme heat or cold and will die if exposed to either extreme.

The ideal temperature range for an anthurium is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

How To Tell If Your Anthurium Is Exposed To Extreme Temperatures

There are a few signs that your anthurium is exposed to extreme temperatures:

• The leaves are wilting
• The leaves are yellow
• The leaves’ edges are turning brown
• The plant is not blooming
• The growth is stunted

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Save An Anthurium That’s Exposed To Extreme Temperatures

If you think your anthurium is exposed to extreme temperatures, you first need to move it to a spot with more moderate temperatures.

The ideal temperature range for an anthurium is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

If the temperature is too hot, try moving the plant to a spot out of direct sunlight.

If the temperature is too cold, try moving the plant to a spot closer to a heat source.

7. Low Humidity

Anthuriums are tropical plants and need high humidity to thrive.

They can’t tolerate low humidity and will die if exposed to it for too long.

The ideal humidity level for an anthurium is between 60 and 80%.

How To Tell If Your Anthurium Is Exposed To Low Humidity

There are a few signs that your anthurium is exposed to low humidity:

• The leaves are wilting
• The leaves are brown and crispy
• The plant is dropping leaves
• The plant is not blooming
• The growth is stunted

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Save An Anthurium That’s Exposed To Low Humidity

If you think your anthurium is exposed to low humidity, you first need to increase the humidity around the plant.

The ideal humidity level for an anthurium is between 60 and 80%.

There are a few ways you can increase the humidity around your anthurium:

• Mist the plant with water daily
• Place the plant on a pebble tray
• Use a humidifier

8. Root-Bound

Anthuriums can become root-bound if kept in a pot that’s too small.

When this happens, the roots grow in a circular pattern and become tightly packed.

This restricts the plant’s growth and can eventually kill it.

How To Tell If Your Anthurium Is Root-Bound

There are a few signs that your anthurium is root-bound:

• The roots are growing out of the drainage holes
• -The roots are circling the pot
• The plant is wilting
• The plant is not blooming
• The bottom leaves are yellow or brown
• The growth is stunted

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Save An Anthurium That’s Root-Bound

If you think your anthurium is root-bound, the first thing you need to do is repot the plant.

Choose a pot two or three inches wider than the current pot with drainage holes.

Fill the bottom of the new pot with gravel to help with drainage.

Carefully remove the plant from the current pot and loosen the roots with your fingers.

You may need to trim some of the roots if they’re too long.

Place the plant in the new pot and fill it with fresh soil.

Water the plant thoroughly and empty any water that collects in the saucer.

9. Overfertilizing

Anthuriums are sensitive to fertilizer and can be easily killed by overfertilizing.

Too much fertilizer will burn the roots and leaves, causing the plant to die.

Anthuriums can be fertilized once a month during the growing season.

Using a balanced fertilizer diluted to half the strength recommended on the package is best.

How To Tell If Your Anthurium Is Overfertilized

There are a few signs that your anthurium is overfertilized:

• The leaves are wilting and yellowing
• The leaves have brown tips and edges
• The leaves are falling off
• The plant is not blooming
• The plant is not growing

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Save An Anthurium That’s Overfertilized

If you think your anthurium is overfertilized, the first thing you need to do is flush the potting mix with water.

To do this, water the plant until the water runs out of the drainage holes.

Do this once a week for three weeks.

After flushing the potting mix, stop fertilizing the plant for a few months to allow it to recover.

10. Pests

Anthuriums are susceptible to pests, such as aphids, mealybugs, scale, and spider mites.

Aphids are small, green insects that suck the sap from the leaves.

Mealybugs are white, fuzzy insects that feed on the plant’s sap.

Scale insects are small, brown insects that attach to the leaves and stems.

Spider mites are tiny, red spiders spin webs on the undersides of the leaves.

Pests can cause several problems for an anthurium, such as leaf drop, yellowing leaves, and stunted growth.

They can also spread diseases to the plant.

How To Tell If Your Anthurium Has Pests

There are a few signs that your anthurium has pests:

• The leaves are wilting or falling
• The leaves are yellowing
• The leaves are covered in webbing
• The leaves have small holes in them
• There are small insects on the leaves or stems

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Save An Anthurium With Pests

If you think your anthurium has pests, you first need to isolate the plant from other plants.

This will prevent the pests from spreading.

Next, you need to remove the pests from the plant.

You can do this by gently wiping them off with a damp cloth.

If the infestation is severe, you may need to treat the plant with a natural insecticide, such as neem oil.

11. Diseases

Anthuriums are susceptible to diseases such as root rot, leaf spot, and anthracnose.

Anthurium root rot is a type of disease that causes the roots to decay.

Leaf spot is a disease that causes brown or yellow spots on the leaves.

Anthracnose is a disease that causes the leaves to turn brown and wilt.

Diseases can cause several problems for an anthurium, such as leaf drop, yellowing leaves, and stunted growth.

They can also spread to other plants.

How To Tell If Your Anthurium Has A Disease

There are a few signs that your anthurium has a disease:

• The leaves are wilting or falling
• The leaves are yellowing
• The leaves have brown or black spots
• The stems are soft or mushy

If you see any of these signs, you must take action immediately.

How To Save An Anthurium With A Disease

If you think your anthurium has a disease, you first need to isolate the houseplant from other plants.

This will prevent the disease from spreading.

Next, you need to remove the affected leaves.

You can do this by gently pulling them off the plant.

You may need to treat the plant with a fungicide if the disease is severe.

Final Thoughts

Anthuriums are beautiful tropical plants that make great indoor plants.

However, they are susceptible to several problems, such as pests, diseases, and overfertilization.

If you think your anthurium is in trouble, you first need to identify the problem.

Once you know the problem, you can take the necessary steps to fix it.

With some care, you can keep your anthurium healthy and happy for years to come!