Calathea how to breed. Capricious plant Calathea: types, description of varieties and photos. Transplant and soil for calathea at home

Calathea– bright representative a family numerous in species diversity, bearing the name Marantovye. South America is considered to be the birthplace of calatheas, where the plant grows in the second tier of humid forests of the tropics. It is the fact that in nature Calatheas hide from the scorching rays of the sun under the canopy of tall trees of the first forest tier, largely dictates the rules for caring for these whimsical beauties in indoor floriculture.

Previously, calathea was used as a material for the manufacture of wicker baskets, from which the name of this genus came from (from Greek word"calathos" - basket)

Systematic position:
Department - Flowering (Magnoliophyta)
Class - Monocots (Liliopsida)
Order - Ginger (Zingiberales)
Family - Marantaceae (Marantaceae)
Genus - Calathea (Calathea)

Biological characteristic

Calatheas are herbaceous tuberous or rhizome perennials. Both tubers and rhizomes are, in fact, a container nutrients, which help this plant survive adverse periods in the process of their growth and development.

The leaves of the kalats are located on elongated petioles, but their internodes are shortened, which visually gives the impression that the arrangement of the leaves is rosette (i.e., all the leaves come out of one point). The leaf blades of many representatives of this genus have bright color. The shape of the leaf in different types of kalats is very different from each other and varies from regular oval to elongated lanceolate, with a smooth or wavy edge. The uniqueness of calathea leaves lies in the fact that all of them, with rare exceptions, have a bright purple or pink reverse side.

The flowers of most types of calathea are inconspicuous, collected in compact spike-shaped inflorescences, which have a wide variety of colors (from yellow to purple). Flowering period - early spring - mid-summer. With proper care, the plant can please with its abundant flowering for 2-3 weeks.

The main varieties of Calathea

In nature, more than 130 species of kalats are described. The species composition of indoor kalats is also striking in its diversity. Most of these plants are grown for their beautiful decorative leaves. The only exception is the species Calathea saffron (Calathea crocata).

Calathea saffron(lat. Calathea Crocata)

This type of calathea is valued for its flowering. However, it is not the flowers that give the plant a decorative effect, but bright yellow-orange bracts, which are collected in a shortened thyroid inflorescence crowning elongated peduncles. Directly, the flowers of the saffron calathea are inconspicuous: tubular, dark orange with pink-red tips, and are located between the bracts. With proper care, this beauty blooms within 2-3 weeks.

Unlike its relatives, saffron calathea is an unassuming plant. It must be watered in a timely manner, sprayed once a day, cut and removed damaged leaves. Calathea saffron reacts very sharply to sudden changes in temperature and insolation from direct sunlight. Feeding requires only during the period active growth. Propagated by division of the rhizome.

A feature of Calathea crocata is that it must be encouraged to bloom every year, creating for it a period of shortened days and elongated nights. This is done in several stages:

• In the evening (around 6:00 pm) place the plant pot in a dark (preferably black) bag, filling it with air first, which will help prevent the bag from touching the leaves of the plant.
• In the morning (around 8:00 AM) take the pot out of the bag.

This simple procedure provides the plant with a day period of 10 hours and a night period of 14 hours.

This must be done until you notice the appearance of the first flower stalks. This usually happens in late March - early April.

K. saffron

Calathea Makoya(lat. Calathea Makoyana)

This calathea looks no less decorative than the previous one, but is valued not for flowering, but for the unique pattern that covers the leaves of the plant. The drawing is an image of a rich green pen on a silvered background of the upper side of the sheet. The same drawing is displayed on its lower side, with the only difference being that the background is magenta. Caring for Calathea Makoya is no different from the standard care for representatives of this family. Calathea Makoya propagates by dividing the rhizome.

Calathea round-leaved(lat. Calathea Rotundifolia)

It justifies its name with leathery leaves of a regular round shape of olive-green color, painted with light gray stripes. In care, special attention should be paid to temperature regime and lighting mode. Categorically does not tolerate bright light, loves shade and weak partial shade. At temperatures below 16 ° C, the leaves begin to fall off, and the plant itself is deformed.

(lat. Calathea Zebrina)

The leaves of the striped calathea are velvety, elongated oval in shape with light green stripes decorating the main veins. Propagated by division of the rhizome. The plant is very demanding on the moisture regime. With insufficient air humidity, the leaf blade curls, the edges dry and the leaf dies.

(lat. Calathea Veitchiana)

Enough large plant(up to 90 cm high) with glossy oval-shaped leaves that taper towards the outer edge. The pattern on the leaf is represented by emerald green stripes, dissecting the dark green leaf along its main veins. The reverse side of the leaf blade has a reddish-brown coloration. The flowers of Calathea Veitch are collected in a white-cream-colored inflorescence typical of this family.

