Calathea decorated home care. Calathea - how to care for a tropical plant

Calathea flower belongs to the maranth family. Grows in the second tier of tropical forests. It has long oval and elliptical leaves up to 30 cm, the pattern on the leaf blade is complex. The plant attracts with a variety of colors of the leaf plate.

Leaves are located on a short stem in internodes. The distance between the sheets is negligible, it seems that they just grow out of the ground. Calatheas differ in the length of the petiole. They develop well if they grow at home, with the sounds of classical music. In the apartments of smokers wither away. Not poisonous.

There are many species and varieties of plants that are valued for their ornamental leaves. As for flowers, they are not found in all species. The birthplace of Calathea is tropical forests, so growing a tropical beauty is not easy. At proper care she will delight with her unusualness.

Indoor calathea flower requires special conditions. Therefore, before choosing a plant, you need to check your capabilities. The most undemanding are saffron calathea, makoya calathea and Bachem calathea.

You need to deal with all the issues of caring for calathea step by step.

Watering

For calathea, hard water is fatal - it must be defended. Many flower growers use rain or melt water. AT summer period Calathea plant is demanding on water. AT winter time less water is required. If for some reason there is more moisture than necessary, it is poured out of the pan. If this is not done, the roots may die.

Note. To soften water from the tap, you can use 2 handfuls of peat. In the morning it is enough to filter.

When watering flowers, you need to pay attention to the soil and the condition of the leaves. In the heat, watered three times a week, and in winter, 1 time is enough.

Temperature and location

Flowers do not like high temperature air. In winter, 16 degrees is enough, and in summer 18–24 ° C. It is advisable to maintain it constantly, since drops negatively affect the flower - the leaves wither and begin to rot. Pots are best placed away from drafts and bright windows.

The best place would be a shaded corner place, in which the flower will give a special touch to the dull interior.

Humidity

Since the calathea flower comes from tropical countries, it requires high humidity environment:

• You can humidify the air by spraying or wiping the leaves with a damp wet disk (only plants with glossy leaves). When carrying out such procedures, you need to know that striped calathea (zebrina) loves only boiled water.
• You can achieve the desired humidity in another way. Pebbles are poured into the pallet, from above. Water will evaporate slowly, and the vapors create the necessary microclimate.
• From time to time, water is sprayed with a spray bottle.

Varieties with velvety leaves should not be sprayed.. It is better to bathe them in the shower twice a month. Remove dust with a dry cloth or brush.

Lighting

Calathea is unpretentious to light, but it must be placed in such a place that the daylight hours are as long as possible. The direct rays of the sun are destructive and burn.

If a good place is found, then, for example, Calathea sanderiana will delight not only with bright leaves, but also with flowers. In order for the saffron calathea to bloom, you will need to increase the daylight hours to 10 hours. With a lack of light - the leaves turn pale and fall off.

What should be the soil

You can choose the soil yourself or purchase a ready-made composition in a flower shop. This issue needs to be taken seriously.

Calathea flower requires special care, due to the fact that the roots are almost on the surface, and do not spread deep, but wide. This means that the pot must be wide so that the bottom contains sufficient. Otherwise, the soil will turn sour.

On a note. Many flower growers use a florarium to grow healthy plants. This is a high glass container, with a constant level of humidity.

Soil for Calathea room conditions must be well ventilated. It is this soil that a flower needs in vivo. To do this, the earth in a pot is mixed with perlite, peat and sand. Most often, this mixture is prepared:

• peat - 1 part;
• earth - 2 parts;
• sand - 1 part;
• in small quantities sphagnum;
• coniferous forest land;
• crushed charcoal;
• dry mullein;
• cinnamon.

Stick to a slightly acidic soil composition - pH 6. In the spring, when abundant plant growth begins, it happens that the leaves dry and curl. This means there are not enough nutrients. In April, the first feeding begins, lasting until August.

