Fingers Anthurium (Anthurium Fingers) care

Light

In the wild fingers anthurium grows on the bright edge of a forest canopy, not in the canopy and not in the open. Indoors, that translates to within a metre of an unobstructed window, sheer curtain optional. Bright, indirect light for 8-10 hours a day suits it best. It naturally grows on shaded rocky slopes, so direct midday sun scorches the foliage and fades the leaf colour. An east or filtered south/west window, or a few feet back from a bright window, is ideal. The fastest test: a hand held at the leaf casts a soft-edged shadow at noon — sharp shadow means too much sun, no shadow means too little light.

Watering

Aim for water when the top 2-3 cm (about 1 inch) of substrate has dried for fingers anthurium, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Keep the mix lightly moist but never waterlogged. Water thoroughly until it drains, then let the top inch or so dry before watering again, typically every 5-10 days in growth and less in winter. Use room-temperature water and empty the saucer; soggy roots quickly cause rot in this aroid.

Soil and pot

Fingers Anthurium grows best in chunky, free-draining aroid mix. Use an airy, organic-rich blend such as orchid bark plus perlite with some coco coir or peat, mimicking the porous limestone substrate it grows on in the wild. Good aeration and drainage are essential to prevent root rot; a slightly acidic to neutral pH works well. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Fingers Anthurium sits happiest at around 50-70% humidity and 18-27C (64-80F). Prefers moderate to high humidity around 50-70%, though it is somewhat more forgiving of average household humidity than many fussier Anthuriums. In dry rooms, a humidifier or pebble tray helps prevent crispy leaf edges; avoid leaving foliage constantly wet. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed fingers anthurium sparingly. Feed monthly during the growing season with a balanced houseplant fertiliser diluted to roughly half strength. Because it grows year-round in warm conditions without a strong dormancy, light feeding can continue through winter if it is actively growing. Flush the pot occasionally to prevent fertiliser-salt buildup, which can burn the roots and brown leaf tips. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on fingers anthurium in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges — Usually low humidity, underwatering, or fertiliser-salt buildup. Raise humidity, keep the mix evenly moist, and flush the pot periodically.
• Yellowing leaves / root rot — Most often overwatering or a dense, poorly draining mix. Let the top inch dry between waterings and repot into chunky, well-aerated aroid substrate.
• Scorched, faded or bleached leaves — Too much direct sun. Move to bright indirect light or filter the midday rays to protect the foliage.
• Leaves stay small or fail to develop the finger lobes — Juvenile foliage is naturally heart-shaped; lobes deepen with maturity. Too little light, low humidity or underfeeding can also slow this. Provide bright indirect light and steady, light feeding.
• Sap-sucking pests (spider mites, scale, mealybugs, thrips) — Common indoors, especially in dry air. Inspect regularly and treat with insecticidal soap or neem, wiping leaves and isolating affected plants.
• Stunted growth or roots circling the pot — Can become pot-bound over time. Repot in spring into a slightly larger pot with fresh airy mix to restore vigour.

Propagation

Easiest by division: at repotting, separate rooted offsets/pups from the base of a mature, pot-filling plant, keeping roots intact, and pot each into the same airy aroid mix. Stem cuttings with a node and aerial root can also root in a moist, humid medium. Seed is possible but slow and rarely practical at home. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Fingers Anthurium is toxic to pets. Toxic to cats and dogs. Anthurium pedatoradiatum is not individually listed by the ASPCA, but it is an aroid (family Araceae) containing insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, and the ASPCA lists other Anthurium species such as Anthurium scherzeranum (Flamingo Flower) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing can cause oral pain, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Keep away from pets and verify with your vet if ingestion is suspected. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Fingers Anthurium deep-dive guides

Every aspect of fingers anthurium care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Fingers Anthurium watering schedule
• Fingers Anthurium light requirements
• Best soil mix for fingers anthurium
• Fingers Anthurium fertilizing guide
• When to repot fingers anthurium
• How to propagate fingers anthurium
• Fingers Anthurium growth rate & size
• Fingers Anthurium cold hardiness
• Fingers Anthurium temperature & humidity
• Is fingers anthurium toxic to cats & dogs?

Related guides

Fingers Anthurium is also known as Fingers Anthurium, Anthurium Fingers, and Clawed Anthurium.

• Types of anthurium — varieties identified, with care and pet-safety
• Snake plant care — light, water and common problems
• Dracaena care — light, water and common problems
• Peperomia care — light, water and common problems
• All 609 plant care guides in the Growli library