Calathea care guide

Calatheas have some of the most striking leaves of any houseplant: stripes, spots, pinstripes, and purple undersides. They also move. The leaves lift and fold at night and lower in the morning.

They are fussy about water and humidity. Get those two right and they are not hard. Most calatheas sold today are now called Goeppertia by botanists. Stores still call them calathea.

Light

Give calatheas medium light, such as a spot a few feet from an east or north window. Bright, indirect light is fine too.

Direct sun fades the patterns and burns the leaves. Too little light makes the leaves lose their color and stop moving.

Water

Keep the soil a little moist, never soggy, never bone dry. Water when the top 2 cm (1 in) of soil is dry. Water until it drains, then empty the saucer.

Calatheas react to salts and minerals in tap water. Brown, crispy edges are the usual sign. Use rainwater, distilled water, or filtered water if you can. Letting tap water sit out overnight does not remove fluoride or salts.

Curled leaves mean it is thirsty or the air is too dry. Yellow leaves and wet soil mean too much water. Read how to tell if a houseplant is overwatered or underwatered.

Soil and potting

Use a light, airy houseplant mix. Add perlite and a little orchid bark so water drains but some moisture stays.

Repot every one to two years in spring, one size up. See how to repot a houseplant step by step.

Humidity and temperature

This is the hard part in winter. Calatheas want humid air. Furnace heat dries it out.

Run a humidifier nearby, group it with other plants, or keep it in a bright bathroom. A pebble tray helps a little. Misting does not help much and can spread leaf spots.

Keep it between 18 and 27°C (65 and 80°F). Cold drafts below 15°C (60°F) damage the leaves.

Feeding

Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength. Too much fertilizer browns the leaf edges.

Pruning

Cut damaged or yellow leaves off at the base of their stem. Trim crispy brown edges with clean scissors, following the leaf shape.

Propagation

Calatheas do not grow from stem cuttings. Divide the clump instead.

1. In spring, ease the plant out of its pot.
2. Find where the clump splits into sections, each with its own roots.
3. Pull or cut the sections apart.
4. Pot each one in damp mix and keep the air humid for a few weeks.

Problems

What you see	Most likely cause
Brown, crispy leaf edges	Dry air, minerals in tap water, or too much fertilizer
Curled leaves	Thirsty, or dry air
Yellow lower leaves, wet soil	Too much water
Faded patterns	Too much direct light
Leaves stop moving	Not enough light, or the plant is stressed
Brown spots with yellow rings	Leaf spot from wet leaves

Read why are my houseplant leaf tips turning brown for more on crispy edges.

Pests

Spider mites love calatheas in dry winter air. Look for fine webbing and speckled leaves. Wipe both sides of the leaves with a damp cloth every week or two, and raise the humidity. Mealybugs and fungus gnats can also show up. Read how to get rid of fungus gnats in houseplants.

Pet safety

The ASPCA lists calathea as non-toxic to cats and dogs. That makes it one of the best showy plants for a home with pets. A pet that eats a lot can still get an upset stomach.

Calathea or prayer plant?

Both belong to the same plant family, and both move at night. Prayer plants trail and spread, with leaves that fold flat like hands in prayer. Calatheas grow upright in a clump, and the leaves lift on their stems. Prayer plants are easier. See the prayer plant care guide.

Varieties

• Rattlesnake plant has long, wavy leaves with dark spots and purple undersides. It is one of the easiest.
• ‘Medallion’ has round leaves patterned in silver and dark green.
• Calathea orbifolia has huge, round leaves with silver stripes.
• Peacock plant has fine, feather-like markings.
• Zebra plant has velvety leaves with dark green stripes.
• Pinstripe calathea has thin pink or white stripes on dark leaves.
• ‘Dottie’ has near-black leaves outlined in pink.
• ‘White Fusion’ has white-streaked leaves and is the fussiest of all.

In my house

My calathea crisps up. We live in a dry climate. I have a whole-house humidifier, and it still cannot keep up. I have trouble keeping the house at 35% humidity in winter.

The dry air is hard on my instruments and on my plants. That is part of living somewhere with a cold, snowy, icy winter.