As a top dressing, you need to use special fertilizers for ornamental plants, without nitrogen and calcium. Read the instructions carefully: do not overfeed!

Reproduction and transplant

How to care for a calathea flower as it grows? Since the leaves of Calathea grow quickly, it requires a transplant. This is done 1 time in 2-3 years, when the roots begin to protrude from the drainage hole. The best time – early spring. Buy better ready-made soil.

From the old pot, the plant is transferred to a larger container. You need to do it carefully, because when the earthen coma is destroyed, the roots can be damaged.

When breeding, you can use the following methods:

1. Calathea flower has nodules and shoots, so in the spring it is advisable to reproduce by dividing the bush. Each division should have several leaves and formed roots. Roots must be protected. For quick rooting - the shoots are transplanted into small pots, and covered with a film. When the plant begins to grow and take root, the film is removed and the usual care is provided.

Reproduction is carried out at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius. For small plants use small pots. The soil is poured the same as for adult calatelia.

2. For reproduction, you can use a leaf. It must be planted in the soil and covered with a film. When the new plant takes root, the shelter is removed.
3. Another way is cuttings. A stalk up to 15 cm long is cut off. 3-4 leaves and growth points should remain on it.
4. Growing calathea from seeds is a troublesome business, so it is rarely used. Seeds germinate at a temperature of 22 to 24 degrees. The seedlings that have appeared should be transplanted into small pots with the same soil.

Why do calathea leaves turn yellow and dry?

Possible problems and methods for their elimination are presented in the table.

Problem	Possible reason	How to eliminate
Leaves dry and curl	1. There is not enough moisture in the air. 2. Drafts.
Leaves dry and darken	1. Not enough moisture in the air. 2. Drafts.	1. Humidify the air with a spray bottle. 2. Move the plant to a different location.
The tips of the leaves dry and turn brown.	presence of dry air.	Humidification by any acceptable means is required.
Leaves turn yellow and dry.	1. There is not enough heat in the room. 2. Excess or lack of moisture in the soil. 3. Excess fertilizer.	Analyze your actions to understand how to fix things.
Leaves stretched out, thinned	Not enough lighting.	Find a brighter spot. You can avoid breakage with the help of props and tying.
The leaves are covered with yellow spots.	Direct sunlight hits.	Place the pot in partial shade.
There are dark spots on the leaves.	There is too much moisture in the air.	Stop spraying for a while.
The stems are pulled out and rot.	Cold air. Excessive humidity.	Bring the microclimate back to normal.
The leaves are falling off.	Waterlogging or dry soil.	Check the clod of earth.

Calathea pests can also become the cause of the described ailments.

Diseases and pests of Calathea

Calathea flower is a capricious plant. The microclimate of city apartments or a private house is not quite suitable for them. There are many problems, how to care for calathea. But they are quite solvable if you follow the advice of flower growers.

Diseases associated with the appearance of small pests:

1. . These small pests multiply if the humidity of the air decreases, and the temperature, on the contrary, becomes higher. You can find out about the appearance of thrips by whitish dots on the top of the leaf. The insects themselves are below. Over time, the leaves may darken. Insecticides are used for treatment.
2. If the stems and leaves of the calathea are covered with brown plaques, then scale insects have settled, sucking the juices of the plant. As a result, the leaves may turn pale, change color, fall off. For the destruction of insects use the usual laundry soap by dissolving it in warm water. The places where scale insects settled are first washed. You can not do without a special medication.
3. Another pest is the red spider mite. Its occurrence is facilitated by non-compliance with the microclimate around the flowers. First of all, excessively dry air. You can spot ticks by pale leaves and whitish spots. The leaves dry up very quickly and fall off. can only be sprayed with special solutions.

How to care for calathea so that it blooms

Not all types of calathea have flowers. And on those that bloom, spike-shaped inflorescences do not always appear on time. What's the matter? It turns out that the reason for this may be errors in care.