(lat. Calathea Warscewiczii)

This species has rather large velvety rich green leaves with pale green spots and stripes decorating the main vein. The reverse surface of the leaf blade has a dark red coloration. Calathea Varshevich before flowering forms elongated cranked shoots, for which it is necessary to substitute supports in order to avoid damage. Bracts of pale cream color, collected in a short inflorescence typical for this family, conceal small flowers of white, pinkish or pale cream shade.

Calathea Lubbers(lat. Calathea Lubbersii)

Distinctive feature This type of calathea is that the rather large rich green leaves of this plant have an asymmetric pattern of light green color, located on the sides of the central vein. The underside of the leaf differs from most representatives of this family in that it is colored green.

(lat. Calathea Ornata)

Calathea decorated is called so due to the fact that the leaves of the plant are painted first with pink, and then with silvery paired stripes. Calathea decorated has several forms that differ from each other in the main color of the leaf blade.

Propagated by division of the rhizome.

(lat. Calathea Insignis)

A distinctive feature of this calathea are long lanceolate glossy leathery leaves with yellow-green spots of various sizes, which alternate with each other.

A species feature of all kalats is that the leaves of this plant are located almost horizontally and can change their position, striving for a light source. There is one more interesting property of calatheas - the plant folds its leaves at night and before the rain and raises them in vertical position, and in the morning lowers and unfolds. For this feature, the calathea is also called the "prayer flower."

Features of caring for calathea

Lighting

As already mentioned, calatheas in nature hide under the canopy of the leaves of the upper forest layer, therefore, even at home, they cannot tolerate direct scorching fires. sun rays. The optimal location of the pot with the plant is the east or west window. However, if you are the owner of southern windows, do not despair. You just need to artificially shade the calathea in the spring and summer. If your windows face north, then you need to provide additional lighting with a fluorescent lamp (the total period of insolation should be 15-16 hours a day). You can evaluate the correctness of the selected lighting mode by the intensity of the color of the leaves of Calathea. With a favorable lighting regime, they will delight you with bright colors, color saturation; in low light, the leaves turn pale, the pattern on them becomes less expressive; with an excess of light, the leaves become smaller, fold into tubules, the pattern on them becomes less pronounced.

Temperature

Calatheas are very sensitive to temperature fluctuations, especially in winter. Since they are representatives of tropical flora, the optimal temperature range for growing them at home lies between 23–30 ° C (summer) and 18–23 ° C (winter). It is especially important to monitor the change in soil temperature: it should not be lower than 180 ° C (and in summer - below 200 ° C). Lowering the temperature below causes wilting and death of the plant. In addition, calatheas do not tolerate drafts.

Watering

The plant requires frequent watering as the top layer of soil in the pot dries out (in winter and autumn periods irrigation frequency is reduced). The water used for irrigation must be settled, soft, and must be room temperature.

It should be noted that excessive moisture leads to waterlogging. earthy coma, and due to the fact that a lack of oxygen is formed in the soil, the plant dies. Therefore, in the irrigation mode, be guided by the well-being of your calathea and its appearance: The plant should have shiny leaves with elastic turgor.

[!] As soon as you notice that the leaves of the calathea wither and lose their density, or that small midges have appeared on the earthy coma, urgently change the irrigation regime.

Air humidity

Calatheas are representatives of tropical rainforests, therefore they require frequent spraying. Spray water should also be soft and warm (room temperature). The spraying regime depends on the season: in winter and autumn it is enough to spray the plant once a day, in summer and spring - 2 times. But one should take into account the fact that when spraying it is necessary to choose a finely dispersed sprayer, since large drops of water on the leaves cause them to rot and the plant to die.

In addition, moss (expanded clay, pebbles, etc.) can be placed in the tray of a calathea pot and constantly moistened. This will be a source of additional moisture for the plant.

Calatheas feel very comfortable in florariums and terrariums, where air humidity is always increased due to the closed space.

Fertilizer

Calatheas are not very picky about feeding. However, if you want the plant to please you with abundant and long flowering, you need to fertilize it. universal fertilizer for indoor flowers once every 2-3 weeks (spring and summer) and once every 5-6 weeks (autumn and winter).

The plant does not tolerate if calcium and nitrogen accumulate in the substrate in excessive proportions.

