Anthurium

Anthurium andraeanum

Also known as Anthurium andraeanum, Flamingo Flower, Laceleaf

Plantae›Araceae

Glossy heart-shaped leaves and lacquered red spathes; happy with roots in water. Grown emersed with its roots in the tank water, it works as a living biofilter — pulling up nitrate while the foliage stays in the air.

Terrestrial / emersed plant

Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air: a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.

Toxic if eaten

Leaves and sap contain calcium oxalate — toxic if eaten, irritating the mouth and gut; keep foliage away from plant-grazing fish, while the submerged roots are safe.

Where it's from

Native to Colombia and Ecuador

Recorded as introduced in Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuelan Antilles and Windward Is.

At a glance

Light: Bright indirect
Growth: Moderate
Placement: Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Temp: 64–82°F; 18–28°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
GH: 36–357 ppm; 2–20 dGH

Member photos

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Legality

No state or federal restrictions on record.

Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.

The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).