Dramatic Decor

When it’s gloomy outside, you can rely on bold-patterned foliage to bring brightness to your indoor landscape.

Calatheas

When it came to calatheas, Mother Nature got out a paintbrush and played around with patterns on big, beautiful leaves. In shades of green with often a bold burgundy underneath, the foliage on these great houseplants is stunning. That alone is why you should grow these.

Calatheas are commonly called by many names, including zebra plant, rattlesnake plant and sometimes the prayer plant, because of their close relationship to marantas. Unlike marantas, they don’t fold up their leaves at night. However, the leaves will move during the day to point towards the light. Some calatheas have been moved to the Goeppertia genus.

How to grow

It’s important to note what calatheas like to get the best out of them. Take note of the following:

They need a warm spot in bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight may scorch the leaves. They will not do well with temperatures under 15°C.

Only water with filtered or rainwater. The chemicals in tap water may cause the leaves to form spots. This includes misting. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soaking wet. A little water, more frequently, works well for calatheas. Make sure any excess water drains away, and don’t let them stand in water.

They prefer high humidity of between 50 and 70%. Around 60% is ideal for these plants. Group houseplants together to keep up the humidity around them or place them on pebble trays filled with water. If the air is too dry, they may brown on the leaf tips. Bathrooms are ideal to increase the humidity levels for the plants.

Feed every month with a liquid plant food.

Wipe the leaves to prevent dust build-up and keep the leaves looking lush.

Varieties

Check out these stunning varieties available now:

‘Burle Marxii’ – dark and light green in a fishbone pattern.

‘Maria’ – a dark green edge filled with light green and dark green paintbrush patterns.

‘Setosa Green Flag’ – khaki green with dark green markings.

‘Beauty Star’ – fine brushstrokes of lighter green on a dark green background.

Troubleshooting

While many houseplants can be almost ignored, calatheas need constant inspection to make sure they have what they need. This may be tiresome, but it will be worth it. Have a look at these common problems and deal with them straight away.

Leaves that curl inwards show signs of underwatering.

Yellowing or wilting leaves are a sign of overwatering.

Brown patches may be caused by too much direct sunlight.

Faded leaves are a sign of too much light.

Leaf spot can cause brown spots on the leaves. This is a fungus caused by splashing water.

As mentioned before, brown edges or tips indicate the air is too dry.

Look out for spider webs, which could be red spider mites. These very tiny mites will lay eggs on the underside of leaves and infect a plant with poor air circulation.

Variegated snake plant

Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ (previously Sansevieria) is another high foliage-value houseplant that needs very little care. This resilient succulent is very drought-tolerant and can tolerate salty environments. It can be neglected for a long while before it shows its displeasure. Grow in all kinds of light, water about once a month (overwatering is a problem), and feed twice a year.

All these plants are grown by LVG Plants and are available where houseplants are sold countrywide.