Most often - a lack or excess of moisture in the air, waterlogging or dryness of the soil. Achieve optimal climatic conditions possible in different ways.

Helpful Hints:

• Water is poured into a large container, some kind of stand is placed on the bottom. It must be above the liquid level. A flower pot is placed on a stand. As water evaporates, it adds moisture to the air.
• Watch the soil, it should be breathable and slightly acidic.

Types of Calathea

Today, for calathea lovers, the species are presented in a large assortment. Common to all varieties is the color of a rich eggplant color.

Calathea flower has the following types:

1. Calathea medallion (roseopycta)- bright green sheets with pink lines, shaped like a medallion. Plant height up to 40 cm.
2. Calathea zebrina (striped) one of the flowering representatives of the plant. It has light spike-shaped inflorescences.
3. Calathea saffron (Calathea crocat) strikes with bright orange flowers. If the care at home is correct, then due to the abundance of fiery red flowers, it is difficult to see the leaves. The peak of the orange inflorescence is observed in the winter months.
4. Calathea Varshevich stands out with an oval leaf, with a peculiar pattern. Has white, cream or pink inflorescence resembling an ear.
5. Calathea decorated- grade small size, up to 15 cm. It is characterized by green oval leaves, with a yellowish tinge. The leaves are patterned with silver and pink lines, the underside of the leaf is purple.

By the way! Depending on the variety chosen, Calathea has its own characteristics. Therefore, care at home must be selected for the appropriate variety.

There are calathea flowers, varieties intended for growing at home. On their window sills, flower growers can grow:

• Calathea Litze- a highly decorative species containing oblong basal leaves, elliptical in shape. The surface of the leaves combines the pattern of alternating wide stripes, bright green and metallic color. The underside of the leaves is purple-red.
• - the lower part of the leaf has a small red fluff, which the discoverers associated with a beard. Elongated and slightly wavy leaves, form bushes up to 50 cm. The surface of the leaves is colored green in various shades, has no patterns. It is considered one of the most capricious species.
• - distinguished by a special color of the leaves. Unlike most varieties, it is distinguished by the asymmetrical color of the leaves of yellow and Green colour. The underside of the leaf is green, not purple like other varieties.

Also found in culture are Calathea lansifolia, Calathea mix, Calathea orbifolia and other plant varieties.

Signs and superstitions

Calathea is popularly called the "Prayer Flower". And it is no coincidence. With the onset of dusk, the calathea flower folds the leaves into a tube and lifts them up. The leaves become like human hands raised to the sky during a prayer service. At dawn, they take their usual position. Apparently this gave rise to numerous superstitions.

There are also signs. For example, it has long been believed that growing calathea in the house brings happiness, comfort and peace to the family.

Astrologers have an opinion that the flower is connected by invisible threads with Mars and the Sun. All the aggression in the house is absorbed by the flower, peace and harmony reign in the house.

Anyone can check the correctness of superstitions and accept if they plant a calathea in the house. Even if the signs do not come true, it will be possible to rejoice at the ornamental plant, admire its flowers.

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Among the floral variety, Calathea attracts attention with the original and varied color of the leaves. It is believed that the plant is able to absorb negative energy, bring happiness to the house, add comfort, with proper care at home. In order to check the validity positive impact on others you just need to try to grow it, and it's not so easy.

Calathea is a bright representative of the Marantov genus, has very beautiful oval or elongated leaves and pigment spots on the plate of different colors (white, pink, purple, green), and each plant is different.

The plant is quite large good care its height can reach 60-90 cm. The length of the basal leaves is 10-30 cm.

All calatheas have a common ability: leaves curl in the evening and lifting them up, which resembles palms folded in prayer. In the morning they unfold and descend. This feature gave calathea a second name - "prayer flower".

Refers to flowering plants, its small flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. The bracts adjacent to the flowers look more attractive.