Transfer

Calatheas have a surface-type root system, so they do not require a deep pot. The pot must be chosen small, shallow, preferably ceramic (this will protect the roots of plants from hypothermia on the windowsill in winter). Transplantation is done every spring in a slightly larger pot than the previous one. Prerequisite - good drainage layer. The soil is used either ready-made (for arrowroot and calathea), or they form it themselves from 6 parts of leafy soil, 3 parts of peat and 2 parts of sand. You can use the soil mixture for Saintpaulia, but with the addition of sand.

Calathea (Calathea) is a bright representative of the arrowroot family. In nature, the plant grows in Central and South America. This houseplant is grown for a very beautiful leaves. In a flower shop, calathea immediately attracts the eye. The varied color of the leaves is mesmerizing. But in the care of Calathea - very capricious. This flower is not for those who have just started growing flowers. Calathea requires close attention. AT wild nature calathea grows on the banks of lakes and rivers, so she loves abundant watering and high humidity.

Location and lighting

Calathea is a shade-tolerant plant. But do not put it in a dark corner of the room. From a lack of light, it will lose its attractive leaf color, the leaves will become small and growth will slow down significantly. Direct sunlight burns calathea leaves. The best place for growing calathea is partial shade.

Temperature

Calathea prefers moderate temperatures in the range of 16-19 degrees. It is very important to avoid sudden changes in temperature in the room. Otherwise, the leaves will become soft and may rot. Also, the plant does not tolerate cold drafts.

Watering

Calathea does not like hard water. It is best to water the plant with rain or melt water. More calathea loves warm water. Water the plant abundantly in summer, reduce watering slightly in winter. excess water it is better to drain from the pallet so that the roots do not rot.

Air humidity

Calathea loves high humidity. Humidity should be within 90%. It is difficult to achieve such humidity in an apartment, so many grow calathea in aquariums, florariums, terrariums. When growing a plant on a windowsill, it smooth leaves often sprayed and wiped with a damp sponge. When spraying calathea, try to moisten the area around the plant and only a little the plant itself.

When spraying the plant itself directly, water droplets can cause dark spots on the leaves. The water temperature for spraying the plant should be about 25-27 degrees. For plants with velvet leaves, create a humid environment in the pan. To do this, pour wet moss or pebbles into the pan, you can also expanded clay, and pour water into the pan. It is important that the bottom of the pot rests on the rocks and does not touch the water.

The soil

For planting and growing calathea, a ready-made mixture for rhododendrons or azaleas is suitable. You can prepare the soil yourself. For this, take 1 part of humus, 1 part of peat, 1 part of leafy soil, and 0.5 parts of sand. Some flower growers grow calathea hydroponically.

Top dressings and fertilizers

From April to the end of August, the calathea is fed with a special liquid fertilizer for decorative leafy plants 2 times a month. And they are fed with fertilizer for flowering houseplants. Calathea is very sensitive to overfeeding, so don't get carried away.

Transfer

Every two years, Calathea needs a transplant. The best way to transplant a plant in early spring. It is very important to take care of good drainage.

Calathea most often reproduces by division. It is best to divide the plant when you repot it. When breeding, the air temperature should be 20-22 degrees. Small plants are planted in small pots (pot diameter 7-9 cm). Prepare the soil yourself, mix sand, peat and leafy soil in equal parts. Rooted sprouts are transplanted into a slightly larger pot (a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one). The soil should be the same as for an adult plant, only 1 part of sand can be added.

For small growing kalats, special care is needed. The temperature is not lower than 20 degrees, the ideal temperature is 22-24 degrees. The plant must be constantly sprayed and watered. Lighting - penumbra. Small plants need to be fertilized once every three weeks. After a year, transplant the plants into a large pot and care as an adult plant.

There is another way to propagate calathea - by seeds. This is a very laborious and troublesome process. To plant seeds, prepare the soil (1 part of leafy soil and 0.5 parts of sand) and plant the seeds. The temperature should be 22-24 degrees. Sprouted dense sprouts are planted in the same soil. Plant the grown sprouts in pots (pot diameter 7-9 cm) and take care of them as well as the sprouts when dividing the plant.

Diseases and pests

The most dangerous pests for Calathea are spider mites and thrips. Preventive measures for calathea - regular warm shower, and when pests appear - treatment with chemicals.

Difficulties in growing

With improper care, the following problems arise:

• The leaves are limp and curled. The reason is insufficient air humidity and drafts.
• Leaves darken and dry spots appear. The reason is the same as in the first case.
• The leaves turn yellow. There can be many reasons: cold air, dry air, overflowing, underfilling, overfeeding with fertilizer. Analyze what you did wrong.
• The leaves are stretched and become thin. The reason is the lack of light. Move the flowerpot to a lighter window sill. To prevent the plant from breaking, make a support for it and tie it up.
• Spots on leaves. If the spots are yellow, the sun's rays are burning the leaves. Move the flower to partial shade. If the spots are dark, reduce foliar spraying.

