Plant Library
Types of Anthurium: 10 Varieties Identified
Identify 10 Anthurium types: flamingo flower (andraeanum), clarinervium, crystallinum, veitchii, warocqueanum and more. All Anthurium are toxic to pets (ASPCA).
Types of Anthurium: 10 Varieties Identified
Anthurium (Anthurium spp., family Araceae) is one of the most collectable houseplant genera, spanning glossy "flowering" types grown for their lacquered spathes and a fast-growing world of "foliage" or velvet-leaf species prized for huge, vein-laced leaves. Knowing which group a plant belongs to is the fastest way to get its care right: flowering types want bright light to keep blooming, while the velvet-leaf species are shade-loving climbers and creepers that prize humidity and a chunky, airy mix.
This guide identifies 10 real, widely sold Anthurium types — from the supermarket flamingo flower to the coveted King and Queen — with a visual ID cue and a light-plus-water signal for each. One rule applies across the whole genus: the ASPCA classifies Anthurium as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, so none of these are pet-safe to chew. We cover that in detail below.
Match a anthurium to your space: Snap your room in Growli — we'll measure the light level and tell you which anthurium variety will hold its look in your conditions.
Related: Anthurium care guide · anthurium care · types of philodendron
The 10 most common types of anthurium
1. Flamingo Flower — Anthurium andraeanum
The classic 'flowering' Anthurium: a flat, glossy, heart-shaped spathe (lacquered-looking) in red, pink, white, coral or green, with a straight, upright spadix in the centre. Leaves are plain glossy green and arrow-shaped.
Care signal: Bright indirect light to keep it blooming (no harsh direct sun); water when the top 2.5cm/1in of mix is dry.
2. Pigtail Plant (Scherzer's flamingo flower) — Anthurium scherzerianum
Smaller and more compact than andraeanum, with a distinctive curly, corkscrew-like orange-red spadix and narrower, lance-shaped leaves. The twisted 'pigtail' spadix is the giveaway.
Care signal: Bright indirect light (10-12 hrs for best flower count); keep mix lightly moist but never soggy, watering when the surface dries.
3. Velvet Cardboard Anthurium — Anthurium clarinervium
Foliage type: thick, stiff, dark-green heart-shaped leaves with a velvety, almost cardboard-like feel and bold, contrasting white veins. Berries are large and orange. Often the easiest velvet-leaf type for beginners.
Care signal: Bright indirect light; water when the top few centimetres dry out (roughly weekly in growth, less in winter) in a chunky, fast-draining mix.
4. Crystal Anthurium (velvet leaf) — Anthurium crystallinum
Similar to clarinervium but with more elongated, slightly lighter heart-shaped leaves and shimmering silvery-white crystalline veins. New leaves emerge coppery-pink; berries are white to violet.
Care signal: Bright indirect light away from direct sun; water when the top 2-3cm of an airy aroid mix dries, keeping humidity high.
5. King Anthurium — Anthurium veitchii
Dramatic pendant, lance-shaped leaves that can reach a metre or more, with deeply ridged, corrugated (rippled) surfaces rather than a white vein pattern. The bullate 'rib' texture is the ID cue.
Care signal: Bright indirect light; water when the top of a very chunky, free-draining mix dries, with consistently high humidity.
6. Queen Anthurium — Anthurium warocqueanum
Long, narrow velvet leaves (up to ~2m on mature plants) in deep matte green with striking pale silver-white vein networks. One of the most sought-after and pricey velvet-leaf species.
Care signal: Bright indirect light; precise watering — moist but never wet — in an open mix with very high humidity (a collector plant, not beginner-easy).
7. Anthurium magnificum — Anthurium magnificum
Large, rounded-heart velvet leaves with fine silver-white veining and a soft texture. Tell-tale feature: square/winged (quadrangular) petioles. New leaves often emerge dark red-brown; tends to climb.
Care signal: Bright indirect light; water when the top few centimetres of a chunky aroid mix dry out, keeping humidity high.
8. Anthurium regale — Anthurium regale
Very large, velvety heart-shaped leaves with intricate, sharply defined pale veins running close to the leaf margin. Petioles are rounded (vs. magnificum's winged ones); new leaves emerge golden-green. Tends to creep.
Care signal: Bright indirect light; water when the top of an airy, free-draining mix dries, with high humidity.
