How to Care for An Anthurium Clarinervium
The Anthurium Clarinervium (also known as ‘Velvet Cardboard’ Anthurium) is known for its large, velvet-textured emerald leaves and whitish veins. It is praised by all plant lovers worldwide and is usually the star of any plant collection.
Whether you’re just starting your plant collection or have loved plants for a while, this tropical beauty might need some attention initially. But don’t worry! Once you get what it needs, it will thrive in your space!
This guide will help you grow your own Anthurium Clarinervium to its full potential.
| Scientific Name | Anthurium Clarinervium |
| Common Name | Velvet Cardboard Anthurium |
| Light | Medium indirect sunlight |
| Watering | Water when the top half of the soil is dry |
| Temperature | 68 to 80ºF (20 to 26ºC) |
| Humidity | At least 50%, 60-70% is the ideal one |
| Soil Type | Orchid mix, coconut coir, and perlite |
| Fertilizing | A balanced feed once a month in spring and summer |
| Repotting | Every 2 years |
| Propagation | By division, or from seed |
| Mature Size | 80 cm to 1.5 meters in total height |
All About Anthurium Clarinervium
Coming from the deep jungles of Mexico and Chiapas, the Anthurium Clarinervium is a perennial plant belonging to the Aroids family. You will find it there growing as an epiphyte, climbing on big trees, or growing on rocks and stones as a lithophyte.
The plant grows large heart-shaped leaves in tones of emerald green with silver veins in the background. It stays relatively small to the foliage and reaches approximately 0.8 to 1.5 meters in total height.
It was considered rare at first, but now it is becoming popular with plant lovers worldwide due to its rising popularity on social media.
How To Care For Anthurium Clarinervium
Lighting & Placement
Considering its natural conditions in the forest, the Clarinervium prefers medium indirect light. This means that you can place it near a window, but not so close enough for the sun rays to hit the leaves directly. Direct sunlight will cause leaf scorch.
For best results, choose an east corner in your house so that the Anthurium can enjoy the nice early sunrise and the beautiful medium indirect light till sunset.
Watering
You should always keep the soil nice and moist – never let it dry out. By dipping your fingers into the soil, you can check whether the 2 top inches are dry, and then you can water it.
It is best to follow this regime instead of creating a weekly watering schedule. By checking the soil, you learn firsthand whether the plant needs additional water.
Water the plant thoroughly by letting it pass multiple times. This makes sure that the water flows equally in all parts of the soil.
If you are unsure how much water you need, you can try bottom watering the plant: fill up ⅓ of a bowl with water and place the pot inside. Let it rest for about 20 minutes; the plant will absorb as much water as it needs from the bottom.
Soil & Potting
Selecting the right soil mix for the Anthurium Clarinervium can be tricky, but no worries- we got you covered!
Since it is a tropical plant, this Anthurium needs well-drained soil that flushes out the extra water while retaining the necessary moisture and oxygen to the roots. Coconut coir is a wonderful choice in this case.
Clarinerviums, just like Monsteras, enjoy acidic soil (pH levels close to 6.5). Feel free to add some orchid mix and pine bark in there. To ensure the soil retains the necessary moisture, use perlite as a final step.
The right soil mix for your Anthurium Clarinervium consists of ⅓ coconut coir, ⅓ orchid mix/ pine bark, and ⅓ perlite.
Feel free to use gravel, pumice, or even some charcoal in there if you want to. Mix the ingredients, and don’t be too skeptical about the proportions. You can always add some more if you feel that is necessary.
Temperature & Humidity Needs
The Anthurium Clarinervium requires warm temperatures indoors, from 68 to 80ºF (20 to 26ºC). With each season change, you will observe some dry leaves now and then, but that is normal.
Make sure you place the plant where the temperature can remain steady all year round. If the temperature changes suddenly, the leaves will start fading, and the plant will look pale.
