Anthurium 'Black Queen' (Black Anthurium) care

Light

In the wild anthurium 'black queen' 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 produces the most and darkest spathes; an east window or filtered light is ideal. Direct sun scorches the leaves and bleaches the dark colour, while low light slows or stops flowering. 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 when the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days for anthurium 'black queen', 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. Water thoroughly when the surface dries, letting excess drain fully; never leave the roots standing in water. These epiphytic roots need oxygen, so allow brief drying between waterings and ease off in winter.

Soil and pot

Anthurium 'Black Queen' grows best in chunky, airy aroid mix. Use a coarse, fast-draining blend of orchid bark, perlite and coco coir or peat. The thick aerial-type roots rot in dense compost and need plenty of air pockets. 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

Anthurium 'Black Queen' sits happiest at around 60-80% humidity and 18-29°C (65-85°F). Loves high humidity, which keeps leaf tips green and spathes long-lasting. Use a humidifier or pebble tray; in dry rooms the tips brown and flowering suffers. 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 anthurium 'black queen' sparingly. Feed every 4-6 weeks in spring and summer with a balanced or slightly higher-phosphorus houseplant feed at quarter to half strength. Anthuriums are sensitive to salts, so feed lightly and flush the pot occasionally; pause in winter. 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 anthurium 'black queen' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Brown leaf tips — Low humidity or fertiliser-salt build-up burns the tips. Raise humidity and flush the pot to leach excess salts, feeding more lightly.
• Few or pale flowers — Too little light or over-feeding with nitrogen gives lots of leaf but few spathes. Provide bright indirect light and a phosphorus-leaning feed.
• Root rot — Dense compost or constant wetness rots the thick roots. Use a chunky aroid mix and let the surface dry between waterings.
• Yellowing lower leaves — Usually overwatering, sometimes natural ageing of the oldest leaves. Check drainage and watering rhythm before worrying.

Propagation

Propagate by division of clumps with their own roots when repotting, or by separating offsets/basal pups. Stem sections with aerial roots can also be potted up. Wear gloves, as the sap is irritant. 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

Anthurium 'Black Queen' is toxic to pets. Anthurium is ASPCA-listed as toxic to cats and dogs. Like other aroids it contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals; chewing causes oral pain and irritation, drooling, difficulty swallowing and vomiting. Keep well out of reach of pets and children. 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.

Anthurium 'Black Queen' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of anthurium 'black queen' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Anthurium 'Black Queen' watering schedule
• Anthurium 'Black Queen' light requirements
• Best soil mix for anthurium 'black queen'
• Anthurium 'Black Queen' fertilizing guide
• When to repot anthurium 'black queen'
• How to propagate anthurium 'black queen'
• Anthurium 'Black Queen' growth rate & size
• Anthurium 'Black Queen' cold hardiness
• Anthurium 'Black Queen' temperature & humidity
• Is anthurium 'black queen' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is anthurium 'black queen' toxic to cats?
• Is anthurium 'black queen' toxic to dogs?
• Getting anthurium 'black queen' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Anthurium 'Black Queen' qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Anthurium 'Black Queen' is also commonly called Black Anthurium or Black Flamingo Flower.

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