Calathea
- Botanical Name
- Calathea spp.
- Hardiness
- Zones 11 to 12
- Height
- 1 to 2 feet
- Width
- 8 to 12 inches
- Light
- Low to moderate light out of direct sun
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained potting mix
- Planting & Care
- Water regularly to keep soil moist
- This will help avoid brown tips on leaves caused by fluoride and chlorine in tap water
- Needs high humidity, place pot atop pebbles in a water filled saucer
- As the water in the saucer evaporates it will help provide humidity around the plant while the pebbles keep the pot from resting in standing water
- Moderate to indirect light
- Scorched and brown spots in direct light
- Pale leaves, less colorful when it doesn't receive sufficient light
- Fertilize with a diluted solution of houseplant fertilizer during the growing season
- Propagate by division
- Water regularly to keep soil moist
- Problems
- Spider mites, aphids, scale
- Varieties
- Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea lancifolia) - narrow, long, green leaves wth darker green spots and margins, undersides are attractive purple-red
- Pinstripe Plant (Calathea ornata) - dark green foliage striped in hot pink
- C. ornata 'Beauty Star' - very attractive pointed leaves are bright green with dark green along the center and margin, narrow yellow stripes fill in along the leaf
- Calathea roseopicta 'Medallion' - striking foliage of dark green streaked with bands of silver to emerald green, undersides of leaves are dark purple
- C. roseopicta 'Corona' - round gray-green leaves with dark green edges, reddish-purple veins and undersides
- C. roseopicta 'Dottie' - rounded black-purple foliage with pink variegation
- Round Leaf Calathea (Calathea orbifolia) - green leaves striped with shades of darker green
- Misto - medium green leaves with ligher green variegation feathering out from the center
- Freddie - narrow light green leaves with dark green bands emerging from veins
- Zebra Plant (C. zebrina) - velvety, light green ovate leaves sporting dark green stripes resembling zebra stripes
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