The most beautifully flowering are considered:

• Calathea Varshevich
• Calathea saffron
• Calathea Roseolineata Dutti

Refers to perennial herbaceous plants, as they grow, requiring seating. In indoor home conditions, life expectancy is from 2 to 5 years, depending on the variety.

Types and varieties of Galatea

Among the Marantov family, Galatea has the largest variety, which includes 300 species, including mixes.

Calathea Saffron or Crocat

Dark green glossy leaves adorn orange flowers. Height up to 0.6 m.

It has rounded silvery leaves with dark stripes. The reverse side is burgundy. Blooms small purple flowers. Unlike other varieties, it grows well under artificial lighting.

Zebrina roseolineata

A plant with glossy dark green foliage and double stripes radiating from the center of the leaf. On young stripes are pinkish with age turn white. Bottom part leaf zebrina dark pink. Height 0.6 m. Flowers light purple or cream.

On the dark green velvet of the leaves, light green stripes appear, diverging in both directions from the central vein. Height up to 0.8 m. Before flowering, it needs a garter of ejected flower shoots.

Medallion or Roseopycta

Oval-shaped leaves, 20 cm long, combine dark green and light green colors with a clear pattern. Basal petioles are brown.

On light green leaves there are dark green spots with an offset in height. Basal petioles are long. Height up to 0.5 m.

Calathea planting rules

Calathea refers to rosette plants, i.e. those in which missing stem, and the leaves are collected in rosettes. Over time, sockets increase in volume, increase root system and need a transplant.

The plant transplant process itself is poorly tolerated, but it is necessary to do this every 2-3 years.
The root system of the calathea is superficial, so the pot for planting is not deep, but wide.

At least 1/3 of the pot should be drainage it could be clay. To avoid damage to the plant by root rot, a layer of activated charcoal tablets or a layer of charcoal can be placed on top of the drainage.

The soil for planting should be loose, so they take ready-made soil for decorative leafy plants or make up the soil mixture on their own:

• leaf ground - 2 parts;
• peat - 1 part;
• sand - 1 part;
• pieces of sphagnum moss, perlite or vermiculite, crushed charcoal are added to the mixture.

Calathea is transplanted in March-April or not earlier than 2 weeks after purchase.

For better rooting and survival of the plant, it is advisable to pour a solution of Zircon (4 drops per 1 liter of water) or HB-101 growth stimulator (1 drop per 1 liter of water).

Features of plant care in indoor conditions

Calathea capricious care and she needs to give increased attention when growing. She needs high humidity and optimal temperature.

Growing conditions and how to care:

1. The temperature must be within 18-25 °С.
2. The plant is contraindicated in drafts.
3. Calatheas need bright diffused light, but it needs to be shaded from direct sunlight. The best place for growing the western side, shading is required on the southern windows. When grown in the shade or bright sun, the plant loses decorativeness, the leaves fade, the pattern disappears, they become just green.
4. Humidity should be at the level of 70-90%. This requires frequent spraying, but preferably not the plant itself, but the air around it. Or set pots on pallets with pebbles or expanded clay filled with water. Only water should not come into contact with the bottom of the pot. To maintain humidity overnight, a plastic bag can be put on a pot of calathea.
5. Watering should be plentiful, soft water at room temperature as the soil in the pot dries. To avoid rotting of the roots, it is necessary to prevent stagnant water in the flower pot. After watering, the water from the pan must be drained.
6. You need to feed the flower 1 time per month winter, spring-autumn every 2 weeks. Fertilizers are desirable special for decorative leafy plants or complex-mineral. Calathea does not like excess nitrogen and calcium in the soil. Calathea saffron is fed with fertilizer for flowering ornamental plants.
7. Calathea is propagated mainly by dividing the rhizome during transplantation, carefully trying to damage the roots as little as possible during reproduction.

A feature of the arrowroot family is that they have a dormant period after flowering, when they can shed their foliage.