Calathea - growing at home (video)

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 native tropical forests South America hiding from the hot sun under the crowns big 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 a beautiful plant at home, you will need 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

AT 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 the upper part of the light green leaf, it seems that narrow and wide dark green streaks are applied with a brush. The bottom of the leaves has veins of burgundy color.
• 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. The bottom of the leaf plate is a reddish tint. The spikelet of the inflorescence is decorated with white or purple flowers.

Varshevich Medallion
Zebra

• Calathea Varshevich. Its dark green leaves have lines 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 characterized by 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 there are various shades of green. 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 leaf are decorated with yellow stripes located on the underside, which has a reddish tint, and the green upper side. White flowers are located on a spike-shaped inflorescence.

Landing and transplant

For planting or transplanting Calathea best time- early spring. It does not need frequent transplanting, 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. Of great importance is the temperature, which 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 sharp knife, the cut is sprinkled with Kornevin for better rooting or chopped activated carbon. 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 for experienced flower growers. Seeds are sown in a mixture of leafy soil and sand (1: 0.5), sprinkled thin layer covered with foil 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 a 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

native of 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 a 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 to be fertilized 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 are losing decorative coloring, 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 new land with root revision. 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

weakened as a result improper care the plant 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 wash them with a sponge and 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 reproduce 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.

Calathea flower is one of the brightest representatives of tropical plants that can be grown in room conditions. The culture of the Marantaceae family is distinguished by bright and unusual leaf patterns. In Brazil, the homeland of calathea, the plant is used to create wrapping paper. Foliage is used to make gift pots and baskets. Caring for a plant is not easy, it is a real challenge for an advanced grower. The main thing is to study all the features and requirements of a whimsical exotic flower.

Calathea - exotic plant from the tropics.

There are over 130 plant species. Several varieties are grown indoors.

"Lancefolia"

Calathea "Lansifolia".

Calathea insignis is also known as "wonderful" calathea. Enjoys special popularity. The foliage of the culture is a wavy elongated shape. There are representatives with light green and dark small spots. The lower part of the leaves is painted in a crimson hue.

"Saffron"

Calathea "Saffron" ("Crocat").

Calathea crocata is distinguished by dark leaves and pronounced scarlet flowers on long stems. back side leaves of Calathea "Crocats", as a rule, a purple hue. One of the few flowering representatives. Calathea "Saffron" does not need additional lighting.

"Sanderina"

Calathea "Sanderina".

Calathea ornata sanderiana has wide dark leaves with white stripes.

"Mix"

Calathea mix - a bright representative of the culture with light patterns on gray background leaves.

"Dottie"

Calathea Dottie is very capricious and demanding. The plant has an original and spectacular leaf structure. The subspecies is often confused with arrowroot.

Home Care

Requirements for the microclimate of the room

For calathea, you need to create ideal conditions:

1. In a closed room, the temperature should be about +22 degrees.
2. Humidity ranging from 50 to 70%.
3. In winter, the air should be warmed up to + 16 degrees.
4. Do not allow sudden changes and temperature fluctuations. This can cause the plant to wilt.
5. Drafts or an open window next to the flower will destroy the calathea.

Optimum lighting

Despite the fact that Calathea refers to shade-tolerant plants, keep it in a dark place is not recommended. Insufficient lighting can cause fading of the leaves, and the culture will stop its development. Direct sunlight is also detrimental to the Calathea plant. Optimal location for the location of the flowerpot - partial shade.

Watering and spraying

Water high in calcium and magnesium is detrimental to calathea. For good growth plants can:

Watering is desirable to carry out a liquid not lower than room temperature. In summer, the plant needs frequent soil moisture. In winter - it is necessary to reduce the amount of watering. If water collects on the tray under the pot, you need to remove it. Otherwise, the root system will suffer.

Humidity

It is extremely difficult to provide proper care for calathea at home without auxiliary means. The plant prefers a high level of air humidity - about 90%. Therefore, it is necessary to buy a bottle garden (florarium), an aquarium or a glass terrarium.

On the windowsill, plants quickly lose moisture, so they must be sprayed daily with a spray bottle, periodically wiped with a damp washcloth.

When spraying water, extreme caution must be exercised, the main thing is to moisten the area next to the plant. The calathea should be covered with at least a few drops of water.

If you do not follow the rules, dark marks may appear on the leaves. Velvet representatives of tropical calathea can be created with the help of a flower pot stand:

1. It is necessary to buy gravel and mossy plants.
2. It is also acceptable to use porous expanded clay (building material).
3. Pour the material into the tray and pour some water.
4. The main rule is that the bottom of the flower pot should not come into contact with the liquid.

