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Calathea(syn . Goeppertia ) is an herbaceous perennial from the family Marantaceae ( Maranta ) . These plants hail from tropical south America ( Brazil and Colombia ) .
The Calathea genus name come from the Latin calathus , which means “ field goal . ” This is a reference to the fact that the flowers of the flora resemble flowers in a field goal .
Medallion Calathea, rose painted prayer plant | jaapbleijenberg-DepositPhotos
Calathea leaves are broad and long . depend on the variety , it may sport stripes and other marking in shades of unripe , maroon , purple , or cream .
Most Calathea varieties have leaves that close during the evening hour and undetermined during the daylight hours , a appendage know as nyctinasty .
The nightly closing of the leaves has realize the Calathea family the common name “ Prayer Plants . ”
These flora arrive at a elevation roam from 1′ to 3′ feet with an adequate spread .
Calatheas are wintertime sturdy in USDA hardiness geographical zone 11 through 12 . They are seasonal bloomers producing peak in shade ranging from white to purple .
Their primary calling card is their attractive , colorful evergreen foliage .
How Many Species Are There Of Calathea (Goeppertia)?
There are several XII variety of this pretty houseplant . No matter which Calathea species you choose , they all necessitate pretty much the same care .
You ’ll desire to provide well - draining , fertile soil and keep it evenly moist . For works to look their best , mellow humidity is a must for all varieties , along with consistent warmth .
Take care to protect your plants against cold drafts .
Calathea Care Notes
Light
All type of Calathea do best in shaded scope ranging from full shade to fond tint . brilliant light but collateral light is the best light setting for Calathea . No unmediated sunlight
All multifariousness do well in a mise en scene with bright , indirect sunlight . Some variety prefer slightly more or less sun .
Temperatures
Because Calatheas are tropical plants , they need warm indoor temperatures between ( 60 ° – 80 ° degrees Fahrenheit ) and humidity . But they do not need big watering .
Watering
They have moderate watering pauperization and do well with a soak and dry watering method . This involves tearing thoroughly and waitress for the top in of land to dry before watering again . No soggy soil !
Excessive watering can lead to problems with pest such as spider speck , scale , and aphids . Low humidness stage can lead to problems with tip on leave drying up , brown edge , leaf curling , and change state brown .
NOTE : Calatheas are fussy about the type of piddle used in watering . Calatheas do not like fluoride , atomic number 17 , or bromine . This name most city tap H2O a No - No . Water with rain water or distilled body of water .
come to : Learn Watering hereandCalathea Leaves Curling here
Feeding
Fertilize every two week during the active growth time of year ( later springtime to former surrender ) with a half - strength body of water - soluble houseplant fertilizer .
Soil
Calathea does well when set in well - debilitate , fertile soil . For a rich soil foundation , mix 25 % extra peat moss with baggedhouseplant potting soilto make an idealistic filth mix .
Propagation
distribute Calathea by division when repotting . Thickened tuber are clearly defined on the ascendant . It ’s best if the tubers have a leaf or two .
Plant the divisions in a pot a mates of inch below the soil Earth’s surface in plenteous , well - draining soil like the soil mixing above . Keep the dirt slightly damp and warm .
Best Uses
Calathea are popular houseplant and are grown for usage indoors . They can be plant outside in tropical and semi - tropical setting .
Related : Learn (Calathea ) with ourCalathea Plant Care Guide .
24 Of The Most Popular Calathea Varieties
Calathea Lancifolia (Rattlesnake Plant)
Calathea Lancifoliais also known as Rattlesnake Calathea . This popular diverseness feature very narrow , long leaves in luminosity and gloomy dark-green shade .
The ground of the leaves is light green , while dark green shades make up interesting markings .
Calathea Ornata (Pinstripe Calathea)
Calathea Ornatais unremarkably call “ Pinstripe Plants . ” This tall , telling flora has mystifying green leaves measuring approximately 12″ inches long .
The sensational leave are marked with brilliant , pinkish - white stripes . The long stems are a medium shade of burgundy .
