Forest & Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0
About
Calathea is a popular houseplant prized for its large, colorfully patterned foliage, which often features bright pink, orange, red, and white variegation, and whose undersides are frequently purple. The leaves exhibit nyctinasty, folding up at night and unfurling in the morning.
Field notes
Morphology
Leaves are often large and colorfully patterned, frequently variegated with bright colors such as pink, orange, red, and white, while the undersides are often purple. The plant exhibits nyctinasty, folding its leaves at night and unfurling them in the morning. Flowers can be yellow, purple, and white, and the bracts are often more attractive than the flowers.
Distribution & habitat
Native to parts of tropical Latin America, and also grown in Hawaii.
Ecology
The young leaves and bracts can retain pools of water called phytotelmata, which provide habitat for many invertebrates. The foliage is also important to some herbivores, such as the caterpillars of the purple owl (*Caligo beltrao*), which feed on *C. zebrina*.
Cultivation notes
Requires high humidity and prefers low to medium indirect light, as direct sunlight can cause damage. Ideal temperatures range from 75°F to 85°F (23°C to 29°C), and the plant prefers an acidic, porous, and well-draining soil. It should be kept moist but not wet, and is sensitive to minerals like chlorine and fluoride.
History & etymology
The species was first introduced as a houseplant in the 1970s and 1980s.
Conservation
Due to habitat destruction, several species are threatened with extinction.
Habitat
- Altitude
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- Altitude Class
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Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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