23 Fascinating Anthurium regale Care Tips Indoor Growers Should Know

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Anthurium regale, much like its name sounds, is a majestic-looking plant that is a striking addition to any indoor grower’s collection. While a bit more challenging to grow than some plants, these plants will thrive with the proper care.

We’ll go through this Anthurium’s care needs in further detail in this post so you may confidently raise this beautiful plant.

If you want to buy an Anthurium regale, we have a few reasonable options for you to explore. Continue reading to learn more about this Anthurium’s exciting attributes.

What Is Anthurium regale?

The Anthurium regale, also known as laceleaf or the flamingo flower plant, is a perennial in environments free of frost. 

It is well-known for its large, velvety, heart-shaped leaves and beautiful yellow-white veins.

The aroid belongs to the section called Cardiolonchium, which includes plants with velutinous leaf blades that look velvety on the leaf surface.

They thrive in temperate and warm regions, and healthy plants should have a robust root system.

Origin And Family

The laceleaf belongs to the Anthurium (Aroid) genus and the Araceae family. These indoor plants come from Peru, specifically the tropical region near the edge of the Andes Mountains.

Considered one of the most beautiful anthuriums, the regale was identified in 1888, and it’s a terrific addition to any indoor grower’s collection. It is grown for its foliage instead of its flowers, unlike some anthuriums.

Are Anthurium regales Rare Plants?

Anthurium Regales, also called tail flowers and flamingo flower plants, are considered rare, which is often why these plants are more expensive than other plants, including other Anthuriums.

That said, as they’ve increased in popularity in recent years, more growers – both professionals and hobbyists – are growing and selling this plant. So the price is expected as the demand drives the supply.

In other words, we can likely expect more Anthurium Regales, with their beautiful leathery leaves in the coming years.

I have grown this Anthurium regale from a nodal cutting. The first two leaves it pushed were imperfect. This is the third leaf and all I can see is perfection. Happy Tuesday! #anthuriumregale #anthurium #aroid #araceae #plants #plantphotography pic.twitter.com/6wVykLlu4X

— Bom Gomez (@PlantChaser) August 31, 2021

Anthurium Regale For Sale

You can buy A. regale through Etsy, one of the best places to buy houseplants online, but we should warn you – the price is steep. You can expect to pay between $100 and $300+ for a mature Anthurium regale plant.

Interested in Anthuriums? Check out our complete guide on How To Care For Anthuriums.

Anthurium regale Plant Size

The houseplant Anthurium regale Linden can grow up to 5-8 feet tall with leaves measuring up to 46 inches long wide. When placed about three feet from an east or south-facing window, it’s a moderate grower that you can expect to enjoy for years to come. 

How Do You Care For Anthurium Regale?

Your Anthurium regale, like any other houseplant, grows well when it’s taken care of. The flamingo flower loves filtered-sun, and requires slightly damp (but not wet) soil to grow well.

While the weather may cause watering needs to vary, you should typically water your Monstera when the top layer of the soil is dry – usually one to two times a week during the warmer months. 

Similarly, in terms of light, this beautiful plant needs bright indirect light (about 75% direct light) to keep it growing well.

For more specific suggestions, check out the detailed care tips below.

Is Anthurium Regale Easy?

In terms of difficulty, the Anthurium regale is moderately complex to grow. You may not need to be an expert grower to raise this Anthurium, but I don’t recommend this plant for beginners.

Since these plants are so expensive, there isn’t a lot of room for error. The primary considerations for this tropical plant are the light and water requirements. 

How Fast Does Anthurium Regale Grow?

Most Anthurium (Aroid) species, including the regale, are moderately fast growers. Some indoor growers call them slow growers, but they should grow quickly with proper light and water.

That said, a good rule of thumb is that the larger the leaves, the longer the plant takes to grow. Since the regale has such large, regal leaves, it takes a longer time to grow than some Anthuriums.

The Anthurium growing season is from the spring to fall, and you can expect new growth and a new leaf about every three months.

