Calathea
Goeppertia, formerly Calathea
Also known as: prayer plant, rattlesnake plant, peacock plant, zebra plant, pinstripe plant, rose-painted calathea
How do you care for a calathea?
Light: Indirect, medium to low light, such as dappled sun or partial shade. Water: Keep the rich, well-drained mix moist but not wet or soggy. NC State advises against tap water, which can damage the leaves; use distilled water or rainwater. It is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
About Calathea
Most houseplants sold as calathea now belong to Goeppertia, a genus of more than 200 species in the prayer plant family; genetic studies moved them out of Calathea, but the old name is still widely used. They are grown for patterned leaves that fold up at night and come from warm, humid habitats from Mexico to tropical South America. NC State Extension rates them high maintenance: they need indirect, medium to low light, 18–24 °C (65–75 °F), high humidity, and soil kept moist but never soggy, watered with distilled water or rainwater rather than tap water. The ASPCA lists Calathea species as non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Calathea quick facts
- Botanical name
- Goeppertia, formerly Calathea
- Family
- Marantaceae (prayer plant family)
- Native to
- Mexico to tropical South America
- Light
- Indirect, medium to low light, such as dappled sun or partial shade.
- Water
- Keep the rich, well-drained mix moist but not wet or soggy. NC State advises against tap water, which can damage the leaves; use distilled water or rainwater.
- Humidity and temperature
- High humidity: use a pebble tray or grow it in a bathroom or kitchen. 18–24 °C (65–75 °F), away from drafts and sudden temperature changes.
- Size
- 23–91 cm (9 in–3 ft) tall and 20 cm–1.1 m (8 in–3.5 ft) wide, depending on species.
- Common species
- G. orbifolia, G. makoyana (peacock plant), G. insignis (rattlesnake plant), G. ornata (pinstripe plant), G. roseopicta (rose-painted calathea), G. zebrina (zebra plant).
- Propagation
- Division. Repot every one to two years, preferably in spring.
- Cats and dogs
- Non-toxic. The ASPCA lists Calathea species as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Its entry still uses the old genus name, Calathea. Source: ASPCA
Sources: NC State Extension: Goeppertia; Kew Plants of the World Online: Goeppertia; ASPCA: Calathea
Calathea guides
- Tap Water for Houseplants: Chlorine, Fluoride, Hard Water, and Brown Tips
- Pet-safe houseplants by light: plants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs
- Calathea (Goeppertia) care: light, water quality, humidity and brown edges
- Calathea vs maranta: how to tell the two prayer plants apart, and how their care differs
Calathea care at a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect. Wants bright, indirect light — sensitive to both extremes. Too much direct sun causes burns, too little causes stretching. Grow lights: Thrives under artificial grow lights (LED or fluorescent, 10-12 hours/day). A great option if your space lacks natural light.
- Watering
- Water when the top 1-2 inches of soil feel dry. Adjust with the seasons — less in winter, more in summer.
- Humidity
- Loves higher humidity (60%+). If your air is dry, group it with other plants, use a pebble tray, or run a humidifier nearby.
- Temperature
- Sensitive to cold — keep above 55°F (13°C). Avoid placing near drafty windows or exterior doors in winter.
- Soil
- Needs well-draining soil — add perlite or orchid bark to a standard potting mix. Good drainage is critical to prevent root rot.
- Pets
- The ASPCA lists Calathea species as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Its entry still uses the old genus name, Calathea.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Common calathea problems, answered
-
Calathea Drooping: Dry Mix or Damaged Roots?
A drooping calathea is short of water in its leaves. Either the mix has dried out, or roots damaged by wet mix can no longer take up water. Cold, heat and dry air add to the stress.
-
Calathea Leaves Curling: Water, Humidity, Heat or Roots?
Calathea leaves curl inward when they are short of water: from dry mix, dry air, heat or direct sun, cold drafts, or roots damaged by wet mix. Night folding and rolled new leaves are normal and need no fix.
-
Calathea Water Sensitivity: Tap Water, Salts and Brown Tips
Calatheas, most now classified as Goeppertia, can develop brown tips and dead spots along the leaf margins from fluoride in tap water or salts building up in the pot. Low humidity and uneven watering cause the same browning, so check those before blaming the tap.
-
Calathea Leaf Movement: Normal Night Folding or Stress?
Calathea leaves rise and fold in the evening and open again in the morning. This sleep movement, called nyctinasty, is normal and is driven by a joint at the leaf base. Movement becomes a warning sign only when leaves stay curled, limp or crisp during the day.
-
Calathea Sunburn: Spot Scorch and Move It to Safer Light
Calathea sunburn shows as washed-out, bleached or brown scorched patches on the leaves that face a sunny window. These shade-adapted plants cannot repair scorched tissue, so treatment means moving them to bright indirect light and judging recovery by new leaves.
-
Calathea Root Rot: Signs, Root Check and Rescue by Division
Calathea root rot shows as wilting or yellowing leaves while the mix is still wet, with brown to black, soft roots and a darkened crown. It follows mix that stays wet too long, often in a cool room, and is caused by water-mould and fungal pathogens such as Pythium, Phytophthora and Rhizoctonia.
-
Calathea Yellow Leaves: Water, Light, Feeding or Pests?
Yellow leaves on a calathea (sold as prayer plant) most often come from watering: mix that stays wet, or mix left to dry out. UF/IFAS also names too little fertilizer and too much light, and drafts and spider mites cause yellowing too. One old outer leaf yellowing slowly is normal.
-
Calathea Brown Tips: Will a Humidity Tray Fix Crispy Edges?
Crispy brown tips and edges on a calathea are usually a dry-air problem, which a pebble tray or humidifier can help. If new leaves still crisp once the air near the plant is humid, look at how far the mix dries between waterings, then at salts and tap water.
-
Brown Spots on Rattlesnake Plant and Calathea: What They Mean
Brown spots inside the leaf blade of a calathea or rattlesnake plant usually come from fungal or bacterial leaf spot after leaves stay wet, from fluoride or fertilizer injury, from direct sun, or from oedema in wet winter compost. Thrips droppings and mite damage can look like spotting too.
-
Calathea Spider Mites: Why They're Prone and How to Treat
Calatheas are prone to spider mites mainly because the warm, dry air of a heated home suits the mites and stresses the plant. Look for fine pale speckling, yellowing or silvery leaves and webbing, with tiny moving dots on the purple undersides.
-
Calathea Thrips: Where They Hide and How to Treat Them Safely
Thrips on a calathea leave dull, silvery or pale-streaked patches and tiny dark, varnish-like droppings, mostly on leaf undersides. They hide in rolled new leaves and in the sheathing leaf bases, and their pupae can sit in the potting mix.
Related articles
Questions about Calathea
Is calathea toxic to cats and dogs?
The ASPCA lists Calathea species as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Its entry still uses the old genus name, Calathea.
Get the Plant Mortality Checklist
Check moisture, roots and recent care changes before choosing a treatment. A practical checklist to keep.
Your checklist is ready!
We also sent it to your inbox. Check your email for the full download.
Open the ChecklistFree. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.