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The anthurium is a tropical native grown mostly as a houseplant in North America’s cooler areas and as a landscaping plant in USDA zones 10 or higher. Common names for anthurium include flamingo flower, flamingo lily, painter’s palette, and tailflower. Plant lovers like its shiny, dark green leaves, bright flower spathes, and low maintenance needs when grown indoors.
Known for its striking spathes and shiny leaves, anthurium is grown most often as a houseplant and cut flower. What looks to be the flower of the anthurium is actually a spathe, a modified leaf that surrounds the spadix. On the spadix are the small, tightly clustered flowers.
The spathe is large, waxy, and usually bright red. You can now find varieties with white, salmon, pink, or even greenish spathes. Anthurium produces long-lasting flowers and blooms throughout the year.
The peter on a platter plant, also known as Anthurium andraeanum or flamingo flower, is one of the most popular tropical houseplants. With its vibrant, heart-shaped red bracts and glossy green leaves, it’s easy to see why this plant has become so iconic. Here’s everything you need to know about growing and caring for this tropical stunner.
What is the Peter on a Platter Plant?
The peter on a platter’s botanical name is Anthurium andraeanum. It’s also commonly called the flamingo flower or painted tongue plant. This tropical beauty is native to Colombia and Ecuador in South America and is part of the Araceae family, which includes philodendrons, pothos and other aroids.
The plant is characterized by its glossy, heart-shaped red bracts (modified leaves) and spike-like yellow spadix which contains the true flowers The common name “peter on a platter” refers to the shape of the plant’s flower, with the spadix protruding from the red bract looking like the apostle Peter on a platter Its lipstick-red bracts make it a popular houseplant and cut flower. There are over 1000 hybrids and cultivars available today with bracts in shades of white, pink, purple and more.
Growing the Peter on a Platter Plant
Anthuriums thrive in warm, humid conditions with bright, indirect sunlight. Here are some key tips for growing these tropical beauties:
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Light: Bright, indirect light is ideal. Avoid direct sunlight which can burn leaves.
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Water: Water when the top few inches of soil becomes dry. Take care not to overwater.
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Humidity Mist leaves daily or use a pebble tray to boost humidity. Ideal levels are 60-70%.
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Temperature: Ideal range is 70-86°F. Avoid cold drafts.
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Soil: Use a well-draining potting mix, or orchid potting mix.
Anthuriums bloom almost continuously in the right conditions. Their blooms can last for weeks or months at a time! Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer during spring and summer.
These tropical plants also make excellent houseplants. Their lush foliage and bright flowers add a touch of the tropics to any indoor space. Place them in a bright area away from direct sunlight for best results indoors.
Caring for Your Peter on a Platter
Caring for anthuriums is easy when you fulfill a few basic needs. Be sure to:
- Water only when the top inch of soil has dried out
- Mist leaves daily to increase humidity
- Avoid temperature extremes (keep between 60-80°F)
- Repot every 2-3 years in spring using fresh potting mix
- Wipe leaves regularly to keep dust-free and shiny
- Remove dead leaves and spent flowers promptly
Anthuriums are sensitive to salts and chemicals, so avoid over-fertilizing. Use a diluted liquid fertilizer at half strength every 4-6 weeks during spring and summer.
The Striking Peter on a Platter
With its vibrant red bracts and elegant foliage, the peter on a platter plant provides a striking accent in any indoor space. For best results, provide this tropical plant with warm, humid conditions and bright, indirect sunlight. Avoid overwatering and let the soil dry out partially between waterings. With the right care, this iconic tropical plant will thrive indoors!
Which other houseplants have you found to be must-haves? I’d love to hear your favorites in the comments!
Soil for Anthurium Plants
Good anthurium care includes using a potting mix that’s loose and drains very well. In its native range, anthurium grows epiphytically without soil, so a very loose potting mix is important. A good blend is half potting mix and half perlite. Another option is a combination of cactus and orchid soil mix.
You can easily get away with never fertilizing an anthurium plant and it will still bloom, but to get more flowers, use a standard fertilizer once every few months diluted to quarter strength. For the best blooms, use a fertilizer that has a higher phosphorus number (the middle number on fertilizer).
