Calathea as a decoration of the house and apartment (34 photos). Gorgeous calathea: rules for caring for a guest from South America

Among other indoor flowers, calathea immediately attracts attention with its painted leaves. It belongs to ornamental and deciduous plants of the arrowroot family, differing species diversity leaf patterns and shapes. In this article, you can learn about the intricacies of caring for a calathea at home, as well as enjoy a photo of this beauty.

In the native tropical forests of South America, hiding from the hot sun under the crowns of large trees, some types of calathea grow up to 80 centimeters. Botanists know up to 130 species of plants, differing in the shape and size of the leaves, the pattern on them. Calathea blooms, releasing a spikelet of white, pink or bright orange. The flower is pollinated by bees, which carry pollen from one bud to another. Flowers pollination mechanism is arranged in an original way. A bee, sitting on a flower, does not reach the pollen with its proboscis. But in an attempt to get it, she presses a special protrusion inside the bud, while this hook works like a trigger. As a result, pollen from the legs of the bee gets inside the flower. This is how calathea is pollinated in natural conditions.

Calathea has a nickname - " prayer flower". She received it for the interesting behavior of the leaves throughout the day. In the morning, the leaves of the plant are lowered down, and in the evening they rise up, so that the underside of the leaf becomes visible. It is like hands raised up in prayer. Hence the second name appeared - “prayer flower”.

To grow beautiful plant at home, it will be necessary to create certain conditions and daily care. Therefore, capricious calathea is not suitable for beginner flower lovers. Indeed, in natural conditions, it exists in a warm climate with a humidity of almost 90 percent. It does not tolerate drafts, sudden changes in temperature.

Types of Calathea with names and photos

In indoor floriculture, many varieties of calathea are grown, each of them is beautiful and attractive in its own way.

• Calathea Makoya- a native of the tropical forests of Brazil. The leaves, which are oval in shape, reach twenty centimeters in length and ten in width. If you look at upper part the leaf is light green in color, it seems that narrow and wide dark green veins are applied with a brush. The bottom of the leaves has veins burgundy.
• Calathea Saffron or Crocat distinguished by velvety leaves of dark green color with a reddish tinge from below. Among other species, it stands out for its beautiful orange bracts and yellow flowers. Calathea Crocat is native to the Amazon region.
• Calathea Decorated differs in low growth, in natural conditions grows in Colombia. The deep green leaves have vein-like lateral lines tinged with white and pink. Bottom sheet plate- reddish color. The spikelet of the inflorescence is decorated with white or purple flowers.

Varshevich Medallion
Zebra

• Calathea Varshevich. Its leaves are dark green in color with lines of a light shade. Like many other kalats, the flowers are spikelet-shaped. The flowers of this species are white, pink or cream.
• got its name from the broad, oval leaves. A distinctive feature of this species is a pattern of pink veins and a white jagged border along the edge of the leaf plate. The bottom of the leaves is a rich dark pink, burgundy color. The leaves are located on short cuttings, which makes the bush compact.
• Calathea Zebra-shaped. It has slightly elongated leaves on long cuttings. On a dark background of the leaf in the form of veins are wide light green stripes. The edges of the sheet also have a slight border more light tone. The underside of the leaves is a rich red color with a purple tint.

lanceolate
colorized
Lubbers

• Calathea Colored it is distinguished by wide leaves with an original color - a smaller pale green leaf is “painted” on a dark green leaf, leaving a dark border around the edges. The length of the sheet reaches twenty centimeters.
• Calathea Lanceolate narrow long leaves. The purplish hue of the underside of the plate blends beautifully with the light green upper surface with dark ovals along the veins.
• differs from other species in that the color of the underside is not red-purple, but green. At the same time, spots of yellow, green color are scattered on the outer side of the sheet in a chaotic manner.

Rufibarba
Mosaic
Veitch

• Calathea Rufibarba has elongated leaves with a wavy edge. They do not have a pattern on the upper side of the sheet, but they are found various shades green color. The underside is covered with yellow fluff, for which the flower received the nickname "red-bearded".
• Calathea Mosaic (Network) has the most original coloring, which distinguishes it from other types of plants. A very light sheet plate is lined with darker green lines into small rectangles resembling a mosaic.
• Calathea Veitch has glossy leaves reaching thirty centimeters. Both sides of the sheet decorate yellow stripes located on the underside, which has a reddish tint, and the green top side. White flowers are located on a spike-shaped inflorescence.

Landing and transplant

For planting or transplanting calathea, the best time is early spring. It does not need frequent transplantation, so this procedure is done once every two years, when the roots of an adult plant begin to crawl out of the bottom of the pot. It is necessary to choose a wide pot, because new leaves sprout from the rhizome, which lets out side shoots. A layer of drainage is poured at the bottom of the pot to prevent root rot.

Ready-made soil mixture used for azaleas and rhododendrons is suitable for calathea.

Importantly, the earth mixture should not contain lime.

Experienced flower growers can prepare an earthen mixture on their own. To do this, you need leaf and humus soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 0.5. For loosening, we recommend adding coconut fiber, crushed charcoal.

Reproduction Calathea

Calathea lends itself to reproduction by the main methods:

• division;
• cuttings;
• seeds.

The division of the bush is carried out during the spring transplant. The rhizome is divided by hand into parts containing several leaves and developed roots. Do not use a knife to cut the rhizome. For better rooting, the lower part is sprinkled with Kornevin.

Sprouts are placed in small pots with an earthen mixture and a layer of drainage. From above, the pot is loosely covered with a plastic bag. They are placed in a place protected from direct sunlight. To ensure moisture, you can put the pot on moistened expanded clay. Seedlings need to be regularly watered, sprayed, fed. Great importance has a temperature that should be in the range of 22-24 degrees.

cuttings Calathea

If cuttings are formed on the mother bush, then calathea can be propagated by cuttings.

It is important that an independent growth point is present on the handle.

The ground cutting is cut off with a sharp knife, the cut is sprinkled with Kornevin for better rooting or crushed activated charcoal. The cutting is planted in a small pot, covered with a bag. When the calathea starts cuttings, it can be grown as an adult plant.

Propagation by seeds is a lengthy process that does not always end successfully even in experienced flower growers. Seeds are sown in a mixture of leafy soil and sand (1: 0.5), sprinkled with a thin layer, covered with film or glass. When the sprouts grow up, they swoop down and plant them in the same mixture. When the seedlings grow up, they are planted in small pots.

Calathea care at home

Calathea belongs to the flowers that need careful observance of the conditions of detention.

Watering

Calathea does not like both dry land and the bay. It must be watered as the earthen coma dries up, pouring out the rest of the water from the pan. Otherwise, root rot cannot be avoided. Water for irrigation is taken settled, but better fit melt water. But the water must be warm.