Calathea Ornata Sanderiana
Calathea Ornata Sanderiana is an attractive smorgasbord with mysterious green glossy leaf bearing creamy rose pinstripes . The undersides of the leaves have a dark purple color folio coloration .
Calathea Roseopicta
Calathea Roseopictais also called Rose Painted Calathea or Corona Painted Calathea .
This pretty plant life and popular cultivar have shiny , bright greenish leaf and attractive creamy marker . It is unco sensitive to frigid drafts .
Calathea Makoyana (Peacock Calathea)
Calathea Makoyanais also known as the Peacock industrial plant or Cathedral Calathea . Its leaves are quite slim and develop in attractive shades of deep green and purple with lime green markings .
The patterning on the leaves resemble that of a Inachis io feather , hence the common name .
This is a pretty plant to keep in a setting that has very bright indirect sunlight coupled with very in high spirits humidness .
Calathea Zebra
Calathea Zebrinais also called Zebra Calathea . As the name implies , this variety show has striped leaves .
The base leaf color is a nearly black shade of purple , and the stripes are bright unripe . The stem of this works are also green . The best light setting for this variety is filtered sunlight .
Calathea Medallion
Calathea Medallionis also known asCalathea Veitchiana . This industrial plant has very large , oval - form leaves in shades of deep green on the top and deep empurpled underside .
The top side of the oval leaves features a feathery heart and a verge of medium olive jet . The feather - shaped center marking is surrounded by darker green with an outline of cream .
Calathea Orbifolia
Calathea Orbifoliais also known as Round Leaf Calathea . This type of Calathea has leaf that are 8″ to 12″ inch wide and are marked with distinctive clear green and creamy stripe .
Calathea White Fusion
Calathea White Fusionis a strikingly pretty plant with fizgig - form , dramatically variegated leaf .
The top sides of the leaves sport broad , deep green chevron understudy by wide , almost whitened stripes . The foliage bottom are a soft shade of lavender .
Calathea Freddie
Calathea Freddiehas very narrow , pale green leave of absence featuring feathery , deep green veining . High humidity and bright indirect sunlight provide the best setting for this plant .
Calathea Warscewiczii
Calathea Warscewicziicomes from the jungles of Nicaragua and Costa Rica and is also known as Jungle Velvet .
The plant has lance - shape , thick immature , velvety parting with a lighter green leaf shape . humidness is of special grandness to this flora , and the use of a humidifier is recommend .
Calathea Beauty Star
Calathea Beauty Staris an unusually attractive loanblend that has very deep green leaves lark both pinkish chevron and pretty bright fleeceable feathery markings .
Calathea Rufibarba
Calathea Rufibarbais also called Velvet Calathea , Furry Feather , or Furry Calathea . This plant has fizgig - mold leaves that are green on the top and purple and muzzy on the undersurface .
The stems are rather prospicient and are deep burgundy in colour . This Calathea is a good choice for low - light preferences .
Calathea Concinna (Calathea Leopardina)
Calathea Concinna is also sleep with as Calathea Leopardina . You may usually hear it called Zebra Plant . As the name implies , the markings on the plant resemble an animal print .
The foresighted , fishgig - shaped leaves are light greenish with inscrutable green , leaf - shaped mark glow from the key vein . The leaves stand atop long , abstemious green stems .
In a year , Calathea concinna blooms clean flush repeatedly . An attractive plant life to birds , bees , and butterfly stroke .
This industrial plant is an excellent groundcover for indoor purpose that ask constant body of water and never countenance the soil dry out out between waterings .
Calathea Rotunifolia
One of the beautiful plants you may detect in nurseries and garden center during the spring and early summertime isCalathea rotundifolia .
The calathea name came from the Greek tidings kalathos which means hoop , while rotundifolia means rounded folio .
From the name of the plant itself , you will easily know that Calathea rotundifolia is a thick plant with large and round leaves .
Each leathery - textured leaf is veined with light green and mostly establish alternating bronze - green striation .
Calathea rotundifoliais usually produce for its foliage . Because of its short or stocky material body , rotundifolia makes a worthy indoor works as well as a container plant .
out of doors , rotundifolia should be get under semi - shade or collateral sunlight .