If you live in a climate where anthurium can grow outdoors, plant it in a well-drained location. Anthurium plants don’t like continually moist soil.
How to Care For Anthurium Plants
Anthurium plant care is fairly easy, which is one reason it is a popular houseplant. It’s not for every home, though, as anthurium is highly toxic to humans and pets. If you have pets or small children, reconsider growing anthurium, or keep it out of reach.
Let your anthurium’s soil or potting mix dry out between waterings. Only water an anthurium when the soil is dry to the touch. The plant is susceptible to root rot, so too much water can cause the roots to die. The soil should be lightly moist and drain very well for the best results. Anthurium also thrives best in humid conditions. If your home is dry, use a pebble tray under the planter or mist the entire plant with water regularly.
Don’t overwater, but don’t allow the plant to become too dry in a pot, either. This will slow down its growth making the rootball difficult to re-wet. If the rootball becomes too dry in the pot, soak the entire pot for an hour to rehydrate it.
The best light for anthurium plants is bright and indirect. Place it by a bright window with another plant or sheer curtains to filter the light. It will tolerate low light but will not bloom as prolifically. Too much direct light can scorch the leaves.Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
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Anthurium General Care Tips
FAQ
How to care for an anthurium plant?
To care for an Anthurium, provide it with bright, indirect light, well-draining soil, and moderate watering.
What outdoor plant has Peter in the name?
Thriving in well-drained soils under full sun, ‘Peter Cottontail‘ is a hardy perennial that withstands drought conditions once established, making it a low-maintenance choice for various garden settings.
Where is the best place to put an anthurium?
Anthurium need plenty of indirect light, so do best on north-, north-east, or north-west facing windowsills. Never place an anthurium more than 1.5m from a window as this will be too shady for them. Wipe dust from the leaves regularly to ensure they receive as much light as possible.May 15, 2025
Is anthurium a good indoor plant?
In USDA Zones 10 and higher, anthurium can thrive outdoors as a landscape plant. But it’s best known as an indoor plant for most gardeners.
Is Peter Pan a lily?
Even though the word, lily, is used in many of the plant’s common names, ‘Peter Pan, ‘ it is not a true lily. Is Agapanthus an annual or perennial? These rhizomatous plants are perennial. Agapanthus Africanus (ag-uh-PANTH-us af-ri-KAHN-us) is the official name of this plant.
What do Peter Pan lilies look like?
Agapanthus ‘Peter Pan’ (African Lily) is an attractive dwarf herbaceous perennial boasting rounded clusters of trumpet-shaped, light blue flowers, each petal with a darker mid-vein. They rise on stiff, upright stalks atop clumps of beautiful, narrow, strap-shaped leaves. The foliage remains attractive when the plant is not in bloom.
What is Agapanthus Peter Pan?
The common names for Agapanthus Peter Pan include: Dwarf Lily of the Nile is a quick and vigorous grower and can attain a height of around 18″ inches. Individual plants may attain a spread of a couple of feet. The evergreen, strap-like, narrow green leaves have an attractive, mounding growth habit that looks nice, even when no flowers are present.
How long does a lily of the Nile Peter Pan take to grow?
The evergreen, strap-like, narrow green leaves have an attractive, mounding growth habit that looks nice, even when no flowers are present. This is a good thing because it may take three or more years for Lily of the Nile Peter Pan to become established and begin to bloom. Foliage dies back during the plants’ dormant period.
Is Peter Pan invasive?
Many kinds of Agapanthus are considered invasive in favorable settings, such as in Australia. But Peter Pan is not one of them because it is a hybrid. Even so, if you live in an area where this plant is winter hardy and will spread on its own, keep an eye on it. Don’t let it spread outside of your property.
Does African lily Peter Pan grow in shade?
NOTE: Plants that start out producing purple blooms may eventually begin to produce white blooms. The reason for this is unclear. In very hot climates, African Lily Peter Pan likes to have partial shade in the afternoon. In moderate climates, it does well in full sun. This plant is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8-11.