To soften water, you can take not a large number of peat, pour into a rag bag and place in a bucket of water overnight. Such water is recommended to be used for watering indoor flowers.

Lighting

In plant lighting, it is also important to observe the golden mean. Although Calathea is considered shade-tolerant flower, with a lack of lighting, the ornament disappears on the leaves, they lose their attractiveness. But you can not put the flower in direct sunlight. The ideal place for it would be a window sill on a window facing west. For the winter, you can rearrange to the south window. If the flower is placed in a place where there is a lack of light, then it is recommended to organize artificial lighting. fluorescent lamps. The time of such illumination should reach twelve hours.

Temperature and Humidity

A native of the humid tropics, the flower requires maintaining the ideal temperature for it. In cold weather, the air temperature in the room should not fall below eighteen degrees. And in summer, Calathea will feel comfortable at 20-24 degrees.

It is important for a plant to provide not only the desired temperature, but also to protect it from drafts and temperature changes. For example, we do not recommend placing a pot of calathea on cold windowsill. Cold can cause root rot. Therefore, it is necessary to organize a stand under the pot. It should also not be taken out to the balcony even in summer due to the difference in day and night temperatures.

In addition to a constant temperature, the plant needs high humidity, which in natural conditions reaches ninety percent. To ensure such conditions, daily moistening of the surrounding air is carried out by spraying water from a spray bottle, wipe the leaves with a damp sponge. It is useful to put the pot in a pan with expanded clay, which is kept moist. It is important that the pot does not stand in the water! To do this, use a stand according to the size of the pot. Some flower growers place calathea in old aquariums, equipping florariums. If you combine several moisture-loving plants in a group, you can create beautiful compositions. By the way, calathea grows better in a group of arrowroot, the same lovers of high humidity.

top dressing

For better development, calathea is regularly fed with fertilizers for decorative and deciduous plants in the spring and summer. The flower does not tolerate an excess of fertilizers, therefore, a half-reduced rate is applied to it with a period of two times a month. Rooting plants are fertilized once every three weeks.

Flowering plant species need fertilizing with fertilizers for flowering plants. Flowering usually occurs in early spring or late autumn when the day is eight to ten hours.

care mistakes

If conditions are violated, calathea often has problems with leaves. Consider the main problems:

• If the leaves lose their decorative color, then this indicates a lack of light.
• Excess light leads to lightening of the leaves or the appearance of yellow spots from sunburn.
• The leaves turn yellow, starting at the tips, wither. There may be several reasons for this: draft, cold or dry air, excessive or insufficient watering, a large amount of fertilizer. A thorough analysis of the situation and correction of errors is required.
• The tips of the leaves turn brown as a result of root rot. The reason may be excess moisture in the soil or a cold window sill.
• Drafts, lack of moisture lead to twisting of the leaves and their wilting.
• Dark spots on the leaves can form as a result of spraying, when drops of water remain on the leaves. After spraying, if large drops remain on the leaves, they are removed with a sponge.
• White crystals on the underside of the leaf in the absence of wilting mean the release and crystallization of cell sap.
• If the leaves of the calathea have withered and dried up, then you can try to cover the plant with a bag with ventilation, to provide diffused light. First, we advise you to cut off the dried leaves, you can grab part of the stem. It is recommended to transplant into a new land with a revision of the roots. For the fastest cure, calatheas can be sprayed with zircon or epin. Subject to necessary conditions after a month or two, new leaves appear.

Pest control

A plant weakened as a result of improper care is often attacked by pests on calathea. These are the most common pests of indoor flowers: scale insects, thrips and spider mites.

When withering and yellowing of the leaves of Calathea, first of all, you need to make sure that there are no pests. Careful examination of the leaves from both sides reveals the following changes:

• Tiny brown plaques protruding from the surface of the leaf indicate the appearance of a scale insect. To remove them, if there are few of them, you can rinse with a sponge with soapy water. If this method does not help, then it is necessary to resort to insecticide treatment. A popular drug for the destruction of scale insects is Actellik, which is sprayed on the plant according to the instructions.

When a calathea is damaged by a scab, a sticky coating appears on the leaves. Sometimes a black plaque forms at the site of the lesion with a scab - this is a sooty fungus. It is easily removed with a damp sponge.

• The spider mite forms white spots of the smallest web. To combat it, insecticides are also used: Aktellik, Fitoverm or others.
• Thrips breed at high temperature and low humidity. A sign of their presence are light dots on the upper side of the leaf, although thrips settle from below. To get rid of them, treat the leaves with soapy water or an insecticide.

Video: Calathea - home care

If you provide the “prayer” flower with good conditions, then it will delight you for a long time. By the way, it is believed that calathea is able to relieve negative mood, improve the microclimate in the office or at home. It also contributes to the achievement of goals, restores energy flows.

Maranta (Maranta) belongs to the genus of popular plants from the Marantaceae family, and naturally grows in the tropics of America. Such a flower is valued not only for its decorative appearance, but also for its medicinal properties.

Characteristics and homeland of the plant

The perennial herbaceous plant has a tuberous rhizome that is very characteristic of the species. The homeland of the plant is swampy forest zones in Central and South America, so arrowroot roots are quite well adapted to moisture. Under natural conditions, the plant most often has a basal or two-row foliage located on the stem part. Many varieties of decorative leafy houseplants have characteristic venation.

Indoor flowers have small leaves. When creating the most comfortable conditions for growth and development, arrowroot blooms in the summer. Indoor culture is not very attractive and blooms for a relatively short time, which makes the plant very popular in indoor floriculture if you are allergic to flowering crops. The flowers are asymmetric, collected in apical spicate inflorescences. After flowering, fruits are formed in the form of a single-seeded box. Some varieties of arrowroot are cultivated as starch plants.

It should be noted that the flowering process significantly depletes the indoor ornamental plant, so many amateur flower growers use the method of early removal of flower stalks. Among other things, it is important to remember that after flowering, some varieties drop all foliage and are able to move to the so-called dormant stage for several months.

How to care for arrowroot (video)

Medicinal properties

Indoor culture is popular not only because of its highly decorative appearance. Also well known and studied medicinal properties arrowroot. This type of ornamental plant, including tubers, is characterized by the content of a sufficient amount of cellulose and starchy substances. Flowers of ornamental culture in traditional medicine are used as a dietary and tonic. On the basis of the arrow-shaped root, dietary products for baby food are made.

Such products are used to feed babies suffering from various disorders of carbohydrate metabolism. Also, preparations from the swept root reduce the risk of blood clots and are widely used in the prevention of thrombophlebitis. Generally, arrowroot has no contraindications. However, one should take into account the fact that plant raw materials cannot be consumed in the presence of individual intolerance to the components of this flowering culture.