In regards to humidity, this Anthurium will require a humidity level above 50%. If the humidity levels are lower in your space, you will need to take further action and maintain the humidity as high as possible. If you own a humidifier, you can use it throughout the day to ensure the Clarinervium has the best growing environment.
Alternatively, you can use a tray to fill with small pebbles and water. Placing the plant on the tray ensures the humidity is high locally around your plant. We wrote a guide on how to make a pebble tray here.
You can also group other plants with your Clarinervium to raise their humidity. Leave a fair space between each plant for good air circulation.
Fertilizer
It is common practice to feed the plants during the growing season, but the Clarinervium won’t give you too much trouble here; they will require one standard feeding every month from May till September.
The best fertilizer you can use for it is the NPK 20-20-20. It has the best balance of all the necessary nutrients. Make sure always to read the instructions before use; otherwise, you run the risk of burning the plant completely.
As an extra tip, make sure to flush the soil with water before each feeding. Fertilizers can sometimes cause extra buildup in the soil, and this can cause additional stress and clogging in the roots. Flushing the soil ensures that your Anthurium lives a stress-free life.
Growth rate & repotting needs
You will only need to repot your Anthurium Clarinervium once you see the roots coming out of the container and they are circling it. Typical repotting time varies from 2 to 3 years; the plant grows slowly and steadily. You will see it mostly growing during the spring and summer. During the winter, it likes to slow down and take it easy.
- Before you repot the plant, make sure that it has been thoroughly watered in the previous days.
- Be gentle with the roots when you pull them out of their current pot because they are quite sensitive.
- Choose a pot 2 to 4 cm bigger than the current one so that the Anthurium can have enough space to grow further.
- Use the same soil mix and place the rootball at the center of the pot.
- As you add more soil, you press it gently- we don’t need any loose spaces. Don’t cover the crown of the stems in the soil! Let them stay above to prevent rotting.
Keep in mind that your plant may look droopy and sad after the repotting for a while. It is normal! Give it some extra care by checking the soil for watering, and make sure it has a good spot, as we discussed above for the lighting. Avoid fertilizing the Anthurium Clarinervium after the repotting; let it settle in first.
Common problems
Like all plants, Anthurium Clarinervium is susceptible to some problems.
Diseases
Most diseases on the Clarinervium occur from poor watering. Checking the soil rather than creating a weekly schedule will solve most problems.
The most common disease on Clarinerviums is root rot. It is a fungal disease that attacks the roots and causes the leaves to turn yellow and the stems to become mushy. You will also notice a foul smell coming from the soil.
To treat root rot, you need to cut the yellow leaves and repot the plant in fresh soil. Remove as much soil as you can from the roots, and wash them with water and some rubbing alcohol for further sterilization. Make sure you trim any rotten roots as well.
Leaf spot is also common, causing spots on the leaves of the Anthurium, usually in brown or black color. You will need to quarantine the plant for a while, cut the infected leaves, and use a standard fungicide that you can purchase from the local plant nursery.
Pests
While watering, you should avoid getting the leaves of the Clarinervium wet. It is okay if the water reaches them, but make sure to pat them dry when you are done.
The plant is overall hardy to pests, but water on the leaves makes the Anthurium Clarinervium sensitive to fungus gnats and mealy bugs. If you notice any around your plant, you can use insecticidal soap or neem oil. They both leave a protective coat on the leaves, which tastes bitter when the gnats and the mealy bugs attempt to bite them.
Spider mites and thrips are also common pest cases; using an insecticide containing permethrin or pyrethrin will help.
Anthurium Clarinervium Propagation
The easiest way to propagate Anthurium Clarinervium is to divide the root ball while repotting the plant. As the Anthurium Clarinervium grows, the mother plant grows smaller plants next to it that you can untangle from the root ball and grow separately.
Another propagation method for the Clarinervium is using new seeds from the flower. Once they ripen, they become red. You can gently remove them from the spadix, place them in fresh soil, and enjoy their growth from the very start!
