Calatheas are some of the most beautiful plants you could add to your collection. An unique array of colors and pattern characterize it’s foliage and it’s beautiful movement throughout the day makes it a plant to remember……….well, as well as its specific care needs.
Calatheas are not particularly beginner friendly, but with the right direction and care you can enjoy the beauty of any calathea variety.
Water & Humidity
Calatheas are native to humid rain forest like areas therefore, humidity and moist soil is ideal environment. I like to apply humidity 3 ways to my plants via humidifier, humidity trays, and misting. Read more about it here. I personally water with distilled, rain, or filtered water weekly because my home is pretty dry naturally. Also, when exposed to tap water, over time the plant will develop brown tips and spots due to the minerals found in tap water.
Light
As plants who naturally lay low in rain forests, a calathea plant does best with filter, indirect light. Direct sunlight on leaves will cause burns characterized by brown spots and loss of it color in its vibrant leaves. These plants will have slow growth if they do not received the proper amount of light so it may take some trial and error to find the spot that works best. I would allow the plant at least two weeks its spot to determine if it like the lighting or not. Signs to look for includes:
- leaves not fading in color
- producing new leaves
- no brown spots
Soil & Fertilizer
Caletheas appreciate well draining soil similar to a mixture for african violets. You really can be safe with purchasing a simple indoor potting mix for moisture control such at Forti-lome.  Also, a basic houseplant fertilizer diluted in water during growing season (spring, summer, and beginning of fall) will suffice.
Maintenance
Calatheas do not require much maintenance such as pruning. Check the soil often for standing water and root bound. Repot every 1-2 years in a pot slightly larger than original and only repot at the beginning of the growing season to maximize growth. Although if the roots are protruding out of the pot, then repot as necessary.
Varieties
- Calathea Ornata
- Calathea Beauty Star
- Calathea Burle Marx
- Calathea Warscewiczii
- Calathea Rattlesnake
- Calathea Makoyana
- Calathea Orbifolia
- Calathea Picturata
- Calathea Roseopicta
- Calathea Zebrina
- Plus many more
Troubleshoot
- Spider mites, aphids, thrips, and mealybugs are prone to calathea. All can be treated with neem oil
- Brown tips can be the result of tap water, low humidity, over fertilizing, and under watering.
- Calathea leaves curls to preserve water and an indication of under watering as well.
- Brown spots can indicate sun burn, over fertilizing, and tap water exposure.
Jana
Jasmine. I have a Calathea Plant that I got early in the summer. It’s lost most of its leaves and they don’t seem to be coming back. The leaves seemed to fall off after I gave it some plant food/fertilizer. Do you think there is any hope for it? All of my other plants tolerated the food/fertilizer fine. Any ideas why all my leaves fell off? It happened super quickly! I’m normally really good with plants.
Jasmine
HI! Calatheas are very particular about their care. I would recommend repotting the plant, add humidity via a humidifier or misting the leaves daily, and watering weekly. I hope it works for you!
Karla Birch
As for flowers, Calathea do often bloom in the wild, but they tend not to bloom much indoors. There are some exceptions, such as the C. crocata species of Calathea, which can produce beautiful orange colored flowers. Most of the other species of Calathea plants just have bright, colorful green leaves with other colors (such as purple) on the underside of their leaves. If you take care to water the right amounts with the right type of water, keep the humidity level and indoor air temperatures just right, you can have beautiful, green plants that will brighten up office and indoor spaces. Lobbies, meeting rooms, and cubicle areas that are high in humidity and have the right temperatures and indirect sunlight are all good places for Calathea. Atriums are excellent locations for Calathea as well.
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Additional indoor plants for my home. Thank you for sharing everything about the Calathea plant. I Will research more about this plant.