Signs and superstitions

Some signs and superstitions are associated with the cultivation of arrowroot, and many flower growers know the ornamental plant as a “prayer flower”. Almost all beliefs characterize positively this species decorative culture. According to esotericists, arrowroot is able to attract wealth and good luck to the house, and also protects the room and its owner from negative energy.

In any case, the arrowroot houseplant brings comfort and tranquility to the house, thanks to a very attractive appearance, therefore positive value flower is hard to overestimate. Reviews of domestic flower growers also testify to the unpretentiousness and external attractiveness of the decorative culture. The main condition is to maintain the soil in a moist state, and the plant should be watered only with warm and settled water.

How to water arrowroot (video)

White-veined arrowroot (M.leuconeura)

White-striped arrowroot under natural conditions grows in tropical forest areas with high humidity. The root system is tuberous. The stem part is up to 25-30 cm high. The foliage is round-elliptical, with a heart-shaped base. On the underside of the leaf plate, a red or bluish-green coloration is observed. The surface of the leaves has a light green pattern and white veins, clearly visible against a rich green background. In home floriculture, a variety of arrowroot Massange, a or red-veined, is especially popular.

How to plant arrowroot (video)

The variety is characterized by the formation of a low herbaceous plant with oval leaves located on relatively short petioles. The surface of the leaves has a bright green color. There are fairly large brownish spots, eye-shaped or feather-shaped. A white stripe runs along the central vein. On the underside, the foliage has a reddish or bluish tint. Flowering small white flowers collected in medium-sized inflorescences.

Domestic flower growers-lovers of massage arrowroot are also very well known as black arrowroot. According to external characteristics, this variety has a lot of similarity of features with the Kerchoveana variety. The main difference is the presence of grayish-green foliage, as well as the leaf surface with characteristic silvery veins and olive-brown spots.

The variety is also called arrowroot fascinator and has oval leaves of light green or dark green color, with a lighter peripheral zone of the leaf plate. The lower part of raspberry staining, velvety. There are distinct red veins on the surface of the leaves, and medium-sized spots of light yellow-green coloration are located along the central one.

The lateral veins are decorated with feather-like dark green spots. Flowering is relatively long, light lilac medium-sized flowers. Caring for this variety can be somewhat difficult, but resistance rates are much higher than those of Calathea.

Bicolor marantane is a tuber-forming species and is characterized by oval leaves with slightly wavy edges. Green foliage is attached to short petioles and has brownish spots located next to the central vein. The lower leaf plate is covered with short hairs and has a decorative reddish tint.

In conditions indoor floriculture the species is not very common, and inexperienced flower growers often confuse M.bicolor with Kerkhoven's arrowroot. Despite the great similarity, the bicolor arrowroot has foliage on the reverse side of a characteristic purple color.

Reed arrowroot is a shrub plant reaching a height of a meter. The root system is tuberous, fairly well developed. The foliage is ovate, with a slight sharpening at the apical part. The lower leaf plate is dark green, with short frequent hairs. Reed arrowroot blooms quite rare, with whitish flowers.

Growing technology

Care at home involves the observance of basic agricultural practices, as well as compliance with the temperature regime and providing plants with comfortable humidity indicators.

landing capacity

The not too developed root system of an ornamental plant suggests growing in medium-sized flower pots. The best option for cultivation are plastic planting containers with a diameter equal to the height of the ornamental crop. A flower pot must necessarily have very high-quality drainage holes that prevent moisture stagnation at the root system.

Cutting arrowroot (video)

soil for growing

For good growth and development of arrowroot, as well as timely flowering, it is recommended to use a nutrient soil substrate based on leafy soil, peat chips, high-quality humus and coniferous soil with the addition of a small amount of medium-grained sand and crushed charcoal for planting and growing an ornamental crop.

Plant transplant

It is advisable to transplant arrowroot no more than once every three years. The plant does not tolerate transplanting too well, so the event is considered optimal in the early spring. The dimensions of the flower pot should allow the root system of the ornamental plant to occupy horizontal position. In the process of transplantation, it is imperative to conduct a thorough examination of the root system and the aerial part of the plant, and, if necessary, remove damaged or withered leaves and roots. Be sure to fill up a relatively high layer of drainage based on brick fight, charcoal and coarse sand.

Feeding and watering

Arrowroots need timely fertilization. Usually, top dressing of decorative and deciduous culture is carried out in the period from early spring until the last days of summer. For this purpose, ready-made mineral fertilizers are applied twice a month, which are recommended to be alternated with organic matter.

Irrigation measures are carried out as the topsoil dries out in flower pot. In the autumn-winter period, it is advisable to alternate watering with spraying. Well-settled water is used for humidification room temperature. A good result is the use of melted or boiled water.

Temperature and humidity

In a room for growing an ornamental plant, arrowroot should provide comfortable indicators of temperature and humidity. The optimal condition for cultivating a houseplant is temperature regime at the level of 20-25 o C in the spring-summer period and about 18-19 o C in the autumn-winter time. Maranta is very hard to endure negative impact draft, therefore, the location of the room culture must be chosen very carefully.

Botanical features of arrowroot and characteristics natural conditions The growth of this ornamental plant involves the creation of air humidity in the growing room at a level of 85-90%. To create such indicators, it is necessary to combine regular fairly abundant irrigation measures and periodic spraying of the aerial parts of the plant. However, it is important to completely eliminate the stagnation of moisture in the soil, since in this case rotting of the root system of the crop can be observed.

Disease prevention

With insufficiently competent cultivation and violation of care technology, the foliage may be affected by brown spotting, and the roots of the plant suffer from decay. In this case, the plant is treated with a weak solution based on potassium permanganate and transplanted with soil replacement.

In conditions low humidity curling and drying of the leaves is noted c, and to remedy the situation, mineral supplement and an increase in air humidity. Also, amateur flower growers quite often encounter rotting and withering of flower stalks as a result of exposure to low-temperature regimes or excessive soil moisture in a flower pot. Among other things, ornamental culture may need shading in too sunny days, which will prevent leaf burns.

Differences from Calathea

Both calathea and arrowroot are bright and popular representatives belonging to the family of arrowroot plants. Despite many differences from a botanical point of view, inexperienced and novice amateur flower growers quite often these two genera are confused. To insure yourself against mistakes and get a really indoor arrowroot, it is very important to know the basic, the most pronounced differences from calathea:

• calathea is more slender and tall plant with long, well-developed petioles;
• in the conditions of indoor floriculture, the height of the calathea often reaches 60-100 cm, and the arrowroot is characterized by more restrained growth and the maximum height of this squat ornamental plant rarely exceeds 20-25 cm;
• calathea has oval or elongated leaves, and some varieties have foliage 28-30 cm long;
• arrowroot foliage is more rounded, ovoid, no more than 10 cm long, and the main difference from calathea is a two-row arrangement;

• the leaf plate of the calathea is thin and delicate, there is no more than one full-fledged developed leaf in the rosette, and the arrowroot has from four to six well-formed leaves;
• a feature of flowering arrowroot is the formation of small and inconspicuous inflorescences, while calathea belongs to the category of decorative flowering indoor crops.