9. Bird's Nest Anthurium — Anthurium superbum
Very different look: stiff, upright, leathery paddle-shaped leaves arranged in a rosette/bowl ('bird's nest'), glossy green on top with purplish undersides and a quilted, grooved surface. Grown for form, not flowers.
Care signal: Indirect light (tolerates a bit lower light); let the top 5cm/2in dry before a thorough soak — sensitive to overwatering.
10. Anthurium forgetii — Anthurium forgetii
Compact velvet-leaf species notable for leaves with no top lobe — the petiole joins a rounded, almost oval leaf rather than a typical heart shape. Dark green to near-black with silvery veins; slow-growing and space-friendly.
Care signal: Bright indirect light; water when the top few centimetres of a chunky mix dry, keeping humidity high.
Are anthurium toxic to cats and dogs?
All Anthurium are toxic to pets. The ASPCA lists Anthurium (entries include "Flamingo Flower," Anthurium scherzeranum, and "Tail Flower," Anthurium spp., family Araceae) as toxic to dogs, toxic to cats and toxic to horses, with the toxic principle being insoluble calcium oxalates. Because the whole genus shares this chemistry, every variety in this guide — flowering andraeanum and scherzerianum as well as the velvet-leaf clarinervium, crystallinum, veitchii, warocqueanum, magnificum, regale, superbum and forgetii — should be treated the same way. The crystals are released when the plant is chewed and cause oral irritation, intense pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing and vomiting (the ASPCA notes horses do not vomit). Sap can also irritate skin and eyes. None of these plants is ASPCA "non-toxic," so do not treat any Anthurium as pet-safe; place them out of reach of cats, dogs and curious children, and contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) if ingestion is suspected.
Frequently asked questions
Are Anthurium toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Anthurium as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The toxic principle is insoluble calcium oxalates, microscopic crystals released when the plant is chewed. Signs include oral pain and irritation, swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, difficulty swallowing and vomiting. This applies to every Anthurium type, both flowering and foliage varieties. Keep them out of reach and call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 if your pet chews one.
What is the difference between flowering and foliage (velvet-leaf) Anthurium?
Flowering types such as Anthurium andraeanum (flamingo flower) and A. scherzerianum (pigtail plant) are grown for their glossy, colourful spathes and want bright light to keep blooming. Foliage or velvet-leaf types such as clarinervium, crystallinum, veitchii, warocqueanum, magnificum and regale are grown for their large, vein-patterned leaves; they are shade-loving climbers or creepers that prize high humidity and an airy, chunky potting mix.
What is the rarest or most expensive Anthurium?
Among widely collected species, Anthurium warocqueanum (the Queen Anthurium) is one of the rarest and priciest, thanks to its enormous velvety, silver-veined leaves, slow growth and demanding humidity needs. A. veitchii (the King) and choice velvet-leaf species like regale and magnificum also command high prices, especially as large, mature specimens. Prices vary widely by size, maturity and seller.
Which Anthurium is easiest for beginners?
The flowering flamingo flower (Anthurium andraeanum) is the easiest entry point and is sold almost everywhere. Among the velvet-leaf species, Anthurium clarinervium is often considered the most forgiving — its thick, cardboard-like leaves are fairly damage-resistant. A. forgetii is also relatively easy and compact. All still need bright indirect light, an airy mix and good humidity to look their best.
How do I tell Anthurium clarinervium from crystallinum?
Both are velvet, white-veined, heart-shaped foliage Anthurium. Clarinervium has thicker, stiffer, more rounded leaves with a cardboard-like feel and produces large orange berries. Crystallinum has more elongated, slightly lighter leaves with shimmering crystalline veins and white-to-violet berries, with new leaves emerging coppery-pink. When in doubt, the leaf shape and berry colour are the most reliable cues.
How do I tell the King (veitchii) from the Queen (warocqueanum)?
The King, Anthurium veitchii, has long pendant leaves with a deeply ribbed, corrugated surface and no white vein pattern. The Queen, Anthurium warocqueanum, has long velvety leaves with bold pale silver-white veins. In short: ribbed texture means King, velvety silver veins mean Queen.
Why won't my Anthurium flower?
For flowering types like andraeanum and scherzerianum, light is the biggest factor — too little light is the most common reason they stop blooming. Move the plant to bright, indirect light (an east window, or set back from a south or west window behind a sheer). Steady warmth, humidity and phosphorus-containing feeding during the growing season also help. Foliage velvet-leaf types are not grown for showy blooms, so don't expect colourful spathes from them.