Thus, it is possible to provide the necessary high humidity environment for the plant.

top dressing

Fertilizers for decorative calathea can be applied no more than once every two weeks. Separate subspecies, for example "Saffron Calathea" can be fed with complex compounds for indoor crops. The exotic representative has a high sensitivity to organic and mineral components. Therefore, excessive use of various stimulants can harm calathea.

Fertilizing calathea with fertilizers.

Transfer

Before reaching the age of three, the plant should be transplanted annually in early spring. In the future, to maintain growth, you can carry out the procedure every two years.

To ensure air access and optimal drainage of water, you will need drainage from the flower pot. It is best to use crushed stone. Styrofoam with sand will do.

The container should be chosen relatively shallow and wide. You can not carefully ram the ground after planting. This can lead to root rot. The main part of the roots should be placed in the middle layer of the earth. The space between the rhizome and the drainage should be about two centimeters.

When transplanting an acquired plant, it is desirable to remove the soil from the roots intended for transportation. It is undesirable to apply force in this case, so as not to damage the autonomic organ. It is necessary to straighten the roots and plant the calathea in the soil treated with steam. It is not recommended to place the neck of the roots deep.

If the calathea has thickened side shoots (stolons), the culture does not require frequent watering. A developed root system provides the plant with a sufficient supply of nutrients and moisture. If you cut off such processes, the rhizome may suffer.

After planting, you can spray a working solution of the Zircon fertilizer on the calathea (four drops per liter of water are enough). Polycarbonate (a heat-resistant building material) can be used to guarantee the survival of the plant. Thus, greenhouse conditions can be created.

It is necessary to observe moderate soil moisture after transplantation. Therefore, you need to water the flower only after a few days, after the topsoil has dried. The condition of the plant should be monitored regularly - lack of moisture leads to twisting of the leaves.

Cultivation and care in the open field

Breeding a tropical plant in open areas is extremely risky. The culture prefers high humidity and does not tolerate drafts. Keeping a heat-loving plant in unsuitable climatic conditions will lead to the death of Calathea. You can take out the flowerpot on the open terrace in the summer. In this case, extreme caution should be exercised - a sharp decrease or temperature drop will cause a disease of the root system. It is almost impossible to reanimate the plant.

Cultivation Basics

Calathea soil can be prepared independently or purchased ready mix. For plants fit soil intended for houseplant azalea.

It is very easy to make a complex with your own hands. You will need in equal parts:

• leaf humus;
• peat briquettes;
• fertile land;
• sand.

You can use a soil substitute - hydroponics (growing in haystacks, expanded clay, crushed stone, vermiculite).

For calathea can be purchased reliable device with automatic feeding water. Comfort pot or planter:

• help save time;
• ensure regular soil moisture;
• will become an interior decoration (a large number of flowerpots have been created various forms and styles).

Using the autopilot is very easy. Enough:

1. Choose a container designed specifically for tropical crops.
2. Plant a plant.
3. Fill the reservoir with water.

The built-in liquid supply indicator will indicate the need to replenish the container. It is advisable to use filtered water. Depending on the model and moisture consumption, the average water supply is calculated for 3 months.

You can learn the features of growing calathea at home from the video:

Typical problems and diseases

Lack of proper care leads to various problems:

1. Drafts or wind (when kept in an open area) can cause leaf lethargy and further curling.
2. Reduced air humidity is the cause of darkening and the formation of dry spots on the plant.
3. Yellowness occurs due to various factors - low temperature, dry air, abuse of top dressing, excessive watering or a dried earthen clod.
4. Stretching of leaves occurs due to lack of sunlight. You need to change the location of the flowerpot. You will need support to keep the stems.
5. The reasons for the appearance of a pronounced mottled foliage surface can be recognized by the shade of the markings. Brown spots are usually caused by excessive water spraying. Yellow - burns from direct sunlight.

How to care for calathea at home if the plant is affected by the disease?

Calathea disease.

