Andrew Mangwarara

FOR many garden enthusiasts, there is no other plant group that strikes much interest as the calatheas.

Calatheas are tropical plants that prefer high temperatures and lots of humidity.

Once settled they should not be moved unnecessarily. The group is popular for its array of foliage, which can be of different shades of colours. Thus a variety of common names like the zebra plant, rattle snake, peacock plant, cathedral plant and the prayer are testimony of the plant’s beauty. This group of plants is originally from the tropical forest of Brazil.

While the leaves are showy, most of the flowers are usually of insignificant aesthetic value. There are a number of calathea species such as c.lancifolia, c.ornata, c.roseopicta, c.rufibaraba, c.orbifolia and c.mackoyana.

Although they are rather fussy plants, the results that one can get are worth the effort.

The plants prefer light shade and dappled light indoors. Avoid direct sunlight as this will damage the leaves.

Choose a good growing medium which is porous (well drained) but is able to retain enough moisture. Keep them medium moist in summer but slightly dry in winter.

A good growing medium can be well-rotted organic matter mixed with river sand.

Ensure that excess water drains away to avoid bacterial and fungal infections.

The plant is also commonly attacked by mites and scale. Regularly fertilise the plants with liquid fertiliser throughout the growing season.

Calatheas can easily be propagated from divisions. Repot the plant every year into a fresh potting.

When growing calatheas, try to maintain a regular routine in all the practices you undertake. Fluctuations in temperature, watering regime and moving the plants unnecessarily will result in leaf drop.

When spraying, try a small portion of the plant and wait for a day or two to see the effect the spray had on the plant.

Thereafter, spray the whole plant or plants of the same family. Other problem areas include the wrong pot size and mixing the plant with other plants in the same pot, which may not have the same growing requirements.

In conclusion, calatheas like the African violet will reward good care.

Their growth is relatively slow, so some patience is required.

No pruning is required except to remove dead brown leaves.

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