Last Updated on June 1, 2022 by Gary Stephen
Anthuriums are one of the most popular houseplants of all-time. This genus of flowering plants is well-loved for its luscious green leaves and air-purifying abilities. Thus, giving you a good balance of aesthetics and benefits. And, the variety of Anthurium Clarinervium is no exemption.
This exotic-looking species is famous in the horticultural community for its unique features. It comes with huge dark green heart-shaped leaves with contrasting creamy-white veins. These are not only eye-catching but it also feels smooth and velvety to touch as well. Hence, the moniker “Velvet Cardboard”.
Its uniqueness doesn’t just stop there, its flowers also have a distinct character of its own. Unlike the typical centerpiece anthurium flowers, the velvet cardboard has small aroid blooms. It is rather designed to be inconspicuous to give a better highlight to its stunning foliage.
Let’s not forget about its air-purification properties too. The leaves of the anthurium clarinervium definitely are more than just a pretty face. It also absorbs harmful toxins including ammonia, formaldehyde, toluene, and xylene.
This plant truly is worthy to be called “a beauty with a purpose”!
In this article, we will present to you everything you need to know about taking care of the anthurium clarinervium plant. From lighting to watering, propagating, and even the best products to use. We got it all covered here!
So, sit back, relax, and just enjoy reading this care guide.
How To Care For Anthurium Clarinervium
Lighting
Anthurium clarinervium originated in the rainforests of Mexico. Being an epiphyte type of plant, it seeks shelter under the shaded canopy of trees. Considering its natural habitat, bright yet indirect lighting suits this plant best.
Prolonged exposures to intense lighting can damage and even burn its delicate leaves. Once it’s scorched, there is already no way for you to mend it back. All you can do is to make sure to keep it as healthy as you can moving forward.
This plant’s sensitivity to light and heat makes the indoor setting a great cozy space for them. As long as you place them where it can receive plenty of filtered light, then you can sure bet it will thrive. A spot near an eastern-facing window is likely a safe haven for velvet cardboards.
Even though it doesn’t like too much light and heat, it won’t do well either in low lighting conditions. Far too little light also bears a significant impact on the health of the plant. Thus, causing its growth to slow down and become leggy in an attempt to seek more light. Moreover, it can also lose color vibrancy making its foliage look dull and sad.
Fortunately, a low lighting issue is a quick-fix. You can instead supplement this with artificial lighting systems. Grow lamps come in different bulb types, intensities, color temperatures, and more. Always make sure to choose one that best suits the needs of your anthuriums.
Our top picks for grow lamps:
Vogek Full Spectrum Grow Light with Timer
MoKasi Tri Head Red Blue Spectrum Clip On Grow Lamp
Dommia Sunlight Full Spectrum Floor Lamp LED Grow Light
Vivosun Sunlike Full Spectrum Dimmable LED Grow Light
Venoya Full Spectrum LED Grow Light
Soil for Anthurium Clarinervium
As mentioned, anthurium clarinervium are epiphytes. That means they are more accustomed to being high up above the trees rather than being planted on the ground. On that note, it is more fitting for this anthurium to be placed in a loose and well-draining soil mix.
When the roots of velvet cardboard are being exposed to damp and heavy soil for too long, it will almost always develop root rotting. If not addressed immediately, the damage will easily spread throughout the entire root system. Until such time, it will no longer be able to absorb nutrients. Thus, leading towards the death of your plant.
So, the key to a good mixture is to incorporate orchid barks, peat moss, and perlite into regular potting soil. The combination of these helps to promote good aeration. At the same time, it also retains some of the moisture to still keep the plant hydrated without getting waterlogged.
You can also use other organic matters such as horticultural charcoal, mulch, and sphagnum moss. All these can keep the soil loose and moist enough to improve drainage and prevent it from getting soggy. Better yet, you can also buy pre-made orchid potting soil mixes for less hassle.
Our top picks for potting soil:
Espoma Organic Orchid Mix Potting Soil
Sun Bulb Better Gro Special Orchid Mix
Miracle-Grow Coarse Blend Orchid Potting Mix
Clear Pots Rexius Douglas Fir Bark
Watering
As a rule of thumb, water your anthurium clarinervium only when the top 1 to 2 inches of the soil is already dry. There is no absolute recommended frequency and amount of water you ought to give your plants. Thus, always let the soil tell you when to and when not to water.
To do this, you have to dig your finger into the potting soil and feel for moisture. If it still feels damp, then skip watering for now and check again after a few days. But, if the soil feels dry to touch, then this is your go signal to water your anthurium already.
