Stromanthe Triostar
Long leaves splashed with cream, pink and green, and flaming magenta underneath, so the whole plant glows when the leaves fold up at night. A prayer-plant relative that is a touch tougher than a calathea and every bit as showy.
Triostar is the prayer plant that looks like it has been through a paint shop. The long, pointed leaves are variegated in cream, pink and green in different amounts on every leaf, and the undersides are a hot magenta that shows every evening when the leaves rise. Even a small plant is loud.
It is a Stromanthe, a cousin of the calatheas, and it is slightly more forgiving than they are: it tolerates a little more light and a little less humidity. It still wants soft water and a spot away from drafts, and the cream parts of the leaves brown first when it is unhappy.
Light
Medium to bright, indirect light. It wants more than a calathea to hold the pink and cream: an east window is ideal, or a few feet back from a west or south one. Direct sun scorches the pale patches. In low light the new leaves come in mostly green.
Water
Evenly moist. Water when the top inch is dry, every five days in summer and every eight or so in winter, with filtered or rain water. Drain well. It wilts visibly when dry and perks up after watering; the cream leaf areas brown from tap water.
Soil and potting
A moisture-holding, airy mix of coco coir, potting soil and perlite, in a pot with drainage. Repot every eighteen months in spring, one size up. It spreads by rhizome and fills a pot sideways.
Feeding
Quarter-strength balanced feed every four weeks in spring and summer.
Propagation
Division in spring. Separate the rhizome into rooted sections, each with a few leaves, and pot up. Keep warm and humid until established.
In a hot, dry home
A better bet than most calatheas in a dry house. Fifty percent humidity is enough, which a pebble tray and a plant group can manage, with a humidifier in the worst weeks. Keep it out of the AC's path, use filtered water, and give it the brighter spot a calathea would not want. The pink holds well in the strong filtered light of a desert home.
Stromanthe Triostar varieties
Same care, different look. These are the named forms you will see for sale.
- Sanguinea (green)
The plain species: dark green leaves with maroon undersides, faster and tougher than Triostar.
Problems and fixes
Cream areas browning
Likely cause: Dry air, tap water or direct sun
Fix: Humidify, filter the water, move out of direct sun.
Whole plant wilting
Likely cause: Thirsty
Fix: Water; it recovers within hours.
New leaves mostly green
Likely cause: Not enough light
Fix: Move it to a brighter, filtered spot.
Leaves curling
Likely cause: Drafts or heat
Fix: Move away from vents and heaters.
Stromanthe Triostar questions
Is Stromanthe Triostar pet safe?
Yes. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Is it easier than a calathea?
Slightly. It tolerates a little more light and a little less humidity, but it still wants soft water and no drafts.
Why does it move at night?
Like all prayer plants it raises its leaves in the evening, showing the magenta undersides, and lowers them in the morning.