Potting

In terms of container size, a small plant with a single leaf really only needs a pot that’s 5 inches in diameter. A larger plant with a few stems and leaves should have a 10 inch pot.  It is usually acceptable to use a pot at least 20% wider than the diameter of the previous pot container.

We should note that some growers recommend using more bottomless pots that allow for roots to stabilize in the container, keeping the giant plant above the soil sturdy.

A clay or plastic pot works fine for this Anthurium, assuming they have drainage holes. If you don’t have those, I highly recommend you add them to help prevent root rot.

#AnthuriumRegale 🤴 pic.twitter.com/XBADUnQatx

— Acxp ✨ (@xnxthxrmxthxr95) April 18, 2021

Repotting

It’s vital to repot the regale when roots are circling on the surface of your soil. This means that it’s past time to switch your plant to a larger container. Typically, you want to repot every two years during the spring months.

Another reason to repot your flamingo flower is if you think it has root rot, it can seriously damage or kill the plant.

Soil

For the laceleaf, well-draining soil high in organic material is a suitable choice. An orchid mix would be a good option if you’re purchasing commercially.

 If you’re making your own potting mix, consider a combination of potting soil, perlite, sphagnum moss, charcoal, and orchid bark if you plan to make your own. Sandy soils also work fine.

Remember that regale prefers a slightly damp (but not wet) growth medium, and your soil should accommodate this.

We recommend the following potting mixes:

The well-draining soil high in organic material should also allow for proper drainage, which helps to keep root rot and other diseases at bay. This moderately tricky plant prefers a well-drained soil or mix.

pH

Anthurium regale wants a very slightly acidic to neutral pH between 6.5-7. Most potting soils will already be close to this range. If you’re having troubles with your Anthurium and are troubleshooting, I wouldn’t start with the pH. Overwatering and incorrect lighting are much more common issues. If you’ve adjusted these variables and still haven’t seen results, then you should consider a ph test for this plant.

Water Requirements Of Anthuriums

Our Anthurium regale prefers a lightly damp (but not wet) growing medium. When the top layer of the soil is dry – usually one to two times a week during the warmer months, It’s time to water the soil.

Anthuriums are a little finicky around tap water and cold water. Ideally, use distilled or filtered water at room temperature for these plants. If that isn’t readily available, you can use tap water, but let it sit out for 24 hours – enough time for any chemicals to escape. While not required, I like to water my plants in the early morning.

Remember, Anthuriums are fine in moist soils as long as the growing medium has proper drainage.

Light

This houseplant prefers bright indirect light (about 75% direct light) for approximately 6-8 hours a day. Too much direct sunlight, and you’ll notice wilting or browning on the leaves and stem. It likely won’t flower if you don’t have enough light, and the leaves may turn yellow.

If you’re worried your Anthurium regale or other house plants aren’t getting enough light, you may need to move them closer to a window – change the window – or consider using artificial lights.

Fertilizer

You don’t need to fertilize Anthurium regale very often, as too much is harmful. But twice a year, from spring to fall, you should apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer (reduced to about 1/2 strength).

During winter, you shouldn’t fertilize, as it’s unnecessary – and potentially harmful for the plant.

Propagating Anthurium regale Through Stem Cuttings

Take a mature Anthurium plant and use sterile pruners to cut six inches of the stem with at least two leaves. You don’t want to remove more than 1/3 of the mother plant!

Using a medium-sized pot, fill it with a well-draining soil – high in perlite, sphagnum moss, and orchid bark.

Gently push your cutting into the soil about three inches deep. Add about an inch more of soil around the cutting.

Place the indirect cutting light and use a humidifier to create a condition that’s at least 60% humid.

The regale is a little slower to propagate than some plants. It can take up to six weeks to produce roots. 

To maintain light exposure to the whole plant, rotate it, which will help reduce legginess.

Humidity And Aeration

Anthurium regale or flamingo flower is a regal perennial in environments free of frost that prefers moderate to high – often between 60-80%. You’re aiming to mimic the natural humidity level of the rainforest, which they would experience.

If you’re concerned about low humidity or see brown edges on your plants, a humidifier is the best way to increase humidity. Our family just purchased this home humidifier, and it improved the moisture in our entire home drastically. Here are some great home humidifier options, which are perfect if you have several tropical plants.