The most efficient way to water your plant is to water less often but thoroughly. That means you have to allow your plant some time to dry before giving it a thorough rinse. With this, you should be able to drench the entire root system until you see water flow out from the drain holes. Let the extra water drip before returning it to its safe spot.
By doing such, you are evenly hydrating the roots.
Moreover, this also helps to flush out the excess chemicals or contaminants from the soil if there are any.
Never be tempted to water your anthurium too little yet too often in fear of overwatering it. I understand your concerns, my dear. But unfortunately, this kind of technique is rather counterproductive.
Giving your plant minimal water only moistens the surface soil. But, it is not enough to actually penetrate and hydrate deep into the roots itself. Thus, you are likely creating 2 critical problems here.
First, you are dehydrating your root system. And second, you are creating the perfect damp environment for diseases on the top layer of the soil. As a result, you have an under-watered and disease-prone anthurium.
If you feel you are not confident with your watering skills yet, you can always use soil moisture meters. This simple garden tool will help you get accurate readings of the soil’s moisture levels. So, you won’t ever have to think twice whether your plant needs watering or not.
Our top picks for soil moisture meters:
Safe2m Three-Way Soil Moisture Meter
Hiraethore 3-in-1 Soil Tester Kit
New Resources Group Indoor/Outdoor Moisture Sensor Meter
Temperature for Anthurium Clarinervium
The anthurium clarinervium will do just fine in an average room temperature. To be specific, it prefers a temperature between 65°F to 73°F. Anything beyond this range tends to create problems already.
Velvet cardboard is a cold-sensitive plant. Thus, make sure not to let the temperature drop below 55°F. Otherwise, it will lead it into dormancy or worse, freeze your plant to death.
On the other end, it is also not suitable to expose your anthurium to too much heat as well. A temperature beyond 86°F can damage and burn your plant too.
Even more so, fluctuations in temperature are not beneficial for anthuriums either. Constant drastic shifts between warm and cold can cause stress to your plant. As a consequence, its growth can become delayed, leggy, and even make its leaves fall off.
Hence, it is advisable to move the location of your pot every now and then as seasons change. It would also be a lot of help to install a room thermometer in your space. This will help you keep track of the temperatures both indoors and outdoors. So, you’ll know exactly where the most conducive spot is for your plants.
Our top picks for indoor/outdoor thermometers:
Smartro Wireless Indoor Outdoor Thermometer
ThermoPro Digital Hygrometer & Thermometer
Amir Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer
Taylor Precision Products Wireless Digital Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer
Humidity
Anthurium clarinervium originated in the tropical rainforests in South and Central America. So, you can pretty much expect that this plant loves humidity. In fact, it needs at least 80% humidity to thrive best.
The velvet cardboard needs moisture in the atmosphere to promote its healthy growth. Moreover, this also keeps its lush green foliage and creamy white veins to stay vibrant.
However, it can be quite challenging to maintain this much level of moisture at home. The average humidity inside the household is around 30% to 50% only. This is the usual range we humans are comfortable to live in with.
Having a humidity level beyond 50% increases the risk of causing all sorts of problems. Health-wise, it increases the risk of developing molds and mildew which can trigger allergies. Structurally, it can stain the ceiling, rot the wooden posts, and peel off the wall paint. Those are just a few from the long list of issues you might encounter when humidity is way too high inside your home.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t also mean it is totally impossible to grow anthurium clarinervium indoors. There are other conservative techniques to improve humidity without compromising our health and safety.
First is through misting.
Spraying your plants with plain water is one effective way to raise the moisture level in the immediate surrounding. Make sure though to use a fine mist trigger spray bottle to deliver just the right amount of hydration it needs.
The second is by using a tray of pebbles.
In this method, you lay pebbles on any tray or dish plate then fill it with water. The goal here is to let the heat within the room prompt the evaporation of the water. Thereby, boosting the humidity level. As a bonus, it can also be decorative too!
Just ensure, though, that the water will not touch the bottom of the pot. Otherwise, it might drench the soil and lead to root rotting.
Lastly, you can also promote humidity when you group your plants together.
All plants undergo the process called transpiration. Part of this is that they release moisture in the air. When that happens, it increases the humidity which all of them can benefit from. Keep in mind, though, to group plants with the same level of humidity requirements.
Our top picks for humidity-boosting tools:
Jeaster Fine Mist Plant Mister Spray Bottle
T Tovia Battery Powered Garden Sprayer
Royal Imports Large Decorative Polished Pebbles
Itos365 Glossy Decorative Pebbles
Fertilizers
Anthurium clarivernium doesn’t need much fertilization. Although, it can benefit from it too when given just the right amount. A good-quality fertilizer can help the plant support its growth and strengthen its health.
