Calathea Calathea picturata

Calathea picturata is a evergreen herbaceous perennial that forms 14 to 16 inch high clumps of dramatically colored leaves and is typically grown as a houseplant. The leaves are dark green above, purple below, with silver-colored veins and midriff. As a member of the "prayer plant" family, it may open and close its leaves in response to light and darkness. The plant is not tolerant of temperatures below 61 degrees F, thus it is typically grown indoors under medium to bright indirect light. The Calathea picturata is known for the intense color in the center of its leaves surrounded by a band of green. This plant can require more that the usual care for houseplants

If grown in the garden, Calathea prefers moisture and shade, similar to conditions in its native Brazil. When grown as a house plant, keep the plant moist by spraying the leaves several times a week. Whether grown indoors or outdoors, it prefers well drained potting soil with peat moss and light applications of a diluted fertilizer during the growing season. Propagation is by root division. Water with soft water and maintain a uniform high humidity and temperature.

Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:

No known problems. The plant's watering requirements can be hard to gauge. As a rule of thumb, yellow leaves indicate over watering while leaves curling in on themselves indicates under watering. It can be sensitive to fluoride, so filtered water may be best.