Temperature For Anthurium Regale

Warm temperatures are preferable for your laceleaf plant, thriving in a temperature range of 60-80 – the average temperature of the region they naturally grow.

It can usually survive in slightly cooler temperatures, but an extended period in this environment may stunt the plant’s growth or hurt its dark-green leaves. Under no circumstances should it be left in cold weather.

Flowers

The Anthurium regale can produce an insignificant green spathe – which is not the flower but a modified leaf or bract. The actual flowers look small to the visible eye. 

Toxic

The Flamingo flower is toxic to humans, dogs, and cats. 

The plant is considered non-life-threatening in most situations – unless large amounts of the plant are consumed. 

But that’s pretty unlikely, as the symptoms, including drooling, face irritation, decreased appetite, oral pain, and vomiting, should cause the pet or person to stop eating the leaves.

Always contact your veterinarian or poison control if a pet or person, respectively, has eaten this plant.

Pests, Diseases, And common problems

Unfortunately, the laceleaf is not a disease and pest-resistant plant and is especially vulnerable to Xanthomonas-bacterial blight and black nose disease.

Below is a list of common problems for this tropical houseplant.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are an unfortunate but common problem, especially with laceleaf. At first, spider mite damage will appear as tiny brown or yellow spots on the Anthurium ‘s leaves.

To combat spider mites on your Anthurium regale, spray it down with water from a sink nozzle. From there, add an insecticidal soap to the leaves.

Scale Insects

Scale insects are a common Anthurium regale pest. Once attached to a plant, the bugs, which come in green, gray, brown, and black colors, usually stay put.

If your infestation isn’t bad, you can use a teaspoon of neem oil in four cups of water to help discourage fresh scale insects from attacking the regale.

While neem oil and other horticultural oils will not kill everything, they will do some damage. There are numerous insecticide sprays for laceleaf that are regarded safe for use in treating this.

Aphids

Aphids can often be identified by yellowing and deformed leaves, reduced growth, and an ugly black sticky material on the plant. Aphids feed on Anthurium regale, and in extreme situations, the plant dies. They exude a sticky liquid called honeydew as they feed, which quickly infests with black sooty mold.

Fill a spray bottle halfway with a solution of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and water, as directed on the label. Spray the solution on the plants while keeping the sprayer at least 18 inches away from the plant to avoid damage.

Root Rot

Root rot is a significant threat to laceleaf, which is caused by overwatering. It would be best if you only watered about once or twice a week during the growing season. In winter, you can water even less. 

More watering than this can easily cause root rot, which can kill the plant. If you fear you’ve caused root rot, start by limiting your watering. 

hiii please enjoy my new plants with me 🥲🥰 anthurium warocqueanum and anthurium regale 🌞 pic.twitter.com/LgTlIN43s6

— ☥☾ stef (@kn0ckturn) November 6, 2021

Similar Plants

There are many similar Anthurium plants that we recommend. Here are some other great options.

Anthurium clarinervium: This gorgeous aroid, sometimes known as Velvet Cardboard, features dark green leaves with dramatic veins. It looks similar to the crystallinum, except with larger leaves. 

Anthurium warocqueanum: Also called Queen Anthurium, this gorgeous plant has dark-green velvety leaves with silvery-white veins.

Anthurium andraeanum: The andraeanum, also known as Flamingo Lilies or Painter’s Palette, is notable for its long-lasting vivid red flowers and a yellow spadix.

Anthurium magnificum: As the name implies, the magnificum is magnificent. It features leathery-textured big dark green leaves. This Anthurium looks suspiciously like a crystallinum. To observe the difference, I need to compare them side by side.

Conclusion

The Anthurium regale is an excellent choice for plant enthusiasts, mainly due to its enormous leaves and beautiful yellow-white veins.

Yes, it’s moderately difficult, requiring bright indirect light, high humidity and lightly damp soil, but don’t let that stop you!

If you want to beef up your plant collection, use this guide and begin seeing incredible Anthurium growth today!

Let's grow together!