Legends of many ancient cultures of the world tell the story of an unhappy girl who, out of unrequited love, threw herself into the flames. But the gods did not let her die and turned her into a flower of extraordinary beauty. This flower is called “male happiness”. A man who finds a legendary flower will find a faithful companion for life.

This legend tells the story of a fabulous flower, revered by the peoples of South and Central America for thousands of years. The name of this plant is Anthurium.

In the mid-70s of the 19th century, the French landscape designer Edouard Francois Andre drew attention to an unusual plant and sent several specimens for research to the British Royal Botanic Garden. A decade later, cultivated anthuriums were brought from Great Britain to Hawaii, where they took root well in their natural environment. And by the thirties of the twentieth century, industrial greenhouses in the state of Hawaii had reached such heights in growing these flowers that the Red Hawaiian Anthurium became the sales leader in Europe among all indoor ornamental plants.

History of appearance

In nature, there are more than 500 species of Araceae. Europeans learned about Anthurium thanks to the botanist Eduard Andre, who brought several samples to his homeland.

The description of the plant is accompanied by a beautiful legend. Colombians say that this is a gift from the gods. According to legend, the beauty of one of the villages, burned to the ground by a bloodthirsty tribe, did not want to become the concubine of the conquering leader and threw herself into the fire. The girl had a fiancé who was killed by the leader. And the bride could not imagine life without her beloved. The gods, when the flames engulfed the body of the victim, turned the girl into a beautiful flower, and a forest rose from the ashes, where there had once been a village. Clinging to the trunks of tropical trees, wonderful plants grew.

People have assigned this amazing plant several beautiful names. Some call it the Flamingo Flower, others call it the Fire Tongue. But most often they call it Men's happiness.

It is believed that this Fiery Tongue attracts prosperity. It contains divine power that heals male impotence, protects against illness and troubles, and promises success in business. According to signs, anthurium will only become a real happy talisman if it is given as a gift.

Trimming

Pruning should be done in early spring, thereby rejuvenating adult plants. Lateral and apical stems can be used for propagation.

Anthurium (Male Happiness) flower - description and cultivation

Trimming steps:

1. Remove dead lower leaves.
2. Trim off faded buds.
3. Separate the side stems with part of the root system. This must be done especially carefully.
4. Cut off the tops of the stems.

When replanting a plant, you also get rid of rotten and dry roots.

Important! Do not damage the central trunk when pruning.

Types of anthurium

The Colombian has taken root in Europe and is considered one of the most interesting plants. The flowers are graceful cups of various colors with a large spadix and can be 20 centimeters in diameter. The large leaves are shaped like an elongated heart. The exotic looks impressive and expensive.

30 species have become the most popular for breeding in apartments.

Benefits and harms

The flamingo flower not only looks impressive. Scientists have discovered beneficial properties:

• Purifies the air, significantly reducing the number of germs;
• Helps reduce formaldehyde by 8 percent;
• Frees the atmosphere from toluene and ammonia.

However, dangerous properties are also present:

• Transplantation can be done only with gloves, protecting the skin of the hands from the poisonous juice that causes burns;
• Tasting leaves and flowers is dangerous, it can cause poisoning;
• People with a tendency to allergic reactions are not recommended to grow exotic plants; they can cause an attack.

Varieties

They are distinguished into decorative flowering and decorative deciduous species.

Decorative flowering ones have large bowls, each of which can reach up to 15 centimeters in length, and the diameter of the “sail” sometimes approaches 20 centimeters. The cob is long, 15 cm. The delicate aroma will appeal to lovers of strict classics.

Decorative deciduous plants cannot boast of a long cob, but the size, color and pattern of the leaves are impressive. The leaves can reach 40 centimeters in length, are leathery and velvety, with bright veins.

What colors are there?