Calathea needs to continue to be watered and maintain high humidity, and over time, the leaf mass will begin to grow again.

With improper care behind calathea during the growing process, you may encounter the following problems:

• leaves lose their tugor and curl, darkening and the appearance of dry spots on them - possible cause there may be drafts insufficient air humidity;
• thinning of the leaf plate, stretching of the leaves - lack of light;
• spots - yellow (sunburn), dark (excess moisture);
• curling, discoloration and drying - excess light;
• dropping leaves - dry air or excessive watering.

Brown spots on leaves

Pests and their control

Calathea can be affected by pests such as spider mites, scale insects, thrips.

• when white and then dark plaques appear on the plant, it speaks of scale damage. To combat the pest, the petioles are first cleaned of it with a sponge dipped in soapy water, and then sprayed with an insecticide (Aktellik, Fufanon, Fitoverm).
• when a flower is damaged spider mite leaves turn yellow, white or gray spots appear on them, they curl. The fight begins with the treatment of the plant soapy water, then process the flower hot water under the shower with t 45°C. In severe cases resort to the use of insecticides;
• if available on Calathea thrips leaves droop, white spots form on them, and then wither and fall off. To get rid of the pest, the flower is treated with a pink solution of manganese or Decis (poisonous).

Any calathea is a small work of art, its painted leaves are so diverse. And no matter how capricious she was in leaving her amazing beauty and uniqueness is worth messing around with.

Calathea - unique flower, which belongs to the Marantaceae family. In a flower shop, one cannot fail to notice this houseplant, because it is precisely this plant that many flower growers propagate for the sake of beautiful leaves. Despite the wide variety of Calathea species, not all flower lovers can afford to enjoy this masterpiece of nature at home due to the lack necessary conditions, as well as the skills to grow a capricious crop. This is especially true for those who have just started their activities in growing various types flowers and plants.

Calathea demands to herself special attention, as in the care she is very capricious. In wildlife, the plant is found near rivers or lakes. From this we can conclude that calathea requires careful care, as it loves water, which means it needs high humidity and abundant watering.

Common types of calathea

There are many types of flower. The most common are those that do not require huge attention when caring for calathea flowers is organized.

Medallion is a type of plant that is popular and common in Northwestern Brazil. Its height reaches 40 centimeters. The leaves are purple below and dark green above. In order to this species grows well, it is necessary that the plant is in a sunny and closed area. Plant calathea Medallion care requires careful, taking into account many nuances. The air temperature should reach at least 16 degrees Celsius, and the soil - at least 20. worst case the plant will start to rot.

Lasenenri is a type of calathea that grows well in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru or Ecuador. The plant is very beautiful, as it has original pointed white flowers and light green leaves.

Less common types

Orbifolia is a flower native to Bolivia. He will feel great at an air temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius.

Rosiopicta is a species that grows in Northwestern Brazil. The leaves of this plant are amazingly beautiful. They have exotic spots of pale pink.

In order for the calathea indoor flower to appreciate the care and please its appearance, some rules must be followed.

Temperature regime

A beautiful culture of calathea requires care at a certain air temperature. In particular, it is necessary that indoors in winter period The thermometer was at least 16 degrees. Yes and sharp drops not for her, since the plant is sensitive to such a phenomenon and may die. Even a slight draft can lead to rotting and lethargy of the leaves.

Light

Despite the fact that calathea care in relation to light does not require too special and complex, it should be remembered that the plant must be provided with partial shade. In particular, if you put it in a dark corner, it will not die. However, the leaves will lose their color, and also become small and noticeably slow down growth. But too bright sun, namely direct rays, Calathea does not tolerate. The leaves can be seriously scorched, and ugly yellow spots will appear on them.

