Calathea - home care, photos and species names

Calathea crocata. A photo

Calathea (Calathea) belongs to the family Marantovye. The birthplace of Kalathea is South America, where it grows in tropical rainforests. The plant is hidden from the scorching sun by the spreading branches of tall trees.

Calathea got its name from the word "calathos", which translates from the Greek "basket" - its leaves in ancient times were used for weaving.

This is a herbaceous perennial plant with many varieties, tuberous and rhizome. Leaves grow on elongated petioles, usually their underside is pink or purple. It blooms from early spring to mid-summer, depending on the species. If the conditions of detention suit her, the flowering period lasts up to 2-3 weeks. The inflorescences are inconspicuous: small flowers are compactly collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. Their color is diverse.

	The growth rate is low, up to 7 new leaves per year.
	It blooms from early spring to mid-summer, depending on the species.
	The plant is grown with difficulty.
	It is a perennial plant.

The beneficial properties of calathea

Calathea purifies the air and stabilizes its composition. Formaldehyde vapors released from household items are absorbed by the leaves of the plant. The content of harmful substances is reduced by 10%, which means that a person experiences less harm to health.

Calathea care at home. Briefly

Calathea at home requires special attention, if the care requirements are not followed, problems will arise and the plant may die:

Temperature mode	16-24 ° C in the summer, about 16 ° C in the winter, at least up to 10 ° C. Avoid temperature changes.
Air humidity	From 60%. It is supported by regular spraying - at least 3 times a week. Varieties with terry sheets do not wet, but moisten the air next to them.
Lighting	Moderate, keep away from direct sunlight. The best arrangement is 2 meters from the window in a westerly direction.
Watering	In the summer - 2-3 times a week, in the winter only once. Prevent stagnation of water in the pot. The water is soft, warm.
Priming	With the addition of sand or peat, breathable. For self-preparation, mix: leafy soil - 2 parts, peat - 1, sand - 1.
Fertilizer and fertilizer	During the growing season, a diluted 1: 2 liquid preparation is required every 10-15 days. An excess of calcium and nitrogen is unacceptable.
Transfer	For young plants - every year in February or March. Further - in 2-4 years, when the pot becomes small for the root system.
Breeding	By dividing the bush during transplantation, so that each of the plants has several leaves and 2-3 full roots. When propagated by seeds, they must be germinated at 20-24 ° C.
Growing Features	In summer, the plant can be taken out into the open air - in the garden, on the balcony, but protected from drafts. Loves the humidity of the bathroom. Leaves are folded at night. It is easy to injure them, wipe with caution.

Calathea Varshevich. A photo

For successful cultivation, you should study the rules of care in more detail.

Calathea care at home. In detail

Indoor calathea plant is not the most capricious, but it does not differ in unpretentiousness. If you deviate from the normal level of temperature, humidity, and illumination for her, the calathea can become ill and die. Some varieties are more hardy and cope better than others with home conditions, such as Makoya.

The main problem of growing in apartments is dry air in the cold season due to batteries and heaters. Its leaves have a large area with which evaporation constantly occurs. In tropical forests, losses are compensated by humid air, and in a dry room the process is too intense. The root system does not have time to replenish stocks, because of which the leaves begin to dry.

Such features require a more attentive attitude to the plant and the fulfillment of care requirements.

Flowering calathea

Calathea give small flowers of various shades - they depend on the plant species. Makoya, a wonderful and mosaic calathea, have white tubular inflorescences that are released from the base of the leaves. Saffron calathea is notable for its bright orange flowers, and zebrin is lilac.

To increase the flowering period, flower growers use one trick. Typically, such events bring good results in the case of saffron calathea. It blooms for 2-3 months. When its shoots grew by more than 15 cm, in mid-August the pot was rearranged in a darker place for 10 weeks.

Watering is reduced to the minimum limits. At this time, the flower will create new buds. Upon returning to the former bright place, resume regular watering. After another 2 months, the calathea will bloom.

Temperature mode

Calathea at home loves heat and does not tolerate drafts and temperature extremes. In summer, 22 ... 24 ° C is considered normal temperature for it. In winter, it is optimal to maintain 16 ... 18 ° C.

If the temperature is above 20 degrees, then it is necessary to provide the flower with additional humidification.

Spraying

Spraying is useful for calatheas, and even a warm shower will benefit the plant. But this applies only to varieties with smooth leaves. Terry representatives should be protected from water drops falling onto the surface. In this case, the best option is to moisten the air around the plant.

Lighting

Calathea flower at home does not tolerate the sun, a direct hit of the rays can be fatal to her. Leaves react painfully - they curl up, their color changes, it becomes paler. Burns will be visible on the surface.

When choosing a place for the pot, preference should be given to the western or eastern window, but not on the windowsill, but a couple of meters from it.

The room should be light enough. If you put the plant in a dark corner, it will require additional lighting from artificial sources for at least 12-14 hours a day.

The fluorescent lamp should be installed at a distance of 20 cm from the leaves.

Watering

You should be extremely attentive to watering. Home calathea does not tolerate both overdrying and excessive moisture or stagnation of water in the pot and pan.

Fleshy leaves absorb water in large quantities, so a lack of moisture poses a threat to plant health. With an oversupply, growth is suspended and depressed. The leaves become stained, which indicates the beginning of decay of the root system.

