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Anthurium, brown spots on leaves


Question
I have an Anthurium that is about 7 months old and bloomed for several months.  It stopped blooming a few months ago and now has brown, dry looking spots of different sizes on the leaves.  Any idea what is causing that?

Answer
Anthuriums grow and bloom best under bright light -- but not direct sun.

Like most flowering plants, they respond to extra doses of Phosphorous in their diet to support flower production.  Holding back on either of these requirements will trigger plant protest with smaller flowers, or no flowers at all.  Did you move your Anthurium recently?  Turned on the a/c? Revved up the central heating?  What has changed?

As regards leaf spotting, there are several possible causes -- without seeing a picture I can't give you with absolute certainty the cause, but I can tell you that these kind of symptoms almost always boils down to moisture problems.  Over- or under-watering and low humidity -- too low, at least, for the plant with the problem -- can be corrected, and leaves will recovery quickly.  Leaves of course need to be in tiptop shape or blooming will suffer, although blooming would tend to slow down gradually, not abruptly as seems to be the case here.  It would definitely contribute.

Make sure your Anthurium dries out between waterings.  Good pot drainage is critical for potted plants, which have nowhere to go if water is keeping Oxygen from reaching roots and aerobic bacteria and fungi.  Standing water is very bad for roots -- and anything that damages roots will keep water from reaching the leaves.  This includes overwatering, which destroys root fibers by depriving them on Oxygen.  Water should be room temperature or slightly warmer, not cold and not hot.  Watering too little will also do damage.  What system have you been using?  Did that change?  A new pot, perhaps?

Fertilizer burn sears roots and shows up as brown edges on leaves or, in severe cases, complete wilting.  Instead of the plant taking in water, or not taking water, it actually loses water -- as though you took a blow torch to the roots and removed moisture from the leaves, stems and roots.  The 'spots of different sizes' is not that kind of problem.  But watch your fertilizing anyway -- too much of a good thing is too much.

More Phosphorous in the diet and careful watering/moisture  monitoring will almost certainly improve your plant's condition.  Dramatically.  Keep me posted.

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