Anthurium 'Pink Lemonade'

🌿 The Anthurium 'Pink Lemonade' is a stunning hybrid cultivar from the Araceae family, developed for its remarkable foliage that shifts through pastel gradients as it matures. Native ancestors of this plant come from the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, where they grow as epiphytes in the humid understory. This particular variety is considered an intermediate-level plant, requiring consistent attention to humidity and light but rewarding growers with impressive visual payoff. Fun fact: Anthurium leaves emerge in bright chartreuse or pale pink tones and gradually deepen into richer shades, creating a living watercolour effect in your collection.
FOLIAGE AND GROWTH HABIT
This Anthurium grows in an upright, clumping habit with large, heart-shaped leaves that can reach 20-30 cm in length at maturity. The foliage displays a gradient of pink, cream, yellow, and green tones depending on the leaf's age and light exposure. Leaves have a smooth, semi-glossy texture with prominent veining that adds dimension to each blade. New growth emerges in the palest shades before transitioning through peachy pinks and soft yellows, making every leaf a different stage in the colour story.
FLOWER DETAILS
While grown primarily for foliage, mature Anthurium 'Pink Lemonade' can produce small spadix flowers typical of the genus. The spathe is usually pale cream or greenish-white, subtle in appearance and not particularly fragrant. Flowering is infrequent indoors and secondary to the plant's main attraction—the leaves. The flowers don't add much aesthetic value compared to the dramatic foliage, but they signal a happy, well-established plant. To encourage occasional blooms, maintain stable warmth, high humidity, and bright indirect light year-round, though most growers focus energy on leaf production instead.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS

🌞 Light: Bright, indirect light for 6-8 hours daily. Avoid direct sun which can scorch leaves and fade colours. Eastern or filtered southern exposure works well.
💧 Water: Keep soil lightly moist but not soggy. Water when the top 3-5 cm feels dry, roughly once a week in summer and every 10 days in winter. Bottom watering or slow soaking prevents water from sitting on leaves.
🌡️ Humidity: Thrives in 60-80% humidity. Use a humidifier, pebble tray, or group with other plants. Low humidity causes browning leaf edges and slower growth.
🪴 Soil: Chunky, well-draining mix. Combine orchid bark, perlite, peat or coco coir, and charcoal for aeration. Avoid dense potting soil that holds too much moisture.
🏺 Potting: Use a pot with drainage holes, terracotta or plastic both work. Size up one pot size (5-7 cm wider) every 1-2 years in spring when roots fill the container.
🌱 Growth rate: Moderate. Expect 3-5 new leaves in six months under good conditions, 6-10 leaves per year. Can reach 40-60 cm tall and wide at maturity after 2-3 years.
👩‍🌾 Fertilizing: Feed every 3-4 weeks during spring and summer with diluted balanced liquid fertilizer (20-20-20 at half strength). Reduce to once every 6-8 weeks in fall and winter.
🐾 Pet friendly: No. Toxic to cats and dogs. Contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause oral irritation, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing if ingested. Keep out of reach.

WHERE TO PUT IT
Place your Anthurium 'Pink Lemonade' in a bright bathroom with a window, a humid kitchen corner, or near an east-facing window in a living room or bedroom. It works well in plant cabinets or greenhouse shelves where you can control humidity. Avoid dark hallways, dry rooms with heating vents, or spots with cold drafts near doors and windows in winter. Keep away from direct afternoon sun that will bleach the delicate pink tones. This plant does best in spaces where you can maintain stable warmth and moisture levels year-round.