Calathea Louisae
Calathea Louisae hail from Brazil . This plant has broad , oval-shaped , dark dark-green leave of absence with an attractive , pale green - bloodless feathery marking running along the primal veining of each leaf .
This is a thick plant that grow about a foot eminent . These grow well as a flat coat concealment in a tropical stage setting .
These plants are hardy in USDA zones 8 - 11 and can be rise in the non - tropic southerly US but may expire back during the wintertime month .
Calathea Crocata
Calathea Crocatais commonly cry Eternal Flame . This Brazilian plant has dingy dark-green , lance - shape , ruffled leave that are especially long - durable and very passably with the plants ’ strange yellow - orange bloom .
Eternal Flame does especially well with dozens of very bright collateral sunlight . In fact , it is appreciative of nearly direct aurora sun .
Calathea Roseopicta Dottie
Calathea Roseopicta Dottie has foliation that is so deep green that it almost look black . The leaves are outlined in a bright tad of fuchsia .
High humidity is especially important for this multifariousness , and frequent misting is recommended .
Calathea Vittata
Calathea Vittata is a remarkable variety that sport very attractive and sheer lines and patterns on the leaf . The turgid , tear - form leaves sport deep green and bright lily-livered striping .
The leaves dramatically fold up during the nighttime hour and open again in the morning . Good pic to shiny , indirect morning sunshine will help enhance this feature .
Calathea Corona
If you bang foliage plant but can not give gatherer ’s plants , Calathea Corona may answer your needs .
Corona is grown by its sensational patterned foliage . The shiny leaves are by and large olive green in color with sullen immature edges . Bright silvery grey highlighting the center of each leaf .
Each rotund leaf is loosely broad in size and point to a point . vernal or new leaves are unremarkably curled , and as they issue , they show off their violet - red underside .
Like other “ prayer plants , ” the leaves fold at night , appearing like hands buckle in prayer . Calathea Corona does well as a potted specimen industrial plant .
Because of its dense leaf , it has this mysterious effect as it conceals its stems when put indoors to accent any dapple it occupies .
Calathea Lutea
Calathea Lutea is a very declamatory variety of Calathea that is best suit for growing outdoors in tropical place setting . This plant is native to the sea-coast of Peru , Brazil , and Mexico .
The industrial plant can grow to be 16′ feet tall , and its big leathery leaves are quite utilitarian in its native scene for project range from thatching roofs to wrapping items one wishes to keep waterproofed .
Calathea Lubbersiana (Never Never Plant)
Calathea Lubbersii ( Ctenanthe Lubbersiana ) hails from Brazil and features strikingly beautiful , variegated leaves in shades ranging from very deep dark-green to very bright yellow .
Calathea Oppenheimiana
Calathea Oppenheimiana ( Ctenanthe Oppenheimiana ) from Brazil oppenheimiana has prospicient , leathery leave of deep , lucent green , striped and patched on top in white and pink .
The undersides are a deep wine-colored . On young leaves , the color shows through to give a red luminescence . A lovely plant for use as a table centerpiece .
Calathea Burle Marx
Calathea Burle Marx(Ctenanthe Burle Marx ) boasts a very busy patterning of wan powdery cat valium alternated by bass green striping on its thickly turn oval - shaped leave .
attain by the phytologist Linden , the leaves impressed him so much that he added the Romance word amabilis , meaning ‘ suitable of esteem , ’ as the coinage name .
Burle Marxii is named after the Brazilian landscape painting interior decorator Roberto Burle Marx .
The works grows into a dense thump . The undersides of the leave are lustrous maroon . On top , the oblong leaves with dark green to blue - green sit atop broad silver band . Mass them several together for a dramatic core .
Other Calathea Relatives Stromanthe
Calathea Picturata
Calathea Picturata has passably , very deep green leaves on the top and deep purple on the bottom . The grading on the top side has a outstanding silver - colour midriff and veining .
Calathea Musaica
Calathea musaica‘PP0005 ’ is also have intercourse as “ connection . ” This is a very pretty cultivar whose modest leaves sport attractive diversification .
Bright , collateral sunshine will bring out the most attractive patterning . Western or Eastern pic is recommend .