Calatheas and arrowroots are ornamental houseplants of amazing and exquisite beauty, but it should be noted that calathea is a more whimsical crop that needs competent care at all stages of the growing season.

Feng Shui meaning

IN Lately growing indoor ornamental plants according to the eastern teachings of Feng Shui is becoming increasingly popular. From the point of view of this teaching, all indoor flowers are divided according to energy characteristics and, given the energy of decorative culture, the grower has a great opportunity to correctly determine the most suitable location for the arrowroot. In accordance with the teachings of Feng Shui, it is arrowroot that allows you to find meaning in life, and also reveals talents and helps you choose a profession. Also, a houseplant promotes communication and strengthening intra-family ties.

How arrowroot breeds (video)

The arrowroot or prayer plant raises and folds its foliage at night, as if folding its palms in prayer, so the appearance of this popular ornamental culture is soothing and pacifying, which allows it to be placed in relaxation rooms or in the bedroom. Decorative culture is very undemanding and great for beginner gardeners. Propagation of arrowroot in the conditions of home floriculture is carried out by vegetative methods, which contributes to the fastest and easiest production of young plants, and experienced amateur flower growers recommend planting a decorative indoor flower directly during the next scheduled transplant.

Calathea (Calathea) is a herbaceous perennial rhizome plant. Calathea came to the apartment greenhouses of flower growers from the tropical regions of America. This is a striking, chic flower, whose foliage, like the plumage of outlandish birds, causes dizzying delight among connoisseurs. flora. The leaves are unusually spectacular: covered with bright veins or spots, which in some cases have a geometric shape. When you look at calathea, the question arises, which creator created such beauty and painted the leaves of this bizarre plant with a tiny brush.

Flower growers have nicknamed the representatives of the Marantov family prayer plants for their rare ability to lift and connect the leaves in the evening and before the rain. Unique leaf pads at the base of the leaf allow the plant to follow the sun's rays throughout the day.

Connoisseurs of fresh flowers can choose for home growing several wonderful plants from the maranth family. The most common are ktemanta, stromanta, arrowroot and calathea.

Choosing a plant for a north window or for a poorly lit place is not easy. This is where the calathea or “prayer flower” comes to the rescue. Due to the variegated leaves, the plant looks beautiful in the house all year round. It is interesting because it catches every ray of the sun, and its leaves turn after the light. In the morning, the leaves fold vertically and look like palms that are folded for prayer, which is why the plant is called the "prayer flower".

Flowers come in different colors, form inflorescences of a rounded or spike-shaped form. They attract attention with beautiful leaves. different sizes, shapes, shades and ornaments. The leaves are velvety, smooth, scarlet, malachite or purple. The height of the indoor flower can reach 60 cm, the length of the leaves is up to 50 cm.

Signs

Beauty calathea is considered a flower family happiness and well-being.

It is an invaluable and desirable gift for the home, as it absorbs negative energy. Calathea favors the emergence of a sense of pleasure, laughter, carefree mood, trust in the house. The state of mutual hostility in the family will change to participation and love. The house becomes open to friends, formal relationships between people are transformed into closer ones.

The magical property of calathea is to give insecure people consistency, perseverance in achieving goals and upholding views, and aggressive people the ability to control their anger.

Types and varieties of Calathea

The world of calatheas is huge, about 300 species belong to the genus. There are many varieties of beautiful calathea: crocat calathea or saffron calathea, varshevich calathea, lansifolia calathea, rufibarba calathea, makoya calathea. All types of calathea will undoubtedly delight fans of wildlife.

Rufibarba

Calathea rufibarba

Calathea rufibarba is a branched low bush. The leaves of the plant are satiny, narrow, with a slightly wavy texture, emerald green above, lilac-pink below. The cuttings and the back of the leaves are covered with a fluff of a red-lemon hue. Calathea rufibarba does not tolerate spraying.

Dotty

Calathea Dottie

The species has oval-shaped leaves, large and slightly pointed. The foliage is decorated with an expressive pattern, as if on an emerald leaf another leaf is depicted with lilac contours, only smaller.

Crocat

Calathea crocat (Calathea crocata) or Calathea saffron

Calathea crocata (Calathea crocata) or saffron calathea attracts with amazing conspicuous flowers. Magical inflorescences of an orange hue on purple stems resemble flames. Calathea crocat is an elegant plant that, in addition to wonderful flowers, has luxurious foliage. Malachite, oval-shaped, leaves have wavy edges and a coffee-colored undersurface.
Flowering begins in January, lasts at least 4 months.

Calathea saffron is the most demanding type of care, but its magnificence impresses even the most sophisticated lover of the plant world. Representatives of this species do not tolerate division well, require humidity control, and do not tolerate drafts. Calathea saffron prefers acidic soil and grows well in a double pot.

striped

Calathea striped or zebrina

Calathea striped or zebrina is a plant up to 80 cm high. Calathea is a colorful indoor plant. Leaves up to 40 cm long, large, velvety, ovoid, crimson below. On the emerald upper surface of the leaf, stripes and spots are traced by nature, forming a symmetrical pattern, reminiscent of the colors of a zebra. Striped calathea pleases with lilac or snow-white inflorescences.

flamestar

Calathea Flamestar

In the middle of the leaf plate, representatives of this species have a pattern with wavy edges, which gives the impression that the leaves are flaming.

Tasmania

Calathea crocata TASSMINIA

Plants of this species conquer flower growers with exquisite orange-hued flowers. The leaves of specimens of the Tasmanian species are attractive, corrugated. The tropical enchantress exists perfectly under the condition of high humidity.

Majestic White Star

Calathea Majestic White Star

The leaves of Calathea Majestic White Star are shaped like an asterisk. Along the edges, the leaves are dark olive in color, and the pattern coming from the center has a bright snow-white hue.

Triostar

Calathea Triostar

Calathea Triostar has long and narrow leaves. The pattern is not very interesting, it is pale stripes arranged in a chaotic manner on an olive-green leaf. On the back side, the surface of the leaf plate is bright crimson, and the pattern seems to be copied from the outer surface.

Louise

Calathea Louise

The birthplace of the species Calathea Louise is Brazil. The leaves of a houseplant have an ornament consisting of dark and light green stripes. Below the leaves are lilac or crimson in color.

Bahema

Calathea bahema

Calathea bahema is an undemanding species native to the jungles of Brazil, with dense, pointed leaves that surprise with a silver pistachio pattern. The leaves of this type of calathea are narrow, long, lanceolate, up to 40 cm long. The flowers form inflorescences resembling an ear in shape. Bahema calathea does not have such bright flowers as saffron calathea, but attractive enough for connoisseurs of tropical cultures.

