How to grow calatheas

What are calatheas?

Calatheas, or prayer plants, are a group of clump-forming, perennial

Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.

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
  

  Variegated means having leaves or other plant parts with streaks, blotches or patches of different colours. Typically, these would be a combination of two colours, such as green and gold or green and white.

  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

A group of plants that have thick, fleshy leaves or stems that are able to store water. This allows them to survive in arid habitats with low moisture.

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Crassula ovata(jade plant) and Sansevieria trifasciata (snake plant) would also work well.

Choosing the best houseplants

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.

Buying: garden centre plants

Buying: mail order plants

Newly purchased plants can usually stay in their existing container for the first growing season

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

, before they need repotting.

Repot your calathea every few years once the clump has filled the pot. Do this in spring or summer using free-draining, moisture-retentive, peat-free compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

• Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

– either buy a houseplant compost mix or make your own using multi-purpose compost mixed with around ten per cent potting grit (per volume used).

Choose a pot that’s just one or two sizes larger than the rootball

The roots and accompanying soil when a plant is removed from a container or lifted from the ground.

diameter, to avoid overpotting problems. Position the plant in its new container so the top of the rootball is just below the surface of the compost.

See our guides on repotting houseplants:

How to repot a plant

Peat-free compost choices

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:

Artificial lighting for indoor plants

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

The concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere. This affects the rate at which plants transpire (lose water from their leaf pores), which in turn affects how much water their roots absorb from the soil. If air humidity is low, plants transpire quickly and become at risk of wilting if water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be absorbed by the roots. Different plants require different levels of humidity to thrive. Many tropical houseplants need high humidity and are best grown in a steamy bathroom, misted regularly or placed on a saucer of damp pebbles. In a greenhouse, humidity can be raised in hot weather by damping down (wetting) the floor or overhead misting.

(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

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

• Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

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

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

(April to September) with a general-purpose liquid fertiliser or a balanced houseplant fertiliser. Avoid feeding in autumn or winter (October to March).

Calatheas don’t need pruning, but you can snip off any faded brown leaves to improve appearances. Likewise, remove any dead stems, cutting them off just above the compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

• Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

.

Most calatheas are self-supporting, but taller cultivars occasionally need staking to keep them upright.

Divide the clump in spring, cutting the rootball

The roots and accompanying soil when a plant is removed from a container or lifted from the ground.

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

A method of growing new plants from parts of an existing plant, such as sections of root, stem, leaf or bud. When prepared correctly and planted in the right conditions, they can produce roots and eventually become independent plants. There is a wide range of different methods for taking cuttings, depending on the plant and time of year.

. Snip just below where the stem branches. Insert the cuttings into pots of free-draining, peat-free compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

• Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

and keep in a propagator

A propagator is a portable, lightweight structure usually plastic, with a vented or unvented lid to provide a humid, slightly warmer atmosphere. It is useful to help seeds germinate and root cuttings. It may have adjustable, thermostatic temperature control.

or cover with a clear plastic bag until well-rooted.

Perennials: dividing

How to use peat-free compost: for seeds and cuttings

Cuttings: softwood

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
  

  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

  
  • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

  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
  

  The concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere. This affects the rate at which plants transpire (lose water from their leaf pores), which in turn affects how much water their roots absorb from the soil. If air humidity is low, plants transpire quickly and become at risk of wilting if water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be absorbed by the roots. Different plants require different levels of humidity to thrive. Many tropical houseplants need high humidity and are best grown in a steamy bathroom, misted regularly or placed on a saucer of damp pebbles. In a greenhouse, humidity can be raised in hot weather by damping down (wetting) the floor or overhead misting.

  (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
  

  Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding.

  -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
  

How to help a poorly houseplant

Leaf damage on houseplants