The variety of colors is amazing:

• White. Ideal for an original bouquet. Feature: cut flowers look fresh for two weeks. A species with glossy leaves and white bracts.
• Pink varieties. The pastel shade pleases lovers of a delicate palette. During development, the plant changes the color of the bract and spadix.
• With a peach “sail”. Just like their previous brothers, they are able to please owners by changing the shade of the bedspread.
• Red varieties. Feature: year-round flowering. These flowers are considered real “men's happiness”, making dreams come true.
• Purple anthuriums. There are lilac ones. The cob is small.
• Orange or yellow. The cob is also yellow.
• Green. The cob is yellow.

In addition to natural ones, there are artificially bred varieties:

• Black and brown.
• Blue and blue.
• Ultramarine.

There is a large selection of anthuriums. Therefore, each buyer can find a plant according to his own color preferences.

Cuttings

This is also one of the simplest and most frequently used methods. Cuttings are best done in the spring. For the operation, you need stems 15 cm or more long, which have at least 2-3 leaves. The cutting itself is a part of a stem with a leaf on it. By the way, the sheet itself can be deleted.

The cut site on the mother plant must be disinfected with ash or iodine. Leave the finished cuttings in the air for 15-20 minutes to dry. Next, we plant them in plastic cups with sphagnum moss. Don't forget to make holes in the bottom of the cups to allow water to drain.

Another option is to grow cuttings in water. But remember that the water must be warm, purified, and it must be changed every day. You can add a few drops of biostimulant to the water. Make sure that no more than 4-5 cm of the lower part of the cutting is in water or moss.

To create greenhouse conditions, cover the cups with polyethylene. We constantly check the moisture content of the sphagnum moss.

The roots usually appear after a week, and when they reach 2-3 cm in length, young anthuriums can be planted in ordinary soil. In this case, the pots must be small, otherwise the soil will turn sour and the plant will become rotten.

For more information on how to propagate anthurium by cuttings, watch the video:

What to look for when choosing a houseplant

Unscrupulous flower growers often use dye to make the leaves and “sail” acquire an incredible shade. To understand whether a plant is real or fake, you need to pay attention to the leaves. If the leaf blades have bluish veins, a dye was used, and they are trying to pass off the fake as an original, expensive hybrid.

What nuances also require attention:

• Healthy looking plant. You need to inspect the stem and leaves from the underside. If there are suspicious spots - dark, gray - it is better to refuse the purchase.
• The proportionality of the bush is a sign of a properly developing healthy plant.
• If the bush is sold in protective packaging, you need to look inside and check for rot. But this is possible if the purchase is not in an online store.
• The bush needs to be replanted. You cannot leave it in the small container in which it was sold. Leaving it in a cramped pot will doom the green beauty to illness.

The pot should have a drainage system so that moisture does not stagnate and should be moderately wide. Before transplanting, you can wrap the roots with sphagnum. For soil you should use humus, peat, sand, and fibrous soil. A ready-made substrate, which can be purchased at a gardening store, is also suitable.

Diseases, problems, pests and treatment

Anthurium can be classified as a plant with strong immunity. Therefore, he gets sick very rarely.

However, the possibility of fungal diseases exists. Home gardeners may encounter root and stem rot, powdery mildew, septoria, anthracnose, late blight and leaf spot. Fungicides in the form of ready-made sprays are suitable for treating fungi. And to avoid such diseases, do not neglect the rules of watering.

Bacterial infections are fatal to plants. This disease may be the result of damage to parts of the plant. Therefore, at the slightest scratches or cuts, the “wounded” areas should be immediately treated with activated carbon.

Among insects, Anthurium is susceptible to attack by thrips, aphids, scale insects, nematodes and scale insects. But the plant can be easily rid of parasites by treating with insecticides.

Problems in the form of sunburn, drying out, withering are associated with ignoring the rules of care. The plant will quickly come to its senses if you create the right conditions for it and follow the recommendations.

Rating of anthurium varieties for growing in an apartment in 2022

The editors of the Yanashla website have compiled a list of the best varieties of Fire Tongue for growing at home.

Blooming

Buyers leave favorable reviews about Men's Happiness, naming popular varieties of anthurium. These are bushes with beautiful bowls of various shades.

5th place: Andreanum

Sold at a price of 1099 rubles.