Lancifolia

Calathea lansifolia

Calathea lancifolia is one of the few, but quite important plant varieties for flower growers. In the vast Brazilian tropics, Calathea lansifolia grows under conditions of stable temperatures and high humidity. These parameters must be created and maintained when growing a crop at home. The height of the plant can reach 80 cm. The flowers are snow-white or pink. The leaves are long, thin, malachite in color, with dark spots along the median vein. The back side of the leaf plate of the lansifolia calathea is painted in crimson-lilac color.

queen maui

calathea queen maui

The leaves of specimens of this species are pale, but in the center a pattern resembling a green ear is shaded with a pale olive color.

wonderful

Calathea wonderful (lanceolate)

Wonderful calathea or lanceolate calathea is a herbaceous plant up to 70 cm high. The leaves of the plant are 27 cm long, lanceolate, with a convex central vein and waves on the sides. The malachite stem is covered with soft villi, the surface of the leaf is strewn with dark olive broad lines and ovals. Representatives of this species grow rapidly, relatively not capricious.

Medallion

Calathea medallion

Calathea medallion grows in Brazil. It reaches a height of 40 cm. The leaves are oval, malachite, with silver and purple spots. The back of the leaf is blueberry.

Makoya

Calathea makoya

Calathea makoya - a plant up to 50 cm high, common in the hot Brazilian jungle. The leaves of the culture are oval, shiny, satiny, variegated, decorated with a dark strip along the edge. The pattern on the surface of the leaf forms dark green or pink stripes extending from the central vein. Calathea makoya is one of the most famous species: one cannot pass by such a plant of rare beauty, because it attracts attention like a magnet.

Mix

Calathea mix

Calathea mix resembles a zebra-shaped species. The difference lies in the fact that the pattern of representatives of the Calathea mix species consists of alternating dull and light green stripes.

Varshevich

Calathea Varshevich

Calathea Varshevich is a large bush. The leaves are oval in shape, the surface is delicate, silky. The color of the leaf on the upper side is dark olive, the back side is crimson. Inflorescences are white or milky.

decorated

Calathea sanderiana or ornata

Calathea sanderiana or decorated (ornata) comes from the forests of Colombia. This is a miniature plant with inflorescences resembling an ear, snow-white or purple corollas, growing up to 6-8 cm in length. Calathea sanderiana has a lemon green leaf surface that is covered in narrow pink broad lines. The leaves are oval, lanceolate, up to 20 cm long.

Orbifolia

Calathea orbifolia

Calathea orbifolia has original wavy large leaves resembling a fan. The color of the leaves is dark malachite, the surface is decorated with light transverse stripes.

Lubbers

Calathea lubbers

Calathea lubbers is a tall plant with semicircular leaves. The leaves are distinguished by a variegated pattern that does not have symmetry: bright lemon-yellow stains are located on a dark green background.

Network or mosaic

Calathea mosaic network

Calathea mosaic network - a plant with large fleshy leaves of a heart-shaped or spear-shaped shape. This species has an unusual color of leaves. The ornament on their surface consists of tiny rectangular patterns, empty or painted inside, which resemble a mosaic panel. The main color of the leaf surface is light, and the lines are bright green or light brown. Patterns are formed by crossing the veins, thus creating a marvelous ornament. If you carefully examine the surface of the sheet, then the chaos that seems at first glance in the distribution of the pattern has a clear structure, as if a child is drawing, trying to maintain equal gaps between the particles.

Instances of this species tolerate the cold season well, are not too picky about humidity and lighting.

Litze

Calathea litze

Calathea litze is a plant from the sultry forests of Brazil, which forms dense wilds up to 60 cm high in its homeland. The leaves are slightly wavy, not large, up to 15 cm long. Above the surface of the leaf is green with a silvery steel sheen and dark olive broad lines, the back side of the leaf crimson-violet color. The ornament on the surface of the leaves is in the form of a straight line, from which short, parallel lines of dark and light shades of green, alternating with each other, depart at an angle on both sides. The drawing is located on both sides of the sheet. Calathea Litze flowers form snow-white inflorescences shaped like an ear.

colorized

Calathea painted

Calathea painted - a plant with leaves up to 20 cm in length. The upper side of the sheet is decorated with an original pattern: a dark middle with symmetrical stripes, light streak along the edge and a light median vein.

Leopard

Calathea leopard

A plant reaching a height of 50 cm. The leaves are lanceolate, up to 15 cm long. From above, the leaves are light turquoise in color with dark green elongated streaks connected to the median vein of the leaf. The flowers are lemon, form spike-shaped inflorescences.

Veitch

Calathea veicha or vicha

Plant reaching a height of 1 meter. The leaves are semicircular, up to 30 cm long, up to 10 cm wide, thick, satiny, tobacco green. Leaves with lemon-green stripes on top, lemon-colored stripes on a crimson background on the back. White flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences.

Calathea care at home

Everyone who grows and cares for plants for more than one year knows what measures must be taken so that the plant does not die. If a person buys a plant for the first time in a flower shop, then he is not immune from the fact that his purchase will soon wither away. To avoid such an unpleasant situation, it is necessary to follow some rules that will help save the plant, and it will continue to please its owner for a long time.

At home, caring for a calathea consists in creating acceptable conditions for its development. Failure to follow the rules will destroy the exotic beauty.

If the leaves of the calathea curl and dry, spots appear on them, then the conditions for the plant are not comfortable enough. Calathea prefers diffused light, therefore, it is imperative to shade window panes. An air humidifier is placed near the plant, and on a hot day it is taken out into the open space, into fresh air, protecting it from the wind. The flower suffers from drafts and gas combustion products.

The most capricious and require careful care at home flowering varieties, especially Calathea saffron or Calathea crocat. The most unpretentious is the calathea makoya.

The basic principle of watering a tropical enchantress: plentifully, but not often. Tropical calathea needs high-quality care, which requires time from the grower, full dedication and understanding with the flower.

Lighting

Different varieties of calathea come from countries with a warm climate, so they love sunny sheltered places. The lighting in the room should be sufficiently intense, but the plant must be protected from direct sunlight. Bright light is detrimental to the leaves: with excessive light, they curl, their color fades. It is advisable for beginner flower growers to plant a houseplant not in a ceramic, but in a plastic pot, since ceramics hold water well, and calathea suffers from this.

top dressing

During intensive growth, from April to October, calathea at home is fed once every two weeks with liquid complex fertilizer for decorative leafy plants. During the dormant period, the plants are fed once every two months.

Air humidity

It is quite difficult to provide high-quality care for calathea without additional techniques. The plant needs high level air humidity, not lower than 90%. To increase the humidity in the apartment, growers install aquariums or glass terrariums.