Watering

Despite the fact that the plant loves a lot of moisture, watering should be done carefully. Calathea requires home care using prepared water. In particular, the hard type of moisture will not work. best option will be thawed or rainwater. If we talk about the ideal, then for irrigation it is warm water. In the hot season for a plant, moisture should not be regretted. But in winter it is best to reduce watering. Otherwise, root rot may occur.

Air humidity

Despite the fact that the plant is quite often found at home on the windowsill, not many people know that Calathea care in this case requires more than careful attention. This is especially true for air humidity. This figure should reach 90%. In normal home conditions, it is quite difficult to achieve such a characteristic. Therefore, many flower growers prefer to grow a flower in an aquarium, terrarium and other similar places.

In the event that the calathea grows on the windowsill, it is often necessary to spray it or wipe the leaves with a wet sponge. This procedure also requires taking into account some nuances. In particular, when spraying, it is necessary to moisten the area that is around the plant. Drops of water that fall on the leaves can cause unsightly spots. For spraying, water with a temperature of at least 25-27 degrees is suitable.

top dressing

It is necessary to feed calathea from the first days of April to the end of August. To do this, you must use a special fertilizer in liquid form. Top dressing is done twice in 30 days, but you should not get carried away, as the plant is sensitive to an excess of complementary foods. In this case, it may slow down in growth, and the leaves will also become unsightly in appearance.

We transplant the plant

Calathea is a capricious plant and needs to be repotted every two years. This must be done, also taking into account some of the nuances. It's best to do it in early spring using drainage. In this case, if you have to purchase ready-made soil, then you should use a mixture that is intended for azaleas or rhododendrons.

You can make a mixture for transplantation and yourself. To do this, you need to use 1 part of peat, the same amount of humus and leafy soil. Add 0.5 parts of sand there. Such a mixture would be ideal for transplanting calathea.

reproduction

The described culture is a very beautiful plant. That is why many flower growers are trying to propagate it, however, for this, the calathea flower requires care rather attentive, as well as the process of reproduction itself. Most often this happens by the method of division during plant transplantation. The air temperature during division should be 20-22 degrees.

Small plants must be placed in pots with a diameter of 7-9 cm. For this procedure, it is necessary to prepare the soil in advance. In equal proportions, peat, sand and leafy soil should be mixed. Sprouts that have roots must be transplanted into pots that are larger than the previous one. In this case, the soil must be prepared, as for an adult plant, but only sand must be used not 0.5, but 1 part.

Despite the fact that adult calathea care at home requires more than attentive, young plants are even more capricious. For them, it is necessary to provide a temperature equal to 22-24 degrees, but not less than 20. The plant must be constantly watered and sprayed without fail. In no case do not put the pot on the windowsill, where there is direct sunlight, and do not put the plant in the shade. Small flowers need to be fed once every three weeks. After about a year, the plant can be transplanted into big pot, and Calathea can now receive care, like an adult plant.

Another way to reproduce

It is possible to propagate the culture in question not only using the division method. The use of seeds is also widespread. Like all home flowers, calathea care requires quite careful, seed propagation is a more laborious process. Before planting the material, it is necessary to prepare the soil. To do this, use 1 part of leafy soil, as well as 0.5 parts of sand. Plant the seeds in this mixture. The temperature should be 22-24 degrees.

The main disease of the plant

Even if Calathea receives home care according to all the nuances and features, these plants can often manifest various kinds of diseases. The most common disease is one in which the leaves dry and turn yellowish. In order to exclude in time possible diseases, it is necessary to regularly inspect the flowers and determine the presence of problems associated with diseases.

In the event that the ends of the leaves become dry and turn brownish, then the problem may be the presence of dry air. If the leaves turn yellow, then this indicates a lack of nutrients in the soil, or an overabundance of them.

They look amazing with a photo calathea plant. Care must be appropriate. If it was worthy, but the leaves fell off, then you need to take care of moistening the flower or, on the contrary, reduce the amount of moisture. Remember the rules for watering. In particular, Calathea prefers home care in cold weather with less water when watering.