Provide proper care can be based on the symptoms of infection:

1. A film in the form of soot on the upper part of the leaves and shoots appears at the site of secretions of various insects - aphids, scale insects. Sooty fungus can disrupt the process of photosynthesis, as the plant has a dysfunction of tissue respiration. Fighting the fungus is very simple - just wash off the affected areas with soapy water.
2. A thin cobweb on the lower leaves indicates the appearance spider mite. The pest feeds on the juice of the leaves, which leads to their yellowing and falling off. It is very difficult to see the most dangerous small insect for all indoor crops. It should be remembered that the appearance of an arthropod indicates dry and warm air in the room. As a preventive measure, you can moisten the environment and periodically ventilate the room. Treat the affected plant with strong insecticides.
3. The fading and dryness of the leaves causes a scab. Hemiptera insects with a protective shell appear on the culture, which suck the vital juice from the plant. You can fight the pest with laundry soap or two-component preparations.
4. The combination of hot air with low humidity (less than 45%) leads to the appearance of thrips. White dots from fringe-winged colonies are clearly visible on the upper side of the leaf. After a while, the leaves will turn brown. Insects must be exterminated immediately. Foliage needs to be processed chemical preparation. Fertilizer should be applied to the soil after a week.

Features of flowering

Dissolve inflorescences only individual varieties culture. Calathea flowers have a different color:

• orange red;
• lactic;
• bright yellow;
• Violet.

Despite the fact that most representatives of the Maranth family do not have odorous foliage and flowers, some types of calathea, for example, Saffron calathea, can cause allergic rhinitis. There have been cases when growing calathea in a room led to difficulty breathing and heart palpitations. You can determine individual intolerance with the help of allergic tests.

reproduction

There are several ways to grow a plant.

Division

The most common method of propagation of a tropical plant. It is recommended to carefully divide the rhizome directly during the transplantation of the crop. The temperature in the room should be at least + 23 degrees.

Division of the rhizome of Calathea.

The diameter of the flowerpot for young representatives of Calathea must be chosen within 7-9 cm. For cultivation, peat, greenhouse soil and sand should be taken in equal proportions.

After rooting, you can change the container to a larger pot. At the next transplant, the amount of sand should be doubled. Conditions for growing kalats include:

1. Mandatory stay in a warm room - not lower than + 21 degrees.
2. Constant watering and spraying water.
3. Fertilizer - no more than once a month.
4. A year later, you can transplant the calathea and care for it according to the requirements for an adult tropical representative.

Calathea from seeds

A very inefficient way to propagate calathea. Practically not used due to the low percentage of seedling germination.

For cultivation, you will need a mixture of sheet soil and sand. The temperature during planting should be about +24 degrees. If the planting is successful and sprouts appear, you can dive seedlings into separate containers with a diameter of about 8 cm. In the future, you can take care of the sprouts obtained from dividing the calathea.

cuttings

The above-ground stem must be carefully separated from the calathea and placed in a small container with moistened soil. It is advisable to use polyethylene film to create a greenhouse effect.

Planting material must be detached in such a way that both the apical parts of the shoots remain on the mother culture and on the handle for further growth. When the stem takes root, you can remove the film.

No flowering

If in April and July the calathea does not open buds, you need to check:

1. Belonging varieties to flowering plants.
2. Compliance with high humidity and temperature conditions.
3. Sufficient amount of sunlight. You can use lamps daylight to improve cultural development.
4. Compliance of the soil with the requirements of the flower. You can change the soil to slightly acidic, intended for arrowroot.

How to choose an ornamental plant

Despite the high exoticism of the tropical representative, most stores sell various varieties of calathea in the form of grown flowers. The price is calculated individually for each subspecies, depending on the variety, size and container:

1. Calathea "Varshevichi" - 2250 rubles.
2. Calathea "Zebrina" - 2250 rubles.
3. Calathea "Mix" - 740 rubles.
4. Calathea "Saffron" - 1850 rubles.
5. Calathea "Lansifolia" - 1300 rubles.

On sale and auctions you can buy cheaper options.

Calathea is one of the most gentle representatives of the flora. Culture needs careful and proper care. Despite the high demands decorative flower unusual shape and coloring will help you plunge into the amazing world of the exotic.

Calathea is a representative of the Maranth family, occupies a leading position among variegated plants. Marantaceae are common in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America.

Calathea species have an extensive habitat, are found in the tropical zone on all continents (except Australia). Endemic species grow in Africa. Some varieties can be found in Burma, India, the islands of Oceania and the Malay Archipelago.

Biological features of the Maranth family

Representatives of the arrowroot family are mainly liana-like and herbaceous ornamental leafy plants. root system they have a main storage organ that accumulates moisture and nutrients. They need constantly high humidity, otherwise they will quickly evaporate their reserves and die.

The leaves are large, variegated. They have an exclusive feature: closer to the leaf plate at the end of the petiole there is a thickening that lifts and turns the leaf towards the light source. Thanks to this, calathea is also called the "prayer flower." In the morning, the leaves are arranged horizontally, and in the evening they fold and rise, like palms in prayer.