Plants are rapidly losing moisture, so the space around them must be sprayed daily with a spray bottle, periodically wipe the leaves with a damp sponge. The pot can be placed in a container with wet pebbles. It is recommended to generously spray the plant with soft water once every 2 days.

When spraying water, the main goal is to moisten the area around the plant, so that a minimum of water gets on the leaves. If you deviate from this rule, then soon brown spots will appear on the leaves. Spraying of species with velvety leaves is excluded, the air around them simply needs to be moistened.

The velvet representatives of the tropical lady are created comfortable conditions, placing the culture pot in a tray with expanded clay, moss plants, a little water, so that the bottom of the flower pot does not come into contact with the liquid.

Temperature

Calathea is a thermophilic houseplant and does not tolerate drafts. The temperature in the room should be constant: all year round not lower than +18 C, preferably +20 ... +25 C. The plant is affected by temperature changes, so they are not recommended to be placed near open window or doors.

Watering

Throughout the year, you need to water the plant abundantly with soft water at room temperature. The soil should always be moist, while avoiding stagnant water in the pot. In summer, water every other day, and in winter, water once a week, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. A flowerpot with a plant is kept on a pallet with wet pebbles in a cool place.

Varieties with velvety leaves are not sprayed and generally try not to get water on their leaves, as it leaves stains. Watering is carried out carefully to the edge of the pot. In order for the plant not to hurt, use sticks with special preparations that kill harmful insects.

pruning

When cared for at home, calathea flowers do not need regular pruning. Timely removal of damaged and dry leaves is necessary.

Fertilizer

Fertilizers are primarily provided by plants nutrients and also maintain soil health. It is best to fertilize with a mixture of organic nutrients, such as horn meal in combination with mineral fertilizers without lime, preferably with a long action. In addition, there are special fertilizers in the trade, which are added to the soil according to the instructions. During the growing season, fertilizers are applied every 14 days. The plant suffers from an excess of calcium and nitrogen in the soil. In plant nutrition, a reasonable approach should be followed. Lack and excess of nutrients equally negatively affect the plant.

A signal of improper feeding will be a change in the color of the leaves. They will take on a brownish tint. The root system of the plant functions quite entertainingly.

Culture always releases into the soil substances that degrade the characteristics of the earth. In connection with this fact, no top dressing is able to ensure the harmonious development of the plant without periodic transplantation.

The soil

The soil is the main condition for the development of plants. It serves as a medium for rooting plants, providing them with water and nutrients necessary for life. The soil is a living organism inhabited by countless microscopic living beings that, in the process of metabolism, produce nutrients for plants from dead protein organisms. Consequently, the quality and health of the plant, its ability to grow, primarily depends on the condition of the soil. Constant attention to the condition of the soil, improving its quality, are the basis of any grower's activity.

The soil for calathea must be breathable; sand or perlite with peat is added to reduce its density. To prepare the land, they take: 2 shares of leafy soil, 1 share of peat, 1 share of sand. Optionally, add humus from the fallen needles of spruce, fir, larch or pine. It is loose, acidic, contains enough nutrients, similar in structure to leafy soil, but even more breathable. Also make pieces of bark, charcoal, dry manure. The soil must be loose, humus rich in nutrients so that the plants grow in optimal conditions and can fully develop. A drainage layer is necessarily created in the pot, within 5-7 cm. Expanded clay is an excellent material for this purpose.

Bloom

Representatives of some species of tropical beauty bloom in spring and summer. Calathea makoya produces violet, inconspicuous tiny flowers, while other species have orange-scarlet, snow-white and lemon inflorescences. The most attractive are Calathea saffron.

Possible problems

If the ground is too wet, growing black spots appear on the leaves of the plant.

Why do calathea leaves dry?

If the rules for care are not followed, the plant may experience various problems:

• If there is not enough light in the room and it is too dark, then the petioles of the leaves are strongly extended.
• The reason why the leaves turn yellow in Calathea is simple: the temperature in the room is low for the normal development of the plant.
• Due to waterlogging, brown spots appear on the leaves.
• The reason for the drying of the leaves are temperature fluctuations, dry air or defeat spider mite. The leaves become lethargic and, if urgent measures are not taken, dry out.
• If the calathea rapidly dry and curl the leaves, the plant must be placed in partial shade, then it will again acquire a normal shape.
• When the air is dry, the tips of the leaves turn brown, the leaves fall down, shrink.
• Sometimes, after turning on the heating in winter, the calathea shoots dry out very quickly and die off. It is necessary to continue to water the plant without throwing it away. In the spring, new leaves will emerge from the remaining roots.

By observing the plant, you can adjust the care process, thereby creating the most favorable conditions for growth and flowering.

Diseases and pests of Calathea

Calathea may suffer from fungal diseases. They develop at low temperatures or in a hot, humid room with stagnant water in the soil. The defeat of the fungus Rhizoctonia can destroy the flower. The reason for the occurrence is excessive watering and the appearance of root rot. Fungal infections leave little chance for the plant to continue to develop. Saving a plant is very difficult. The plant must be transplanted, after having been treated with a fungicide. Weak diseased plants are known to be particularly susceptible to attack by harmful organisms.

In case of violation of the conditions of detention, scale insects settle on the plant. They sit motionless on the back side of the leaves, drawing the juice from the leaves. The leaves turn pale and fall off, the shoots die off. In order to avoid the loss of the plant, pest control must be started immediately. Scale insects are recognized by the presence of an adhesive layer on the leaves. Soot fungus settles on this sticky layer. It is difficult to collect scale insects manually, so the plant is treated with karbofos four times.

Spider mites also live on the back of the leaves. One can understand about their stay by noticing that the leaves of the calathea dry. The defeat of the culture with a spider mite indicates poor air humidity in the room.

If the plant is watered excessively, then the root system may rot, and the Thrips pest will also appear. Signs of its appearance are expressed in white spots on the surface of the leaves. The insect itself is located on the back of the leaf and eats it from the inside. White spots subsequently dry, crumble, and holes form in their place. The plant ceases to be attractive. The fight against harmful insects is carried out with the help of special preparations, providing good ventilation in the room.

You can also get rid of pests with the help of folk remedies, for example, spraying at least 3 times a day with hydrogen peroxide (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water).

Herbal and herbal tinctures strengthen plants, increase their resistance and resistance to diseases and fungi, and nettle may be the best solution. Its extract is cold water is a tool that has been proven over the years.

It must be remembered that timely care of cultivated plants helps them resist the attack of pests and diseases, and in case of infection, they do relatively little damage.

Planting and reproduction

The plant is propagated by seeds, division of the bush and cuttings. Calathea transplant in young age held annually in the spring. When the plant reaches the age of four, transplantation can be done every two years.

