Houseplants
HOW TO CARE FOR CALATHEA (AND KEEP THEM ALIVE) IN THE HOME
LEARN HOW TO CARE FOR CALATHEA (AND HOW TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN YOUR HOME). CALATHEA ARE BEAUTIFUL BUT TRICKY ADDITIONS TO THE INDOOR GARDEN.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
In this post we will discuss how to care for calathea plants. While there are many different types calathea, this post is written specifically about the Calathea medallion as I have the most experience with it to date.
WHAT ARE CALATHEA?
Calathea refer to a variety of plants known for their stunning foliage. Mainly native to Africa, Calathea are beautiful understory plants that prefer lower lighting and higher humidity.
For such beautiful plants, calathea surprisingly grow insignificant little flowers. These beauties can be tricky to get to flower, so when flowers do appear be sure to take lots of pictures and enjoy every moment.
As mentioned earlier, this post is a generalized care guide for Calathea, but specifically speaks to the care of Calathea medallion as pictured.
WHY ARE CALATHEA TRICKY TO CARE FOR?
Because calathea prefer moist, humid environments some homes may lack sufficient humidity or watering. Most calathea growers find their plants do amazing during the summer months, but see crispy leaves come winter.
I know prayer plant and calathea growers (yes, two different plants but their growing requirements are similar) who recommend always propagating off the mother to have more than one specimen in case of spontaneous death from the mother plant.
After years of keeping both calathea and prayer plants, we’ve had excellent luck and I’m happy to share my experience with you.
CARE FOR CALATHEA BY PROVIDING SUFFICIENT LIGHTING
Calathea line the jungle floor and bask in the light that shines through the canopy. As you can imagine, it’s not as bright at the floor of the jungle!
In home collections, calathea are known for being a low light loving plant. But, low light does not mean dark. Calathea thrive with some exposure to the sun, ours prefer the gentle morning rays about 2 feet away from an East facing window.
As a general rule of thumb when determining if a room is bright enough for a low light plant, if you can easily read the newspaper in the room without turning on a light then the room is bright enough for a low light plant.
Calathea’s big beautiful foliage can burn easily, so be sure to pull them away from a window a bit or provide a sheer curtain.
Direct South or West facing sun may damage leaves, so it’s important to use the compass app on your phone or determine what way your windows face to keep calathea happy and healthy.
HUMIDITY AND WATERING OF CALATHEA
If you are someone who loves to water your plants, calathea may be the plant for you!
Calathea do not tolerate drying out (at all). This may be the number one calathea killer, forgetful watering. The soil should remain moist, but the plant should never be in standing water. Use a pot with sufficient drainage holes and water until the water runs freely from the bottom of the pot. Allow to train for a moment before returning the plant to it’s decorative pot or saucer. This will keep the plant from sitting in water.
When a calathea gets too dry, it will become limp and the edges of it’s leaves will get crispy. Another factor causing crispy leaf edges is the lack of humidity.
The calathea pictured here was actually one of my office plants, and I brought it home due to lack of humidity in my office. You’ll see some of the edges are slightly crunchy and brown. The plant continues to push out new leaves, so it will likely recover now that it’s in a healthier environment.
CALATHEA CARE TIP FOR INCREASING HUMIDITY
Humidifiers work wonders for plants, especially during the cold winter months. Using humidifiers is more effective than spraying the plants with water, as it provides a more constant source of humidity for a longer period of time.
If a humidifier is not possible, setting your calathea on a tray of pebbles and water is a good idea. Just be sure that the plant is not sitting in the water.
Plants in general can increase humidity, so group moisture loving plants together. I like to keep my calathea, prayer plant and orchids all together as they require very similar lighting and humidity.
PRUNING CALATHEA
Calathea medallion is not a plant that becomes “unruly”. However, pruning may be necessary to remove any leaves damaged from transport or dried up leaves.
Every February I give my Calathea and prayer plant a good clipping, removing any damaged pieces before the surge of new growth in Spring.
Using sanitized scissors, cut damaged or dried leaves off at the base of the plant. If leaves have just a bit of damage on the edges, it’s okay to leave them. The edges will not recover, but new growth will be healthy.
If leaves are mostly damaged go ahead and remove them. Heavily damaged leaves will not recover, and removing them will allow the plant to put it’s energy into making new, healthy leaves instead of trying to keep the damaged leaves alive.
It may be surprising the number of damaged leaves removed from your calathea or prayer plant, but the plant will be much better off with them clipped.
IN SUMMARY
Calathea really aren’t that hard to care for when you know the plant’s requirements. Be sure to keep the plant out of direct afternoon sun, don’t let it dry out and provide a little extra humidity. With these three tips you will have success growing calathea for years to come!
The lush, big beautiful leaves these plants have make for statement pieces in plant lovers collections. This Calathea medallion was always the center of attention in my office! Now that it is home, it’s still a show stopper.
Happy Growing!
TOOLS FOR GREAT CALATHEA CARE
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
- Humidity Tray
- Humidifier (my favorite, easy-to-clean humidifier!)
- Fertilizer
RELATED POSTS
- Best Easy Care Houseplants for Beginners
- How to care for houseplants during winter
- How to Care for a Monstera deliciosa plant
- Easy Phalaenopsis Orchid Care Tips for Beginners