Epiphyte with a shortened stem, leathery leaves and a 15-centimeter peduncle. Height – 50 cm. “Blanket” in the shape of a heart. The flowers are red and glossy. With good care, the Fire Tongue can grow up to a meter in height.

Anthurium Andreanum

Advantages:

• Spring flowering period, but may continue flowering in other months;
• Sun-loving;
• Medium height;
• Bright shades of flowers.

Flaws:

• Requires high air humidity.

4th place: Scherzer

Costs 499 rubles.

Exotic is 30 cm tall. It differs from its counterparts in its small size and special cob shape. The curled red or orange “finger” grows up to 8 centimeters in length. The bract is thick, round, orange in color. The leaves are pointed, dense, dark green.

Anthurium Scherzer

Advantages:

• Blooming flowers last three months;
• Up to 8 flowers grow on one “bush”;
• Delicate aroma;
• Unpretentious.

Flaws:

• Low.

Bronze: Amaretti

The average price is 1500 rubles.

The original coloring - a snow-white inflorescence with red splashes - is the main trump card of this representative of epiphids. The “sail” is multi-colored, there are shades of orange, red, green and yellow.

Anthurium Amaretti

Advantages:

• Beautiful flowers;
• Long flowering;
• Lots of flowers.

Minuses:

• Heat-loving;
• Requires high humidity.

"Silver": Cyrano

Sold at a price of 1040 rubles.

The best manufacturers continually offer flower growers new products. Cirano is one of them. Low bush with small flowers. The bedspread is dark burgundy. To decorate a small room, such a compact natural decorative ornament is just right.

Anthurium Cyrano

Pros:

• Convenient for small spaces;
• Not afraid of temperature changes;
• Unpretentious;
• The original shade of “sails”.

Flaws:

• The flowers are not large.

Gold: Utah

Costs 1500 rubles.

A bright representative of garden hybrids. Grows up to half a meter in height. It has leaves of a juicy herbaceous color. The purple glossy “sail” with a purple cob amazes even experienced flower growers. The bedspread can change shade over time.

Anthurium Utah

Advantages:

• Large bowls with a diameter of up to 15 centimeters;
• Unusual color;
• Flowering all year round;
• Doesn't require a lot of light;
• Not difficult to cultivate.

Minuses:

• Requires 80 percent humidity;
• Doesn't like temperature changes.

Deciduous

The view cannot please you with outlandish flowers of unprecedented size and beauty. But the plants have large, strong leaves, on which intricate patterns are drawn with veins. There are small and giant flowers, and each finds its place in the interior.

4th position: Climbing

The average price is 180 rubles.

A native of the tropical forest, where he clung to the bark of trees, he does not change his habits in the apartment. It tends upward and grows up to a meter in height. It has dense narrow leaves up to 10 centimeters in length. “Sail” is nondescript and green. The ear is pale green. The decoration is provided by berries – white-bluish or white-brownish.

Anthurium climbing

Pros:

• Original interior decoration;
• Does not require special attention.

Minuses:

• Ugly spadix and faded bract.

3rd place: Hookera

Sold at a price of 300 rubles.

The largest of the family. It fully justifies the nickname “bird’s nest” - just look at the rosettes of the bush. The plates are ribbed, up to a meter long. The bush itself grows up to 60 centimeters. A giant with a 30-centimeter inflorescence will look ridiculous in a small room, but will feel like a king in a spacious room.

Hooker's anthurium

Advantages:

• A deep container is not required, since the bush has small roots;
• Interesting view;
• Inexpensive.

Flaws:

• Requires a very humid climate, more than 90 percent;
• Does not like low and too high temperatures;
• It grows up to two meters in height, so it is more suitable for rooms with high ceilings.

2nd position: Crystal

The average price is 1000 rubles.

Large-leaved anthuriums have always attracted attention. This exotic is special because it has heart-shaped plates with a velvety surface. There are silver veins on it, the bush seems to have a crystal shine. The inflorescences are small, so the main decoration is the unusual, captivatingly beautiful leaves.

Anthurium Crystal

Advantages:

• Original leaves;
• Can be grown from seeds.

