Calathea – Indoor House Plants

Calathea is basically jungle plant. The large and striking leaves are the attraction for tropical gardeners and indoor plant lovers as well. Calathea ornata ‘Roseolineata’ has oblong shaped, dark green leaves, with pink stripes going from the midrib to the margin of each leaf. The deep magenta underside of the leaves makes this a very attractive and popular Calathea. It will grow from 1-2 feet high (30-60 cm). It is an excellent indoor pot plant, and if you live in a warm enough area, is a lovely addition to a shady area of your garden. Calatheas grow by means of a creeping rhizome. (They are not at all invasive). Your plant will expand quickly enough to fill a decorative pot or that shady area in your garden. Calathea is a genus of plants belonging to the family Marantaceae. There are several dozen species in this genus.

How to grow and maintain Calathea Plant:

Light:

partial shade to full shade – all Calatheas prefer low light conditions and though they can handle some direct sun, they are known to fold their leaves in reaction to it.

Water:

calatheas should not be allowed to dry out completely but should also not be watered so heavily that their saucers sit full of water for any length of time. They thrive in controlled watering containers.

Temperature:

Healthy and vigorous plants will result from warm to high temperatures with reasonable ventilation but without strong draughts. As a minimum aim for 15°C – 21°C / 60°F – 70 °F. Never lower than 10°C / 50°F.

Flowering:

Calathea Plant leaves are more beautiful than many of the flowers of other indoor houseplants. With hundreds of varieties of Calathea Plants, some, such as Calathea Crocata, White Ice, and Brazilian have gorgeous flowers as well as spectacular leaves.

Propagation:

Propagating huge Calatheas is very simple by division. Separate the plant significantly (or into littler pieces on the off chance that you have a substantial plant to begin with) and pot each new segment into it’s own particular pot. At that point keep the divisions shady, warm and damp by covering the pots with plastic. When you can see new development beginning expel the plastic and develop as ordinary.

Pests and Diseases:

As with most houseplants, these plants are susceptible to insects and diseases when they are subject to the stresses of improper or inadequate care. If they get insects, calatheas from mites and scale. When using insecticides, be sure to direct the spray to the stems, to the tops and undersides of the leaves, and to the soil surface for full coverage.