Calathea
The most spectacular foliage in the houseplant world, painted in stripes and feathers, folding up each night and opening again at dawn. Pet-safe and worth the effort, but it wants humidity and filtered water and will tell you when it does not get them.
Nobody buys a calathea for an easy life. They buy it because the leaves look painted, and because it moves: the leaves rise at night and settle by day, which is where the prayer plant name comes from.
It is safe for cats and dogs, it thrives in lower light, and it is the plant most likely to punish you for tap water and dry air. Meet its two demands and it is not hard at all.
Light
Medium to low indirect light. A north window or a few feet from an east one. Direct sun fades the patterns and burns the leaves quickly. It is genuinely one of the best plants for a dim, humid bathroom.
Water
Keep the soil lightly moist, never soggy and never dry. In summer that is about every five days. Use filtered, distilled or rain water; tap water minerals cause the brown edges calathea is famous for. Water at room temperature.
Soil and potting
A peat-based mix that holds moisture but drains, with some perlite. Repot every 18 months in spring, gently; it dislikes root disturbance.
Feeding
A quarter-strength balanced feed every six weeks in spring and summer. It is easily over-fertilised.
Propagation
Division only, in spring when repotting. Separate the rhizomes with a few leaves each and keep the divisions warm and humid until they settle.
In a hot, dry home
This is the hard one here. It needs humidity above fifty percent and Phoenix summers indoors run fifteen to twenty. A humidifier from May to September, a bathroom spot, or a cluster of other plants around it are the only ways we have kept one looking good. Away from every vent.
Calathea varieties
Same care, different look. These are the named forms you will see for sale.
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Long wavy leaves with dark ovals; the toughest calathea. Has its own profile.
Full profile -
Huge round silver-striped leaves; the fussiest. Has its own profile.
Full profile -
Dark leaves with pink pinstripes. Has its own profile.
Full profile -
Thin, feathered pattern. Has its own profile.
Full profile -
Round glossy leaves in many colours. Has its own profile.
Full profile -
Velvet striped leaves, large. Has its own profile.
Full profile -
Velvet leaves with a fishtail pattern; flowers indoors. Has its own profile.
Full profile -
White, green and lilac marbling; very fussy. Has its own profile.
Full profile - Freddie
Goeppertia concinna: pale green leaves with dark green zebra bands. Compact and one of the easier ones.
- Musaica (Network)
Goeppertia musaica: bright green leaves with a fine mosaic grid. Tougher than most.
- Vittata
Goeppertia elliptica: pale green leaves with crisp white pinstripes.
- Leopardina
Goeppertia leopardina: small, pale leaves with dark green leopard blotches. Compact.
- Picturata
Goeppertia picturata: silver leaves with a dark green margin, or the reverse in Argentea.
- Fasciata
Goeppertia fasciata: round, thick leaves with broad dark green bands. Tougher than it looks.
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Goeppertia rufibarba: narrow, wavy, fuzzy leaves. See Jungle Velvet.
Full profile -
Actually Ctenanthe setosa: tall silver-grey leaves. See Ctenanthe.
Full profile
Problems and fixes
Brown, crispy leaf edges
Likely cause: Tap water minerals or low humidity
Fix: Switch to filtered or distilled water and raise humidity with a humidifier or grouping.
Leaves curling inward
Likely cause: Thirst or dry air
Fix: Water, and check humidity. Curling is the early warning before browning.
Faded patterns
Likely cause: Too much light
Fix: Move further from the window.
Fine webbing under leaves
Likely cause: Spider mites, which love dry air
Fix: Shower the plant, wipe the leaves, treat with insecticidal soap, and raise humidity.
Calathea questions
Is calathea safe for cats and dogs?
Yes. Calathea is non-toxic to pets and people, which makes it one of the few really decorative plants safe for a household with animals.
Why are the edges of my calathea turning brown?
Almost always tap water and dry air. Use filtered or distilled water and get humidity above fifty percent.
Why do the leaves move?
A joint at the base of each leaf swells and shrinks with the daylight cycle, lifting the leaves at night. It is normal and a sign of a healthy plant.