Flaws:

• Inconspicuous inflorescences;
• Afraid of temperature changes;
• Requires high indoor humidity, up to 90 percent.

1 position: Majestic

Costs 750 rubles.

Representative of large-leaved plants. Wide velvet plates reach a length of up to 50 centimeters. The leaves have a pattern of white veins. The ear is dark purple.

Anthurium Majestic

Pros:

• Interesting appearance;
• Fast growth.

Minuses:

• Afraid of temperature changes;
• Requires high humidity.

Leaf propagation

This type of propagation is only suitable for some varieties of anthurium that have thick veins on the leaves. For example, Scherzer's anthurium, Andre, leathery.

For the operation, we cut off the leaf with part of the cutting. Next, roll it up into a tube and lightly tie it with an elastic band. We plant this tube 2/3 of the way into a mixture of peat and sand and cover it with a plastic bag.

We provide greenhouse conditions for planting, ventilate daily and spray with a root formation stimulator. After about 3 weeks, a sprout should appear from the funnel, and after another month the young anthurium can be planted in regular soil.

Where to buy Men's happiness

The original sample can be purchased at the nearest flower shop, but prices there are steep. Inexpensive indoor plants are offered by nurseries that specialize in growing varieties. In the online store of the manufacturing company, you can select the desired variety, see what the bush looks like, what color the cob and “sail” are. The characteristics always include parameters such as growth, length and width of leaves, length of the cob, and shape of the bract. The frequency of flowering is indicated, as well as what atmosphere should be created for the comfortable development of “flamingos”.

From which manufacturer is it better to purchase a product and which seller should you contact - in the list compiled according to the editors of Yanashl:

• Russian vegetable garden.

The company has been operating since 1991. I started out selling gladioli bulbs. It is considered one of the leaders in Russia in the production and sale of seeds. At the scientific base in Shchelkovo, plants are grown for breeding studies and the cultivation of hybrids and varieties for sale.

• Rene van Schie Plants.

Dutch family company. The nursery has existed since 1920. First experience - growing French geranium. Today potted anthurium is the main product.

• Houwenplant.

Dutch company. Known since 1974. He has been growing anthuriums since 2008. The company is one of the main market leaders in the sale of this crop.

• Flamingo-Plant VOF.

Another Dutch company engaged in breeding and selling potted anthuriums. Known since 2013.

• 7 colors.

Russian distributor. The company specializes in the delivery of flowers and plants from the USA, Europe, Colombia, Japan and other countries.

• World of plants.

Family business opened in 2004. Has direct supplies from England, France, Germany, and Russian nurseries.

Having decided on the manufacturer and seller, you can place an order on the website on the Internet.

2.Description

Anthurium is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant that forms a low stem . The leaf petioles are long and thin.

The leaves are dark green, glossy, heart-shaped, with deep leaf veins diverging from the base. In some varieties of anthurium, the leaf veins are highlighted in a lighter shade. The edges of the leaf plates are solid.

During the flowering period, plants form low thin peduncles , on top of which there are inflorescences - cobs with small yellow, orange or greenish flowers.

The main decoration of plants during the flowering period are the spathes surrounding the inflorescences. In different varieties, the bedspreads can be colored red, pink, purple, greenish or white.

Height of indoor anthurium . Up to 50 cm ; more compact forms of house plants have modest sizes and reach 30 cm; anthuriums develop slowly. Tall stems may need to be trimmed.

↑ Up,

How to care for a flower

Having purchased Male Happiness, you need to choose the right diet, light and shadow for the plant.

