How to grow calatheas

What are calatheas?

Calatheas, or prayer plants, are a group of clump-forming, perennial houseplants grown for their attractive foliage and striking leaf markings. The group includes plants in the genera Ctenanthe, Goeppertia and Stromanthe.

Their rounded, oval or paddle-shaped leaves emerge at ground level, unfurling atop tall, thin stems. Plants range from about 20–100cm (8–40in) tall. 

Like others in the prayer plant family (Marantaceae), many calatheas display a phenomenon known as nyctinasty, where their leaves fold upwards at night like hands in prayer. 

Choosing calatheas

Calatheas come in a wide range of colours and leaf patterns, and it’s largely down to personal preference when it comes to selecting one for your home. Options include:

• Colourful variegated leaves – Goeppertia roseopicta (rose-painted calathea), G. lietzei ‘Fusion White’ and Stromanthe sanguinea ‘Triostar’

• Intricately patterned or striped leaves – Goeppertia makoyana (peacock calathea), G. insignis (rattlesnake plant), G. kegeljanii (network plant) and G. orbifolia  

Although mainly grown for their striking foliage, some calatheas have other attributes, such as Goeppertia crocata (saffron-coloured calathea), which produces vibrant orange flowers, and G. rufibarba (furry feather calathea) with velvet-textured leaves. 

Calatheas prefer a bright spot, shaded from direct sunlight. If you want a leafy houseplant for a sunny situation, consider alternatives such as Strelitzia reginae (bird of paradise), Ficus lyrata (fiddle-leaf fig) and Musa acuminata ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ (dwarf banana). The succulents Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Crassula ovata (jade plant) and Sansevieria trifasciata (snake plant) would also work well.  

 

Buying calatheas

You can buy calatheas all year round from most garden centres and houseplant retailers, but bear in mind that these tropical plants are easily damaged by cold temperatures. So if buying in autumn or winter when it’s chilly outside, protect the foliage by double bagging or using extra wrapping for the journey home. Calatheas are also widely available from online houseplant retailers.
  
Although sold under the umbrella name ‘calathea’, many of these plants have been renamed and grouped into three separate genera: Ctenanthe, Goeppertia and Stromanthe. Until these names become more widely used, look for those labelled calathea when buying.  

Choose plants that are healthy in appearance, with unblemished leaves and no signs of wilting or insect damage. 

Location

Calatheas grow best in a bright spot, out of direct sunlight. In summer, a position near a north- or east-facing window is ideal. In winter, when light levels are lower, a south-facing windowsill is better. If there is insufficient natural light, you could use artificial grow lights.

See our video guide to light levels for houseplants:

Temperature

Keep plants at 16–21°C (61–70°F) and avoid temperature fluctuations, so position them away from draughts and direct sources of heat, such as fires and radiators.

Humidity

These plants enjoy high levels of humidity (moist air), so consider keeping them in a bathroom where there’s plenty of water vapour.

To create a humid microclimate elsewhere, stand the pot in a wide tray filled with gravel or clay granules (Hydroleca). Add water, to just below the surface of the gravel, and top up regularly.

Alternatively, mist the foliage regularly and group your calathea with other houseplants, so they can share the moist air they transpire. 

Watering

​Water plants moderately throughout spring and summer, keeping the compost evenly moist. In autumn and winter, allow the surface of the compost to dry out before rewetting, but never let the compost dry out completely. Careful watering is required in winter to prevent oedema (see Problems below).

If using a decorative cover pot or water dish, remember to tip away any excess water that collects after watering. If the roots stand in water for any length of time, they can easily rot.   

All houseplants prefer rainwater, as mains tap water contains lime (calcium carbonate) and chlorine. However, calatheas will tolerate tap water if it has been left to stand for at least 24 hours beforehand, so the chlorine evaporates. Alternatively, use distilled water that collects in dehumidifiers and tumble dryers.

Feeding

Feed plants once a month during the growing season (April to September) with a general-purpose liquid fertiliser or a balanced houseplant fertiliser. Avoid feeding in autumn or winter (October to March). 

Divide the clump in spring, cutting the rootball into sections, each with several leaves. Pot these up into individual containers and keep the divisions warm, humid and moist at all times until growth resumes.

Plants with branching stems, such as Ctenanthe pilosa ‘Golden Mosaic’, can also be propagated by stem cuttings. Snip just below where the stem branches. Insert the cuttings into pots of free-draining, peat-free compost and keep in a propagator or cover with a clear plastic bag until well-rooted. 

Calatheas grow easily if conditions are favourable, however they can sometimes suffer from the following issues:

• Oedema – a condition where plants can’t transpire properly. It causes patchy, water-soaked areas on the leaves and is most likely to occur in winter when the compost is too wet

• Poor, weak growth due low light levels (especially with Goeppertia species) – move to a brighter position or use artificial grow lights     

• Browning of the leaf tips and edges – this is usually a result of low humidity (dry air). Increase the humidity by moving the plant into a bathroom or standing it in a tray of damp gravel 

• Speckled, yellowing or silvery leaves and fine webbing may be a sign of red spider mites 

• Black powder-like sooty mould may indicate the presence of mealybugs or soft scale – sap-sucking insects that feed on leaves   

• Fungus gnats – these tiny black flies can be annoying indoors. Water from the base, to keep the top of the compost drier, and reduce watering to avoid soggy compost. You could also repot into fresh compost