To avoid problems with watering, you should choose a light soil substrate for the flower. It should resemble the soil of the natural habitat of calathea. They grow on loose, light soils in which water does not linger. For a plant, moisture stagnation is much more dangerous than its lack. They are prepared for drought - on the root system there are tuberous processes that satisfy, if necessary, the need for water.

No need to water the plant until the soil in the pot dries out after previous wetting.

Calathea pot

The pot should be chosen small, since the calathea has a superficial root system. Because of this, excess soil is at risk of acidifying. Ideal would be a low and wide option. It is better if it is clay - in such a container there is less risk of stagnation of water.

If the roots of an adult plant appear through a drainage hole, then the pot is small and the plant needs to be transplanted.

Calathea primer

The soil should be light, loose, water- and breathable. It is easiest to prepare the substrate on your own according to this recipe: leaf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1. Such additives as sphagnum, crushed pine bark, coco soil, pieces of charcoal enrich the mineral composition of the soil. Shop soil may not be suitable for calathea; coarse-grained sand must be added to it for loosening.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

For calathea, home care should be accompanied by periodic improvement in soil quality. Organic fertilizers are beneficial, but an excess of salts can be detrimental to the flower. Top dressing is carried out with liquid products in half the dose recommended by the manufacturer.

The frequency of procedures is 1 time in 2 weeks.

Calathea transplant

Frequent transplants are harmful to the plant and can be difficult to tolerate. The young flower must be transferred annually to a new pot, more suitable in size for the grown root system.

When transplanting, do not remove the soil from the roots to avoid damage, but send it to a new container with an earthen lump. Be sure to equip the pot with a drainage layer to remove moisture. An adult plant is transplanted every 2-4 years, depending on the growth rate.

Pruning

Calathea leaves are pruned if they are completely dry. When a plant is transplanted and propagated by division, all dry and diseased parts of the plant are removed from the bushes.

Is it possible to leave a calathea without leaving on vacation?

A prolonged lack of care can cause irreparable damage to the health of the plant, as a result of which it will die. Calatea can not be watered "in reserve" - ​​excessive moisture will lead to decay of the roots. A lack of moisture is also harmful to the flower. If the absence of the hosts lasts 3-5 days, the plant will cope. But a longer stay without care is unacceptable.

Calathea Reproduction

There are three ways to propagate a plant: division, cuttings and seeds.

Calathea propagation by dividing the bush

Most often, kalatea is propagated by dividing the bush - this is the most effective way, which allows the seedling to adapt faster and start growing. Only healthy and large plants are suitable for dividing.

The bush is disassembled by hand so that each part has 2-3 leaves and several high-quality roots. Too small delenki take root very poorly and can die.

The seedling is immersed in light soil from peat and sand, the upper part is covered with a plastic bag, while maintaining high humidity under it. When the growth and appearance of new leaves is noticeable, the plant is transferred to normal conditions.

Propagation of calathea by cuttings

For calathea, propagation by cuttings is available. In this case, a stem with a length of 15 cm is selected. It should have a growth point and 3-4 leaves. The stem is planted in a substrate of peat and sand.

The pot is left in a warm and very humid place until the cuttings root.

Growing Calathea from Seeds

Not the most popular method of calathea propagation is seeds. They are laid for several weeks on the soil surface, pressed down a little on top, and to create a greenhouse effect, they are covered with glass on top. After germination, they should be sprinkled with soil at 1 cm.

When sprouts appear, you need to start airing: remove the glass for 30 minutes. If the plants have reached 2-3 cm in length, then it is time to transplant them in separate pots and care for them as usual.

Diseases and Pests

Calathea leaves turn yellow. A photo

Calathea can get sick, but in order to save the plant, you need to know the signs and causes of their occurrence:

• the tips of the leaves turn brown - too dry air;
• Calathea leaves drooped and wrinkled - too dry air;
• leaves dry calatheas - overdried air during the heating season;
• Calathea leaves curl - excess lighting;
• white-yellow spots appeared on the leaves - excess lighting;
• leaves are covered with dark spots - excessive soil moisture;
• petioles of leaves are very elongated - insufficient lighting;
• brown spots on the leaves calatheas - sunburn;
• brown dry leaf edges - irregular watering, hard water, dry air;
• calathea leaves became lethargic - cold air or temperature changes.

The cause of the deterioration of the state of calathea can be pests. It is susceptible to attack by a spider mite - its most dangerous enemy, as well as a mealybug, scutellum and whitefly.

Types of home calathea with photos and names

Here are the most popular representatives of calathea. They adapt more easily to life in a city apartment than others.

Saffron calathea, croqueta

It has dark green leaves, purple-purple on the underside. On long stalks, bright orange flowers form.

Calathea painted

Oval leaves are up to 20 cm long, in the center they have a symmetrical color of light and dark green stripes, are framed on the edge with a white or pink pattern.

Makoya

A lush bush with painted leaves - a dark green oval and thin lines adorn the light green surface. The lower part is burgundy. Blooms with purple inflorescences.

Calathea striped

Straight vertical stems grow up to 40-60 cm. Large oblong leaves also reach 40 cm. Their color is dark green, with light stripes over the entire surface.

Calathea leopard

Elongated leaves with a pointed tip. Light green with dark stripes. A plant up to 50 cm high.

Watch the video: Common Houseplant Identification (May 2024).