Daily rules

• The place is chosen so that the sun does not get too hot. It is better to place the pot where there are scattered rays. This way there will be a lot of light, but the leaves will not get burned. The ideal option is in partial shade.
• Temperature range: 20-27 degrees. In such an atmosphere, the green Colombian will bloom. In winter, when a state of rest sets in, a slight coolness of at least 15 degrees Celsius is sufficient.
• The room should be well ventilated, but without drafts, which will cause plant disease.
• Ideal humidity is 70 percent. After all, the homeland of exotics is tropical forests. Europe has a different climate, but you can artificially create an acceptable atmosphere by placing a humidifier in the room with a proud Colombian. You can use leaf wipes and spraying.
• Watering should be frequent. Usually in the summer - every other day, in the winter - once every three days. Use filtered or settled water. Water temperature is room temperature.
• For better development of the plant, without canceling traditional watering, gardeners advise placing the pot in a container filled with water for a quarter of an hour once every seven days.
• Using a spray bottle, you cannot irrigate the entire bush, touching the bowl with the “sail”. You need a damp cloud nearby.
• Fertilize twice a month. You can use orchid fertilizer. Prepare a solution by taking a gram of product onto a sheet of water and water it.

When caring for an exotic beauty, it is important to keep the soil moist, but not to allow waterlogging, otherwise the roots will begin to rot and the Fire Tongue will die.

Advice from gardeners on preparing plants for winter hibernation

In order for the plant to have a long sleep until spring, you need to prepare an exotic plant. Remove dried flowers using pruning shears. Create a temperature in the room not lower than 15, but not higher than 21 degrees Celsius. Watering should be done every three days. No fertilizing is needed in winter. Let the bush sleep peacefully so that with the arrival of spring it can begin to prepare for a new flowering.

Proper care will help maintain the health of Men's happiness.

If you have experience buying and growing anthurium, leave a comment. Your recommendations will help guests of the Yanashla website both choose an original flower and take proper care of it.

Home care

Lighting

In order for Anthurium to constantly delight with flowers, it must be provided with bright but diffused light. The plant will live in the shade, but will not produce flowers.

Temperature

The temperature for keeping Anthurium should be stable, without fluctuations and cold drafts. The ideal temperature range is from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius.

Watering and humidity

Water for watering Anthurium should be settled, or preferably filtered, at room temperature. The frequency of watering depends on the room temperature and the speed of soil drying. As a rule, watering 2 times a week is considered the norm. If excess water flows into the tray under the pot, it must be drained immediately.

The air humidity near the Anthurium pot should be high. To ensure that the aerial roots, stems and foliage are constantly provided with moisture, the top layer of soil in the pot should be covered with sphagnum and moistened regularly. The plant also needs to be sprayed, but so that water does not get on the flowers.

The soil

The substrate must be neutral or slightly acidic. The soil must have good air and water permeability.

The best composition of the earth mixture consists of unsifted leaf soil, river sand, humus and peat (1: 0.5: 2: 1).

In addition to a good drainage layer of expanded clay, it is worth mixing moss, crushed charcoal, ground pine cones and ceramic fragments into the soil mixture itself.

Fertilizers

If the goal is year-round flowering, then Anthurium will have to be fed constantly. Any ready-made mineral or organic mixtures are suitable for fertilizer. Additives are added to the soil once every two weeks.

Transfer

Anthurium roots grow wide, so containers for this plant should be wide enough.

During the first years of a flower’s life, it needs to be replanted once a year. The best time is the beginning of spring. Mature plants practically do not grow, so replacing the pot is not required earlier than once every 2-3 years.

Dividing the bush

This method is used only if the mother plant has reached the age of 3–4 years. Dividing the bush and planting the shoots is done in mid-spring, and the step-by-step process looks like this:

1. half an hour before the start of the event, the mother bush is spilled generously with water;
2. the plant is removed from the substrate, shaken slightly, excess soil is removed and the roots are carefully unraveled;
3. if during unraveling some root shoots were damaged, then the wounds are immediately sprinkled with activated carbon or cinnamon;
4. The plant must be divided in such a way that each part has a growing point and at least one leaf;
5. rotted and severely damaged root shoots must be removed, leaving only healthy and viable ones;
6. before rooting the shoots, they are left for 50–60 minutes in the open air to lightly dry the roots;
7. shoots should be planted in such a way that the roots are buried exactly to the depth at which they were located in the old pot, being part of one plant;
8. shoots that are too tall are tied to a support, which should be stuck into the substrate in advance - before planting the flower;
9. for 2–3 months, new plants are sprayed weekly with Epin, Kornevin or Heteroauxin.