You can simply use an all-purpose plant food<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> diluted to half-strength. A urea-free formulation is also a good option as it lessens the risk of burning your plants.
The application should only be done every 2 months between March to September. This is the period where your plant is actively growing. Thus, it needs all the nutrient boosts it can get from the feeding.
On the contrary, do not feed your plant during the fall and wintertime. During these seasons, plants will most likely go dormant. And so, it won’t be able to utilize and take advantage of that extra nutrition.
Feeding can also eventually cause mineral soil build-up. Hence, you should be able to give your potting soil a good rinse every 3 to 4 months. You can do this by letting the free-flowing water run into the soil and out of the drain holes for at least a minute or two. This should be enough to flush out the excess minerals that were left from previous feedings.
Our top picks for fertilizers:
Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food
Jobe’s Organics All Purpose Granular Plant Food
JR Peters Jack’s Classic All Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food
Schultz All Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food
EarthPods Premium All Purpose Formula
Pruning Anthurium Clarinervium
Once in a while, the anthurium clarinervium can benefit from pruning. Trimming off the faded foliage, leggy stems, and diseased and dead leaves can obviously improve the plant’s appearance. Most importantly, though, it also promotes healthy growth.
Some growers also foresee the flowers as of lesser value compared to its dark green foliage. Thus, it is often included when pruning. Doing so diverts the concentration of energy and nutrients toward the growth of the foliage.
The ideal time to prune your anthurium is during the springtime. This is the period where the plant is about to enter its active growing phase. Thus, it is ideal to trim out all the unwanted parts beforehand to give way for new growths.
When pruning, it is necessary to use sharp and sterilized garden shears. A well-sharpened scissors make better and cleaner cuts. Thus, giving your plant lesser trauma.
Furthermore, it is important as well to sterilize or disinfect your pruning tools before and after use. This practice helps prevent cross-contamination of potential diseases from one plant to another. You can disinfect your scissors by thoroughly washing it with soap and water. Alternately, you can also wipe the blades with at least 70% rubbing alcohol for quick cleaning.
Our top picks for pruning shears:
ClassicPro Titanium Pruning Shears
Fiskars Steel Bypass Pruning Shears
Felco Classic Manual Hand Pruner
Procircle Heavy Duty Bypass Garden Pruning Shears
Propagation of Anthurium Clarinervium
There are several ways to propagate the anthurium clarinervium. However, the most promising methods are through root division and stem cutting. Both of these techniques offer higher chances of success. Then again, it would still depend on other prevailing factors such as the type of soil used, watering, lighting, feeding, etc.
In root division
This can be simply done by taking out the entire plant from the pot. Gently loosen the soil and carefully divide its roots into 2 to 3 segments. The root systems are quite sensitive. So, take your time and do this as cautious as possible to prevent further damage to the roots.
Once separated, fill your pots with loose and well-draining soil mix. Plant the divided roots in different pots. Water the newly planted anthurium and place it under bright yet filtered lighting.
Stem cutting
On the other hand, is much less traumatizing for the plant as you only cut parts of its stalk. To do this, choose a healthy stem from new growth. Cut a few inches long from this stem. Make sure to cut at a slight angle for better water intake.
After cutting, it is a great advantage if you also use a rooting hormone to enhance its ability to grow roots faster. It comes in different forms that depend on the type of potting medium you use. To apply, generously dip the tip of your cuttings into the compound before planting into the fresh potting soil.
Alternatively, you can also opt to water propagate the stem cuttings. In such a technique, you can soak the bottom tip of your cutting into a jar of water. A dark-colored container is a good option to choose as it lessens the formation of algae. Moreover, you also need to change your water every few days.
It would take a couple of weeks for the roots to start growing. Wait for the new roots to reach about an inch or so before transferring it to a small pot of moist soil. Cover the entire stem with plastic to promote humidity. Place it in a brightly lit spot and wait for new leaves to grow from the stem.
Our top picks for rooting hormones.
Garden Safe Take Root Rooting Hormone
Miracle-Gro FastRoot1 Rooting Hormone
Maxiroot Organic Rooting Hormone Gel
Wrapping Up about Anthurium Clarinervium
The exotic-looking beauty of the anthurium clarinervium is definitely a stunner. With proper care and attention, you can make any space stand out with its charms. Thus, we hope that the details we discussed herein will help you grow your velvet cardboard plants healthy and pretty. Furthermore, take full advantage of its air-purifying properties as an added bonus.