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Calathea orbifolia(ka - LAY - thee - uh or - bee - FOH - lee - uh ) is also known as Prayer Plant and is one of the prettiest of theCalathea plantfamily .
Calatheas are extremity of the Marantaceae or arrowroot family of plants and are relate to Maranta , Ctenanthe , and the Stromanthe industrial plant , and are often confuse with the species of plant life .
NOTE : Calathea orbifolia is now bang as Goeppertia orbifolia .
This tropic , perennial hobo camp plant life is native to Bolivia , South America , and the Amazon .
Calathea Orbifolia Care
Even though Calathea is very attractive , they are often overlooked as leaf plants . This may be because as indoor plants they do take some measure of care . They require some extra sustenance .
Although these plants can be quite fussy , the effect is well worth the hassle .
Size & Growth
These plants can become quite turgid and have beautiful silvern - green folio that produce in a fan configuration . Plants continue in idealistic grow stipulation mature rapidly and sky-high and should be kept in a space that allows plenty of elbow room for growth .
Prayer works are so - anticipate because they close their farewell as if in entreaty at night . The foliage unfold again in the morning light .
Flowering & Fragrance
These plants are grown for their striking leaf . They bloom in the springtime in the natural state , producing clusters of tiny , white-hot , star - work flower . You are very unlikely ever to see flowers on a Calathea keep open as a houseplant .
Light & Temperature
Keep your Orbifolia Calathea in a circumstance that provides shining indirect light . Although these plant can tolerate scurvy lighting conditions , they will not farm as well . They are unable to take full , verbatim sunshine .
These industrial plant need plenty of moderate , indirect undimmed light . Too little light will result in leaf bleaching and necrosis on leafage tips . If retain in verbatim sun , you will ascertain that your works tolerate from a keen deal of leaf burning and scathe .
These tropical plants like a consistently strong way temperature ( 65 ° – 75 ° degrees Fahrenheit ) . Do n’t keep your Calathea in a cold room or near a window or doorway where it may be dependent to cold selective service .
fix your plant several foot away from a windowpane with in force lighting . This will assure ample ignitor without the Lord’s Day ’s damaging rays or the possibility of extreme point in temperature . Do n’t range your Calathea near a hummer or air - conditioner .
While unripe plants tend to do well in a very hot and humid mise en scene , as they grow and grow , larger Calathea become quite sensitive to heat .
Avoid expose your mature plants to temperatures higher than 90 ° degrees Fahrenheit for drawn-out full stop .
Watering & Feeding
As with most plants , Calathea does not like to sit around in support water system that can lead to ascendant guff . But , Calatheas want steady watering to keep the grease moist . weewee soundly whenever the top in or two of land dries . Never allow the soil to become completely dry .
It should be notice that Calathea is sensitive to chemical substance contentedness and water . specially avoid using piddle that is heavily fluoridated .
Take aid to utilise water system that does not hold in fluoride or chlorine .
These chemicals will induce foliage burn . rather , use distilled or dribble water , or at a bare minimum , allow tap body of water to sit out for at least 24 time of day so that some of the chemical substance will dissipate .
These tropical plants like a sensibly high grade of humidity . juiceless air will get impairment to the leaves , and while misting can avail some , you may also wish to set up a pebble tray beneath your industrial plant .
Fill a drain tray with pebble and pour in a little piddle . Set your plant on the pebble , take tutelage not to provide any of the water system to touch the bottom of the container . As the water system vaporise , your flora will receive steady humidity .
Calathea also needs a generous amount of nitrogen to keep its coloring and arrive at honest growth . In cooler temperatures , the amount of nitrogen should be reduced .
During raging times when watering is heavy , you may want to increase the amount of nitrogen . Too small nitrogen cause Calathea to lose color and develop foliage spots . YourNPK valuation for Calathea fertilizershould be 3–1–2 .
Avoid high atomic number 19 levels . Too much potassium will also reduce color and cause folio espial .
Just as your Calathea is raw to chemicals in water , it can also be sensitive to too much fertilizer . Excessive fertilizer will cause leaf scorch .
give up at least three months after repot with refreshed soil before you fecundate . When you do , be sure to irrigate good first and then use a received liquid houseplant plant food amalgamate one-half strength to give your plant a low-cal meal . Fertilize monthly during the growing season , and do not inseminate during the winter month .
Potting Soil & Transplanting
Be sure to use a well - enfeeble soil ( peat - establish ) and keep the flora in a container with ample drainage holes . A combination of adequate parts of good quality potting admixture , perlite , and peat is a unadulterated substratum for your Calathea .
Generally verbalize , you should report Calathea in the springtime if it seems to be outgrowing its pot . These industrial plant prefer a soil pH of about 6.5 .
Grooming & Maintenance
Mist your Prayer Plant 3 or 4 times a calendar week , and wipe the leaves with a damp fabric once a week . These steps help keep humidity levels and keep the parting clean , glossy , attractive , and expeditiously plunge moisture .
Trim off dead leaves as needed throughout the class .
Other Popular Calatheas
Calathea Orbifolia Plant Propagation
The skillful mode to propagate Calathea plant is through rootstalk root variance . As your matures the industrial plant produces “ pups ” ( usually in the springtime ) as its roots open and produce . When this happen , it is a sign that your plant life demand repotting .
When you repot , divide these young plant life at the root , using a very sharp , sterile blade . Give them their own corporation . The young starts should be go along in a moderate , indirect light setting . Mist often to asseverate humidness or add a humidifier . [ source ]
More How To pass around Calathea Plants
Calathea Orbifolia Pests or Diseases
Because these plant life like humidness , they are also prostrate to the fungal maladies and pestilence infestation that go helping hand - in - hand with humid conditions . Watch out for :
The correct watering technique , upright humidness , and keeping the plants at a warm , stable temperature can help prevent these problems .
Suggested Calathea Orbifolia Uses
Orbifolia prefers affectionate temperatures and medium to high humidness degree . They like to grow in medium to very promising collateral sunshine , and they do well with frequent lacrimation . For these understanding , Calatheas are an idealistic choice as a toilet plant .
In a tropic setting , these plants can be grown outdoors , under trees that cater high nuance , class - rotund .