Among other things, the plant may be adversely affected by spider mite attacks, mealybug and whiteflies. That is why it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the flower.

Sometimes, when it seems that calathea indoor plants are getting the right care, other problems may arise that say that it is necessary to adjust the rules of behavior with the plant.

1. In the event that the leaves turn yellow and begin to curl, try rearranging the flower in a different place, and also adjust the humidity. Be sure to check for drafts.
2. The leaves are getting dark color and dry spots may appear. The reason here may be a draft, as well as insufficient humidity.
3. Leaf yellowness is a common problem for this plant. The reasons for the appearance of this color can be a huge number. This is dry or cold air, overflow or lack of moisture, overfeeding with fertilizers. Here you need to analyze your actions and decide what you did wrong.
4. The leaves change shape, namely, they become thin and stretched. This shortcoming can be corrected by adding a little light. However, you should not put the pot on the windowsill, where direct sunlight will fall on the leaves.
5. Spots appear on the leaves. It all depends on what color they are. In particular, if they are light, it means that strong sunlight is burning the foliage. In the event that the spots are brown, it means that moisture falls on the leaves quite often and a lot. This can happen during spraying.

In general, the plant must be sincerely loved, as it likes attention to itself. Proper watering, providing required amount light, as well as top dressing, will allow you to get on your windowsill a really real masterpiece in a pot in the form of a calathea.

Numerous photos of calathea flower species amaze flower growers not with fancy inflorescences, but with foliage with a unique coloring for each variety. Homeland of this genus of herbaceous variegated plants tropical zone of the South American continent.

Large, up to 70–80 cm high, calatheas are appreciated by lovers indoor crops behind the foliage is a fairly simple oval or elliptical shape, with an original pattern on the leaf side of the plate and a thick burgundy color on the back side. Each type of calathea, as in the photo, has its own unique ornament. In some varieties, leaf blades up to 20–40 cm long are noticeably corrugated.

Among the decorative leafy indoor crops, there are those that delight flower growers with spike-shaped inflorescences of different colors. Having collected a bright mix of calatheas in your home collection, you can turn a room window sill into a kind of real rainforest.

Calathea Varshevich (Calathea warscewiczii)

To flowering species Calathea also includes this variety. Calathea Varshevich can be recognized by dense dark green leaves with light strokes radiating from the central vein. If the upper side of the sheet is velvety-patterned, then the back surface, like many other indoor kalats, is purple-burgundy.

The inflorescence of Calathea Varshevich appears from the axil of the leaf, has a pitchfork of a spirally twisted white or pinkish bract, from which small, insect-attracting corollas peep out. After the calathea flower wilts, in the photo, young rosettes are formed on its petiole, which are used by flower growers to propagate an unusual houseplant.

Calathea saffron (Calathea crocata)

One of the most decorative species catalea grown at home. Not only that, the variety has amazingly beautiful wavy foliage of a deep purple-green hue. A striking feature of this species is large numerous inflorescences, an orange-yellow hue unusual for Calathea. It is thanks to the color, close to the color of saffron, that Calathea Crocat got its second name.

Many flower growers know this graceful look as saffron calathea. Compared to closely related species, this plant is quite compact and does not take up much space even on window sill. But the disposition of the plant is not too docile, it is possible to achieve flowering and stable growth of dark foliage only if all the requirements for caring for this guest from the distant tropics are met.

The photo of a flower of this species clearly shows how bright the orange inflorescences seem against the background of almost black foliage. The decorative leafy culture responds well to top dressing, does not tolerate direct sunlight and tolerates a transplant well, giving it the opportunity to increase its green mass.

Calathea decorated (Calathea ornata)

Calathea decorated stands out from a number of related species with elongated ovate leaves with a pronounced central vein and a contrasting pattern of white stripes. At the disposal of flower growers today there are quite a lot of cultivars related to this beautiful view calatheas. But most often in collections you can find Calathea Sanderiana with dense wide oval leaves of dark green okara.