In some, the entire ground part dies off after flowering, but this is not a dormant period and not the death of the plant. With prolonged watering, after a while, young shoots appear and the plant comes to life again. There are 30 genera of the Maranth family, but only 4 are cultivated culturally, including calathea.

Description of Calathea

Calathea is a perennial with a root system in the form of tubers or rhizomes. In room conditions, growth reaches a little more than 1 meter. Castings have a different shape: from lanceolate to oval-rounded with smooth or wavy edges. Leaf plates 10-20 cm long are attached to long petioles. On the underside, the color of the leaves is purple-pink, sometimes dark green. The surface is spotted, white lines divide the leaf into segments. The middle vein of the leaf is thick, tough, in ancient times it was used for weaving baskets (calathea in Greek means "basket").

Every year the plant forms about 5 young leaves. Different types calatheas bloom from early spring to summer. small flowers from white to dark purple hue are collected in a compact spike-shaped inflorescence. Flowering lasts approximately 3 weeks. There are also species with special beautiful flowers(Kalathea Varshevich, Calathea saffron, etc.)

How to care for calathea at home

Lighting and air temperature

The plant needs low air temperature. Summer will be optimal range 16-24º C, keep 12-16º C in winter without watering.

Calathea is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and direct sunlight. Therefore, choose a place for a flower without drafts and excessive lighting. From an excess of light, the variegated color of the leaves is lost. Also, the plant will turn away the leaf plates from the light source, which does not look very decorative. The best place would be a semi-dark corner of the room.

Priming

The soil needs light, breathable. You can mix leafy soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1 and add crushed charcoal, pieces of bark, a little coniferous land. To increase soil fertility, add about 20-30% humus. Ready-made soil mixture for indoor flowers is also suitable, which can be purchased at any flower shop or land from coniferous forest.

Air humidity

The most important thing in caring for calathea is to maintain a sufficiently high humidity. all year round. Spray the plant daily from a fine sprayer with settled water. The container with the flower should stand on a pallet with wet moss or pebbles; as the water evaporates, it is necessary to moisten the material in the pallet.

Plants with pubescent or velvety leaves are not allowed directly. You can bathe them twice a month in the shower or spray the air around the plant a couple of times a day. The surface of the leaf plate is very delicate and vulnerable, gently brush off the dust from the plant with a brush or a soft, dry cloth.

Watering

• Caleta is watered in summer 2-3 times a week, and in winter watering is reduced to 1 time every 6-8 days.
• Between watering procedures, the top layer of soil should dry out by 2-4 cm.
• Avoid stagnant water in the pan, especially in winter.
• When watering, it is not desirable for drops of water to fall on the leaves of the plant, so it is best to water from a watering can with a narrow spout, moving along the edges of the pot.

top dressing

The above-ground mass of the plant is large and requires sufficient nutrition - it is necessary to systematically feed. During the growing season (March-September) 2-3 times a month, apply fertilizer for ornamental foliage plants. In autumn and winter, it is enough to fertilize once every 6 weeks.

How to transplant a calathea

• Transplantation is required every year in early spring.
• At the bottom of the pot, do not forget to place a drainage layer of large pebbles, expanded clay, ceramic fragments, and only then pour a layer of soil.
• Carefully roll the plant along with the earthy clod so as not to damage the fragile roots.
• The root system is superficial, so choose a shallow and wide container.
• Each time increase the diameter of the pot by 2 cm from the previous one.
• Place the rhizome in the center of the pot strictly vertically and add new soil around.
• Compact the soil at the root a little with the palm of your hand.

Reproduction of calathea at home

By dividing the bush

How to divide a calathea bush photo

• At the time, reproduction can be carried out by dividing the root.
• Each division should contain 2-3 roots and a few leaves of a young basal rosette.
• Plant the resulting seedlings in separate pots while maintaining the same level of planting.
• For better adaptation, it is recommended to cover the plant with a plastic cap and maintain the air temperature within 23-24º C.
• You can also cut the tubers in half. Sections need to be processed charcoal. Then proceed as in a normal transplant.

Leaf and cuttings

You can root leaf and stem cuttings.

• Prepared before rooting, treat well with a solution of root: hold them in it for a day, then root in water or soil.
• Plant the cuttings in moist soil and cover with a hood or place in a container of clean water.
• Provide diffused lighting.
• Keep warm and humid.
• Roots will appear within a month. Next, plant and care for the seedlings, as for an adult plant.

Growing from seed

Seed propagation of calathea is the most difficult and time-consuming method. It can take years to grow from seed. Moreover, even high-quality seeds do not always germinate.

• Before planting, the seeds should be held in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.
• Prepare a mixture of earth from two parts of leafy earth and one part of sand. Seeds are deepened by 0.5 cm.
• Keep the air temperature between 21-25º C.

