Recently, there has been interest in the plant known as Anthurium Red Crystallinum. The enormous, exquisite, velvety leaves of this plant, which are deep crimson in color, are its most prized feature. Because they are more picky than other aroids, anthuriums can be intimidating to take care of, but don’t worry. You can simply take care of a healthy Red Crystallinum using the information at homegardenartful.com through this article.
Anthurium Red Crystallinum information
A stunning plant with a captivating backstory is the Anthurium Red Crystallinum. This plant is a hybrid of several different anthuriums rather than a distinct species.
Anthurium Red Crystallinums are descended from Tim Anderson’s original WonderBoy anthurium hybrid, which was created approximately 20 years ago.
Tim Anderson was a well-known horticulture who worked on creating hybrid anthurium projects at the Palm Hammock Orchid Estate in South Florida.
One of Tim’s hybrid programs produced an Anthurium hybrid that had blood-red petioles and huge velvety emerald leaves with a deep reddish tone.
The Wonder Boy was this Anthurium. The true species of the different plants are still unknown because it was pollinated by the crystallinum mother plant in an open greenhouse.
The WonderBoy was the source of the Red Crystallinum, which was probably a magnificum or dressleri hybrid.
Anthurium Red Crystallinum care
Light
Compared to other aroids, this plant needs less light to flourish.
Even though this plant needs less light, it will still perform poorly if it is placed in an inadequately lit space.
You should place your crystallinum plant in an area with 1500–2500 LUX for it to thrive.
We personally use and advise utilizing a LUX light meter to assess the light intensity where the plant is put in order to ensure proper light levels.
Bright, indirect light is preferred by the Red Crystallinum.
The best light should come from a window that faces south or east. Short bursts of direct sunshine can be okay for the crystallinum, but only in the morning. Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight since you run the danger of scorching your plants’ foliage.
If you are having problems locating a location with enough light, you can also utilize a grow light.
Soil
The right pot and media must be used because this plant needs constant hydration.
A medium that is well-aerated and sustains a slight amount of moisture is ideal for Anthurium Red Crystallinum growth. Having said that, the Red Crystallinum struggles when the medium becomes consistently dry.
The success of your anthurium will be greatly influenced by the media the plant is in.
We use our aroid soil mixture or sphagnum moss combined with some chunky perlite as the media for our anthuriums. Always use high-quality sphagnum moss if you’re using it as a medium. We enjoy utilizing Besgrow Spagmoss.
What media and pot you should select depends greatly on your preferences and, most crucially, the surroundings of your plants.
Sphagnum moss can get oversaturated in wet, high-humidity situations and dry out too quickly in hot, dry conditions.
Aroid soil mixture that drains well is usually in the middle and effective in all situations.
We’ve had success using a popular method that mixes the two media. Sphagnum moss is layered on top of the aroid mix in the pot where the Anthurium is housed. Sphagnum moss is added to the top of the plant as it develops as the plant grows.
In the end, we discovered that sphagnum moss is ideal for indoor plants where you have complete control over moisture and temperature, whereas aroid soil is ideal for outdoor plants.
Pot
The container in which you plant Red Crystallinum is a vital consideration.
Although the soil in terra cotta pots can breathe well, it will dry up more quickly and need more watering than in a plastic container.
Insufficient drainage or an environment with excessive wetness and humidity might increase the danger of root rot in plastic pots, which will hold more moisture and require less watering.
Watering
We can now talk about watering after we’ve covered the different planting mediums and how each one holds moisture.
An essential part of producing a healthy Red Crystallinum is watering.
As previously stated, the crystallinum likes to stay moist but not soggy or saturated.
Regardless of the medium you select to plant anthurium in, it is crucial to constantly check the moisture content of your medium.
Anthuriums do not like to dry out before their next watering like other aroids do!
If your plant is in a combination of chunky aroid soil, water when the top inch of soil is dry.
If your plant is covered with sphagnum moss, you should keep the moss just barely damp at all times. Don’t let the sphagnum dry out completely.
The best technique to determine the amount of moisture is to personally feel it with your finger in the medium.
Moisture
All aroids, including the Red Crystallinum, require humidity. The crystallinum is an aroid that originated in the jungle and prefers higher humidity than most aroids.
A humidity of at least 65% is necessary for the red crystallinum to flourish.
It’s critical to understand how humid the atmosphere is around the plant.
You might not need to bother about checking the humidity if your plant is outside and you reside in a region with naturally high humidity.
If the plant is indoors or if you reside somewhere that isn’t tropical, you should keep a constant eye on the humidity.
To keep track of the humidity, we employ and advocate the use of a hygrometer.
There are various methods you can employ to help boost the humidity if it is low.
Plants can be grouped together closely to create a microclimate with higher humidity levels around them.
Another approach is to set the plant atop a watered pebble tray. With this humidity tray, which doubles as a drip tray for watering plants, we’ve had some success.
You might think about utilizing a real humidifier if these techniques are insufficient to increase your humidity. This humidifier features a sensor that keeps the humidity level you select, which is why we appreciate it.
Temperature
The ideal temperature range for this plant is 60°F to 80°F, or 16°C to 27°C. Anthurium Red Crystallinum prefers lower temperatures than other aroids even though they are a jungle native.
Although it thrives in milder climates, this plant cannot withstand frost. This plant does best in stable temperatures and dislikes significant temperature changes.
If you keep your plants outside, they may withstand minor temperature changes for a short while, but it is advised to bring them inside if they will be exposed to temperatures below 55°F for more than a few days or if there is a danger of frost.
Avoid direct drafts from the furnace, air conditioner, or heater if you leave your plant indoors.
Fertilization
The final step to growing a healthy plant is fertilizing.
Avoid overfertilizing anthuriums as they require less fertilizer than the majority of aroids.
Typical Pests and Plant Illnesses
Your Anthurium crystallinum will presumably remain pest- and disease-free if you can avoid overwatering and excessive humidity. However, it’s important to keep an eye out for common pests like mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites. Bring out the insecticidal soap and neem oil if you notice any indications of these critters.
Problems Frequently Found With Anthurium Red Crystallinum
Keep an eye out for these early indications that you may need to adjust the humidity, light, or watering schedules for your plants. An Anthurium crystallinum’s ability to adapt quickly could mean the difference between it flourishing or failing.
Yellowing Leaves
Your Anthurium crystallinum may need more water or exposure to sunlight if the shiny green leaves begin to turn an unattractive yellow color. This issue could be resolved by adjusting your irrigation schedule or relocating your plant to an area with more filtered sunlight.
Curled or Sagging Leaves
Nothing is sadder than seeing your Anthurium crystallinum’s impressively enormous leaves begin to droop, wilt, or curl. The most common cause of this is improper irrigation. The factors behind this problem include excessive sunlight and even chilly drafts.
Dark Tips
The leaves of your Anthurium crystallinum may develop unsightly brown tips or blotches if the humidity isn’t high enough or if it’s being submerged. Brown patches can also result from sunburn caused by excessive exposure to the sun.
Conclusion
We went over every important factor to take into account when growing this anthurium. Keeping your grow medium continually moist and permeable should be your top priority when caring for the Anthurium Red Crystallinum, if there is one thing we can emphasize.
If you wish to change anything about the way you take care of your plant, go cautiously and make each change one at a time to observe how your plant responds.