How to transplant calathea after purchase

Novice flower growers often wonder how to transplant a calathea. Fans of the flora, before buying, carefully examine the representatives of the houseplant, and for signs of pests and diseases that the culture can suffer from in a latent form. Do not transport the purchased plant in the trunk of a car. The salon is ideal for transportation, and in order not to stain it with earth, a flowerpot with a flower is placed in a large box.

After the plant has been transported home, it should be placed in a warm, shady place where there are no drafts. It is impossible to water the flower abundantly, even if it has faded a little. Within a few days, the new plant needs rest.

At this time, it is extremely unfavorable to rearrange the culture from place to place. You can find the perfect corner where the plant will be all the time after it gets used to the new environment.

After the purchase, the calathea is transplanted, like any other indoor flower.

• Before transplanting calathea, choose a suitable pot. Volumetric flowerpots are perfect, but they must be shallow so that the plant can develop normally. The drainage layer at the bottom of the pot should occupy a third of the total volume.
• The roots of the sultry enchantress should not come into contact with the drainage layer, otherwise they will become unusable and rot. An earthen mixture is used: in equal quantities, leafy humus and a dense mass formed from the decayed remains of marsh plants, sand or charcoal. Sand must be pre-exposed heat treatment to avoid soil contamination by pathogens. More often, flower growers acquire and use a ready-made soil mixture. The transplant is relatively painlessly tolerated by Calathea Makoya.
• Transplanted so that the root system of the culture is in the middle of the pot. The roots of the flower are strong, it is necessary to shake them off the old soil so that the root system takes root in completely fresh clean land. The roots are slightly straightened before lowering the plant into a pot. Then they sprinkle it with a small amount of soil, but do not compact it, the earth should remain free-flowing, loose.
• After transplantation, the plant is sprayed with a solution of zircon biologically active additive, and then watered abundantly to give the tropical curiosity the strength to grow and develop in a new place. Water should be settled or filtered for better flower development.

Reproduction of Calathea

Most easy way propagate calathea by dividing the rhizome into several parts. Reproduction by division of the rhizome is carried out in spring or autumn during transplantation. Be careful not to damage root system plants, the flower is taken out of the pot, the rhizome is examined. The overgrown bush is divided so that each fragment has a growth point and a piece of rhizome. Each part of the rhizome should have at least 2-3 leaves. On each division, the lower leaves are cut, the rhizome is cut, planted in small pots. The composition of the land for planting is as follows: leafy, humus and sod land as well as sand.

The plant is shaded, conditions of high air humidity are created and watered abundantly during intensive vegetation. Young plants take root for a long time and it is difficult, they are placed in a warm and extremely humid place (they put the pot in a container with wet expanded clay gravel or crushed stone next to the heating radiator). The air temperature during reproduction should be 20-22 degrees.

Growing from seed

The most time-consuming way to propagate a flower at home is considered to be growing seeds. And rightly so: it takes years for a flower to grow from a tiny seed. In addition, even high-quality seeds may not germinate, and their preliminary preparation takes a lot of time. Therefore, this method is difficult even for experienced flower growers who love tropical exotics.

Seeds are stored in a dry dark place. Prior to planting, the seeds are disinfected using a solution of 1% potassium permanganate in proportions of 1 gram of potassium permanganate per 100 grams of water. Soil is prepared for planting seeds: 1 share of leafy soil and 0.5 shares of sand. Plant seeds, almost without deepening.

The temperature should be +25 C. Sprouted dense sprouts are planted in the same soil. The grown sprouts are planted in small containers and looked after, as well as sprouts when dividing the rhizome of the plant.

From a huge variety indoor plants it is very difficult to choose those that you like, can take root indoors and do not require constant care. The choice of a plant is often influenced by the amount of free time of the future owner, because the flowers require careful care, which requires time and painstaking work. Despite the peculiarities of care, the prayer flower proves its charm and pleases with juicy, variegated leaves. He will enliven the interior, bringing bright colors into it, and any connoisseur of the plant world will be satisfied with his choice.

Calathea - unusual flower, in which early in the morning the foliage is horizontal, and in the evening the leaves of the plant are strictly vertical. Like all arrowroots, to which this plant belongs, the leaves of calathea fold at night or during rain. In the homeland of calatheas, in the evenings, a friendly rustling of leaves is sometimes heard when they rise in the evening. Because of this feature, many flower growers call this flower "prayer book".

As a rule, calathea is bought not as an ornamental flowering plant, but as a decorative and deciduous plant, because of the beautiful leaves. The leaves are openwork, come in a variety of shapes: oval, elongated, and round. But not only the shape is different, but also the color. A feature of calathea leaves is the purple underside of the leaf plate.

Calathea grows well and retains the color of the leaves in partial shade, in bright light the leaves lose their color, the leaves will not be expressive. There are calatheas that are bought because of the flowers - her leaves are not very beautiful, but she pleases the owners orange flowers on high peduncles - this is Calathea saffron. This species is the most capricious, but its beauty is simply amazing. Bright orange flowers will make you abandon all your affairs and take care of the sissy, because the result is worth it.

Features of caring for calathea

She is very demanding on air humidity, does not like drafts. The temperature when keeping calathea at home should be from 16 degrees and above. Calathea is transplanted every two years. It can be propagated by division, but the plant does not tolerate such a procedure very well. But if you still divided the calathea, then after that it needs to provide greenhouse conditions - you can wrap it in cellophane and put it in heat so that it takes root well. But even if the plant is divided into 2 bushes, it is not a fact that it will survive.

Calatheas are increasingly found in flower shops, but they are not so widespread in institutions and apartments. It would seem that it is not clear why such a chic plant did not gain great popularity among indoor flower growers? And only those who have ever tried to grow calathea will easily understand why it did not become the second ficus in our homes. This plant can not be called unpretentious. Without careful attention and thoughtful care, it is unlikely to be saved.

Air humidity

Calathea still belongs to capricious plants, because the humidity of the air is very high. It is either necessary to constantly spray it, or you can make a double pot - one pot is inserted into the second larger one, and the gap between them is filled with wet sphagnum moss, or wet peat can be used instead of sphagnum, but not wet. If there is not enough humidity, then the tips of the leaves dry at the calathea, and it can also be affected by spider mites with high air dryness. Therefore, when buying a plant, you should immediately inspect for the presence of pests. If pests are wound up, then you need to treat with insecticides.

Calathea fertilizer

From April to August, calathea is fed with a liquid complex fertilizer for indoor decorative leafy plants every 2 weeks. Calathea saffron is fed with fertilizer for decorative flowering houseplants.

How to water calathea

It is better to alternate watering with fertilizers and watering clean water, given that the number of feedings per month should not exceed 2. Calathea loves slightly acidified soil. If you buy special land for kalats, then you do not need to add anything additional to it for acidification. And if the land was compiled independently, then you can water the calathea with slightly acidified water. It is enough to add citric acid literally at the tip of a knife to half a liter of water.

