Calathea / calathea

Refers to the family of maranthives. Fatherland is South America.

General description: Kalatea is a decorative and deciduous plant, one of the most luxurious. An impressive variety of species and forms, the most common:

• Calathea makoyana (Kalatea Makoya) is the most spectacular of the kalates. She has very fine impressive leaves (up to 30 cm long), with a surprisingly strange pattern reminiscent of a peacock's plumage. The lower side of the leaf is magenta. The leaves grow with a bouquet, on long straight petioles.

• Calathea lubbersii (Kalatea Lubbersa). She has a completely different color. From the central vein depart oblong yellow spot. The lower part of the leaf is green.

• Calathea zebrina (Kalatea striped) is characterized by a velvety surface of leaves stained with dark wide bands running from the central vein.

• Calathea crocata (Calatea saffron). This is the only decorative and flowering kalatea. Its leaves are rather plain, dark green with a brown tinge. But she owns beautiful bright orange flowers on long peduncles.

Kalatei are whimsical, they need to provide stable and error-free care.

Recommendations for the care of the plant Kalatea:

Illumination : Photophilous, but in no way tolerates direct sunlight.

Irrigation regime : Abundant during growth, moderate in winter. To water with warm soft water.

Humidity : Requires regular spraying and wiping of leaves with a damp soft cloth. In winter, in a well-heated place it is allowed to put on a pallet with water. It is useful to cover rhizomes with wet moss.

Temperature regime : Very fond of warmth, winter and summer. Does not tolerate drafts and sudden temperature changes.

Soil : Drainage is mandatory. You can add charcoal and brick chips. The soil is acidic or weakly acidic. When a snow-white deposit appears on the surface of the soil, the top layer must be replaced.

Recommended soil mixture : 1 share of coniferous land, 2-3 elements of leaf land, 1 share of peat, 1 share of humus and 1/2 elements of sand.

During the growth period, it needs fertilizing once every two weeks with fertilizer for ornamental foliage (for Kalatea saffron for flowering plants). Excess fertilizer is not allowed.

Breeding : Crushing during transplantation. Also seeds.

Transplantation : In the spring, annually. The root system is superficial, so the pot must be wide, but not deep at all.

Pests: It is affected by scarlet spider mites (in a dry atmosphere, leaves and stems are braided with cobwebs), mealybug, scabbards (brown plaques appear on leaves and stems, leaving sticky discharge), thrips (grayish dots appear on the leaves).

The plant is allowed to help finish with a soap solution, warm washing and spraying with an actinic (1-2 ml per liter of water).

Kalatei saffron - calathea crocata

Calathea lanceolinate - calathea lancifolia

Kalathea lubbersa - calathea lubbersii

Kalatei makoya - calathea makoyana

Calatea painted - calathea picta

Kalatei striped - calathea zebrina

Kalatei decorated - calathea ornata