The decorativeness of the plant is given by thin pink or white stripes running in pairs from the central vein to the edges of the leaf plate. The underside of the leaf is brownish or burgundy in color.

At home, Calathea Sanderiana does not grow above 50 cm, but in nature the crown can grow significantly and even reach two meters in height.

Calathea striped (Calathea zebrina)

Although all types of calathea do not differ in complaisant disposition and force the grower to constantly pay attention to themselves, this variety has a completely capricious character.

Calathea striped or zebrina is very sensitive to dry air, its cultivation requires very nutritious loose soil and attention to watering. In nature, the flower of this type of calathea, as in the photo, grows rapidly and forms a powerful evergreen shrub up to a meter in height. With good care, the calathea becomes just as tall in the house.

special pride striped calathea are large leaves. A light, glossy leaf plate 50 cm long is decorated with decorative strokes of dark green, the underside of the leaf is deep burgundy.

Calathea Lancifolia (Calathea lancifolia)

The type of calathea presented in the photo belongs to the few, but very appreciated by flower growers, flowering varieties of the plant. At home, in the tropics of Brazil, Calathea lansifolia lives in conditions of almost constant temperatures, high humidity and an abundance of food. The lover of indoor plants will have to maintain the same atmosphere in order to admire the Calathea flowers shown in the photo.

Calathea lansifolia is a large houseplant that can reach a height of 80 cm. The flowers are located on short peduncles located at the base of the leaf rosette. The color of the corollas is white, or slightly pinkish. The leaves are elongated, thin, light green in color with dark spots located along the central vein. On the back side, the leaf plates of the lansifolia calathea species have a reddish-purple color.

Calathea makoyana (Calathea makoyana)

A species close to the previous plant is Calathea Makoya, originally from Brazil. The foliage of this variety is also covered with contrasting spots, but the leaf plates themselves are more rounded, and on their back the pattern is completely repeated, only not in green, but in brownish-red tones.

Calathea rubifarba (Calathea rufibarba)

The pointed-elongated leaves of this type of calathea, as in the photo, may seem ordinary in comparison with other types of this plant. The foliage has an even green color, which in some varieties extends to the back. And yet, Calathea is very attractive due to the wavy shape of dense leafy plates, sitting on long brownish-purple cuttings.

At home, the plant requires good nutrition and placement in diffused light. Subject to the conditions of detention, the grower can get small yellow, as in the photo, calathea flowers.

Calathea Bachema (Calathea bachemiana)

The leaves of this type of calathea are quite narrow and long, up to 35 cm. They are held on thin elongated cuttings and form a dense rosette above the ground surface. A characteristic feature of the species is the silvery color of the upper part of the leaf plate, on which a dark green ornament in the form of an elegant twig stands out brightly.

Calathea Bachem flowers are not as decorative as those of saffron calathea, but they are very enlivening big picture and are of interest to lovers of tropical cultures.

Calathea rosepicta (Calathea roseopicta)

Calathea roseopikta is a native of Brazil, where plants reach 80 cm in height and delight the eye with variegated foliage, which is difficult to find even in other types of calathea.

Most often in the collections of indoor plant lovers, Calathea Medallion is found. This variety can be recognized by rounded oval leathery leaves with multicolor ornaments. The central vein is pink, olive strokes are noticeable around it, and closer to the edge of the leaf plate there is a curly strip of creamy or white color. The back side of the leaves of this calathea flower, located on pancake petioles, is crimson, very bright.

Calathea Loseneri (Calathea loeseneri)

Calathea Loseneri comes from the equatorial regions of Ecuador, Colombia and Peru. This plant, which does not stand out for the originality of the foliage colors, but occupies a worthy place in the collections of flower growers due to the light lanceolate foliage and graceful star-shaped flowers of calathea.

Video about Calathea Zebrina