Calathea - signs

Specialists who study the bioenergetic properties of plants claim that the arrow-shaped energy of the calathea is directed outward. The plant will benefit in a house where a large family lives, where everyone is busy with vigorous activity. Calathea absorbs the energy of aggression, contributes to the success of any collective undertaking, as it helps to bring the work begun to the end, avoiding quarrels and contradictions. Calathea helps to decide, makes timid people more courageous, encourages bored people to find something to their liking. Thanks to her, a person acquires inner rod, begins to better understand what he wants from life. Believe it or not - it's up to you, but calathea among flower growers is considered a plant of family happiness.

Among the floral variety, Calathea attracts attention with the original and varied color of the leaves. It is believed that the plant is able to absorb negative energy, bring happiness to the house, add comfort, with proper care at home. In order to check the reliability of a positive influence on others, you just need to try to grow it, and this is not so simple.

Calathea is a bright representative of the Marantov genus, has very beautiful oval or elongated leaves and pigment spots on the plate of different colors (white, pink, purple, green), and each plant is different.

The plant is quite large good care its height can reach 60-90 cm. The length of the basal leaves is 10-30 cm.

All calatheas have general ability: leaves curl in the evening and lifting them up, which resembles palms folded in prayer. In the morning they unfold and descend. This feature gave calathea a second name - "prayer flower".

Refers to flowering plants, its small flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. The bracts adjacent to the flowers look more attractive.

The most beautifully flowering are considered:

• Calathea Varshevich
• Calathea saffron
• Calathea Roseolineata Dutty

Refers to perennial herbaceous plants, as they grow requiring seating. In indoor home conditions, life expectancy is from 2 to 5 years, depending on the variety.

Types and varieties of Galatea

Among the Marantov family, Galatea has the largest variety, which includes 300 species, including mixes.

Calathea Saffron or Crocat

Dark green glossy leaves adorn orange flowers. Height up to 0.6 m.

It has rounded silvery leaves with dark stripes. back side burgundy. Blooms with small purple flowers. Unlike other varieties, it grows well under artificial lighting.

Zebrina roseolineata

A plant with glossy dark green foliage and double stripes radiating from the center of the leaf. On young stripes are pinkish with age turn white. The underside of the zebra leaves is dark pink. Height 0.6 m. Flowers light purple or cream.

On the dark green velvet of the leaves, light green stripes appear, diverging in both directions from the central vein. Height up to 0.8 m. Before flowering, it needs a garter of ejected flower shoots.

Medallion or Roseopycta

Oval-shaped leaves, 20 cm long, combine dark green and light green colors with a clear pattern. Basal petioles are brown.

On light green leaves there are dark green spots with an offset in height. Basal petioles are long. Height up to 0.5 m.

Calathea planting rules

Calathea refers to rosette plants, i.e. those in which missing stem, and the leaves are collected in rosettes. Over time, sockets increase in volume, grow the root system and need to be transplanted.

The plant transplant process itself is poorly tolerated, but it is necessary to do this every 2-3 years.
The root system of the calathea is superficial, so the pot for planting is not deep, but wide.

At least 1/3 of the pot should be drainage it could be clay. To avoid damage to the plant by root rot, a layer of activated charcoal tablets or a layer of charcoal can be placed on top of the drainage.

The soil for planting should be loose, so take ready soil for ornamental deciduous plants or make up the soil mixture on their own:

• leaf ground - 2 parts;
• peat - 1 part;
• sand - 1 part;
• pieces of sphagnum moss, perlite or vermiculite, crushed charcoal are added to the mixture.

Calathea is transplanted in March-April or not earlier than 2 weeks after purchase.

For better rooting and survival of the plant, it is advisable to pour a solution of Zircon (4 drops per 1 liter of water) or HB-101 growth stimulator (1 drop per 1 liter of water).

Features of plant care in indoor conditions

Calathea capricious care and it needs to be given increased attention when growing. She needs high humidity and optimal temperature.

Growing conditions and how to care:

1. The temperature must be within 18-25 °С.
2. The plant is contraindicated in drafts.
3. Calatheas need bright diffused light, but it needs to be shaded from direct sunlight. The best place for growing is the western side, shading is required on the southern windows. When grown in the shade or bright sun, the plant loses decorativeness, the leaves fade, the pattern disappears, they become just green.
4. Humidity should be at the level of 70-90%. This requires frequent spraying, but preferably not the plant itself, but the air around it. Or set pots on pallets with pebbles or expanded clay filled with water. Only water should not come into contact with the bottom of the pot. To maintain humidity overnight, a plastic bag can be put on a pot of calathea.
5. Watering should be plentiful, soft water at room temperature as the soil in the pot dries. To avoid rotting of the roots, it is necessary to prevent stagnant water in the flower pot. After watering, the water from the pan must be drained.
6. You need to feed the flower 1 time per month winter, spring-autumn every 2 weeks. Fertilizers are desirable special for decorative leafy plants or complex-mineral. Calathea does not like excess nitrogen and calcium in the soil. Calathea saffron is fed with fertilizer for flowering ornamental plants.
7. Calathea is propagated mainly by dividing the rhizome during transplantation, carefully trying to damage the roots as little as possible during reproduction.

A feature of the arrowroot family is that they have a dormant period after flowering, when they can shed their foliage.

Calathea needs to continue to be watered and maintain high humidity, and over time, the leaf mass will begin to grow again.

At improper care behind calathea during the growing process, you may encounter the following problems:

• leaves lose their tugor and curl, darkening and the appearance of dry spots on them - a possible cause may be drafts, insufficient air humidity;
• thinning of the leaf plate, stretching of the leaves - lack of light;
• spots - yellow (sunburn), dark (excess moisture);
• curling, discoloration and drying - excess light;
• dropping leaves - dry air or excessive watering.

Brown spots on leaves

Pests and their control

Calathea can be affected by pests such as spider mites, scale insects, thrips.

• when white and then dark plaques appear on the plant, it speaks of scale damage. To combat the pest, the petioles are first cleaned of it with a sponge dipped in soapy water, and then sprayed with an insecticide (Aktellik, Fufanon, Fitoverm).
• when a flower is damaged spider mite leaves turn yellow, white or gray spots appear on them, they curl. The fight begins with the treatment of the plant with a soapy solution, then the flower is treated with hot water in the shower with t 45 ° C. In severe cases resort to the use of insecticides;
• if available on Calathea thrips leaves droop, white spots form on them, and then wither and fall off. To get rid of the pest, the flower is treated with a pink solution of manganese or Decis (poisonous).

Any calathea is a small work of art, its painted leaves are so diverse. And no matter how capricious she was in leaving, her amazing beauty and originality are worth it to tinker with her.