• With the advent of a pair of true leaves, the plants dive into separate boxes with the same soil, when the seedlings get stronger, they are planted in separate pots.
• soil and further care necessary as for adult plants: maintain humidity, water regularly, protect from drafts and direct sunlight.

Diseases and pests of Calathea

With the right calathea, they are practically not susceptible to diseases and pests. From excess watering, root rot may appear, and from a lack of moisture, the leaves turn yellow and fall off.

Calathea leaves dry and curl

Causes of the problem:

• Very dry indoor air, you need to put a humidifier nearby, in extreme cases, the plant is placed in a closed aquarium with high humidity air until the condition returns to normal.
• Alkalinization of the soil: frequent watering with hard water leads to a change in the acid-base reaction. An urgent transplant is required with a complete replacement of the soil (the earth from the coniferous forest will have a beneficial effect on the condition of the flower), and after transplantation, feed the beauty after two weeks.
• Root rot - with constant overflow, the flower can get sick. Urgent resuscitation is needed: rotten roots and damaged leaves are cut off, the roots are washed, treated with phytosporin solution and planted in a disinfected pot with fresh soil.

Why do the tips of the leaves dry in calathea

The tips of the leaves dry up due to too dry air, not enough frequent spraying and lack of nutrients in the ground.

Calathea leaves drooped

If the flower is heavily flooded, it may react with a sharp wilting of the leaves. After that, it is necessary to drain the water from the pan and do not water the plant until the earth dries out. If the situation does not improve, a transplant with a complete soil replacement and fungicide treatment will be required. The affected roots are cut off.

Pests

Delicate calathea leaves are a tasty morsel for sucking and gnawing pests (spider mites, thrips, scale insects, aphids, whiteflies). If you find pests at least on plants adjacent to Calathea, you need to take preventive measures: treat the leaves of the plant with non-chemical preparations.

Can be used soap solution(20 grams liquid soap per 1 liter of water). Mix thoroughly until foam forms, cover the soil with a film, and treat the leaves with a solution.

An infusion of onion peel, garlic, walnut leaves and other natural insecticides. Take about 200-300 grams of onion peel, a few cloves of garlic and some walnut leaves, pour 1 liter of water and insist for a week. This will be the mother liquor. The working solution (directly for processing) is prepared from 1 part of the mother liquor to 50 parts of water.

If pests appeared directly on the plant itself, treat with insecticides. Remember to do this for fresh air to avoid poisoning by humans or animals.

Types of Calathea with photos and names

Calathea Makoy Calathea makoyana

Native to the tropical forests of Brazil. It does not like spraying, it is best suited for growing in greenhouses. It tolerates artificial lighting well. The leaves are large (20 cm long and 10 cm wide), attached on petioles 14 cm long. The shape of the leaf is oval. The color of the leaf plate is light green with a dark green edge. From above, it is as if a pattern is drawn in the form of an unpaired leaf of a dark green hue. on the reverse side of the sheet, the pattern is repeated in burgundy shades. The uniqueness of the underside of the leaf can be seen in all its glory in the evening when the leaf plates rise.

Calathea Varshevich Calathea warszewiczii

Plant height from 30 cm to 1 meter. The bush has dense rosettes of leaves. The shape of the leaf plate is elongated-oval, the edges are slightly wavy. The surface of the leaf is velvety, the color is dark green with a herringbone pattern of a lighter green hue. Flowering is beautiful: the inflorescence is similar in shape to a rose, has a white or cream color. Flowers open in late spring and delight for three weeks.

Calathea saffron or crocat Calathea crocata

Native to the shores of the Amazon. "False" flowers are attached on high peduncles and are collected in corymbose shortened inflorescences. Real flowers are inconspicuous: they are small, pinkish or red in color, collected in large bracts of a bright orange, saffron shade. The leaves are velvety, 20-30 cm long, painted in dark green. Flowering occurs in early spring or in the autumn-winter period (when daylight hours are shortened and are 8-10 hours).

Calathea lanceolate lansifolia Calathea lancifolia

The plant is distinguished by an elongated leaf shape, with fantastic colors: dark shades of burgundy below, bright green with rich green transverse stripes - above. The leaves have an interesting accordion relief and are slightly curved inwards along the central vein.

Calathea rufibarba or red-bearded Calathea rufibarba

The flower is quite tall, up to 70 cm in height, with long petioles and elongated pointed leaves, which have a three-dimensional corrugation with a herringbone pattern and waves along the edge of the leaf. The bottom of the leaves and leaf petioles are painted red.