2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
The houseplant Calathea can often be found in stores under the name "Maranta", since they are both from the same family Maranta. Moreover, the Calathea genus is the most numerous in this family. Calathea is famous for its large leaves, the surface of which is talentedly painted by the Creator. Some varieties also have beautiful inflorescences
Varieties
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Calathea saffron (Calathea crocata) - with dark green oval-elliptical or oblong leaves with gray veins. The underside of the leaves is colored light purple. The inflorescences of saffron calathea, colored orange or yellow, have an unprepossessing appearance. The plant owes its decorative effect only to painted leaves.
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Calathea red-bearded (Calathea rufibarba) - the unpretentiousness of the inflorescences is compensated by the glossy wavy dark green leaves of the lanceolate-pointed shape.
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Calathea leopard (Calathea leopardina) is a Brazilian beauty with light green oval-lanceolate leaves, on the surface of which brownish wide stripes diverge on both sides of the central vein. Flowers are yellow.
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Decorated calathea (Calathea ornata) - a visitor from Colombia up to 70 cm high with yellowish-green basal leaves of an elliptical shape. The upper surface of the leaves is decorated with pinkish and silvery lines that radiate from the central vein. The underside is painted in dark purple-red tones.
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Painted calathea (Calathea picturata) - has dark green leaves on short petioles. The central part of the leaves is painted with zigzag silver stripes.
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Calathea pseudoveichiana (Calathea pseudo-veitchiana) - characterized by dark green pointed leaves and a herringbone pattern along the central vein, with different colors on the front and back of the leaf.
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Calathea striped (Calathea zebrina) - velvety emerald green leaves of the Brazilian stranger are decorated with brownish wide stripes, obliquely diverging from the central vein in different directions. Over time, the underside of the leaves turns purple-red.
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Calathea Makoya (Calathea mackoyana) is the most popular species with wide, blunt leaves. The surface of the leaf is decorated with dark spots, alternating in size: small to large. In general, the leaf has a bluish tint with a green border along the edge of the leaf.
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Calathea rose-painted (Calathea rosea-picta) - blunt oval green leaves with a surface painted with cream or pink stripes. The reverse side of the leaf is colored red-purple.
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Calathea lanceolate (Calathea lancifolia) - upright wavy linear-lanceolate leaves. Colored light yellowish green. The edges of the leaf and the central vein are usually darker. Elliptical dark green spots are located on the leaf surface. The underside of the leaves is bright reddish brown.
Growing
Calathea is very sensitive to air humidity. For its successful development, it is necessary to create a microclimate with high air humidity, which is not always possible and convenient in room conditions.
To maintain air humidity, flower pots are placed in trays filled with moist sphagnum. In addition, frequent spraying of the leaves is required, cleaning them from dust. Watering is reduced in the autumn-winter period.
Plants must be shaded from direct sunlight.
Reproduction and transplantation
Calathea is propagated in the spring by dividing the rhizome. Each part should have healthy roots and 2-3 leaves.
Since calathea produces harmful substances that, first of all, are dangerous to itself, every spring the plant is transplanted into a new soil. For this, a mixture of sod land, coarse peat, sand and pieces of charcoal is prepared.
Diseases and pests
Love for moisture turns into an increased danger of fungal diseases. In addition, aphids, ticks, and worms do not bypass the calathea. The methods of struggle are standard.
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