Calathea picturata (Goeppertia picturata) Indoor Care: Watering, Fertilizer, Pruning, Propagation
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Calathea picturata (Goeppertia picturata) requires medium to bright, indirect light, average warmth, humid conditions and consistently moist, rich, well-drained, all purpose soil coupled with monthly feeding in the growing season.
Goeppertia picturata is one of the popular Calathea varieties on account of its spectacular foliage where the intense colour in the centre of its leaves is surrounded by a band of green colouring along the edges while the undersides are a purple-burgundy color.
Goeppertia picturata comes in two variants; silver and crimson. The silver variant commonly called 'Argentea', is more common and has a silvery green center. The crimson variant is rarer and has a crimson-red center. Calathea picturata is one of the best plants for the home and will create a magnificent sight in any space.
Botanical name: Calathea picturata
Synonym: Goeppertia picturata
Family: Marantaceae
Common name: Calathea picturata
Origin
Calathea picturata is native to the tropical forests in North Brazil where it grows on the forest floors and is a favorite tropical foliage plant.
Size
Goeppertia picturata grows in clumps to a height of about 1-2 feet which makes it one of the best low-light plants for the limited spaces.
Flower
Goeppertia picturata is not grown for the flower but for the spectacular foliage and is unlikely to flower under room conditions.
Toxicity
Calathea picturata like like other Calathea Plants is non-toxic to humans and pets as indicated by ASPCA. The plant is safe to grow indoors.
Related Plants
Calathea picturata is related to the Marantas, Ctenanthe and Stromanthe which are collectively called Prayer Plants in reference to their curious characteristic of closing their leaves at night.
Where to buy
If you would like to add these gorgeous plants to your collection, you may acquire them online from Amazon (Link to Amazon) or from Etsy (Link to Etsy).
Calathea picturata Care Indoors
Calathea picturata (Goeppertia picturata) prospers in medium to bright indirect light, average warmth of 15-260C, humidity of 60-80% and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained, all purpose soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.
Goeppertia picturata requires pruning to keep it neat and also reduce pest and disease infestations. Repotting is needed only when the plant becomes pot-bound. Keep reading for more on the best growing conditions and how to achieve them.
Temperature and Humidity
Calathea picturata prefers average warmth of 15-260C. At temperatures below this range, the plant stops growing while temperatures above this range may cause the plant to die. Keep it away from drafts as they can cause sudden changes in temperature which the plant cannot tolerate and may cause it to die.
Goeppertia picturata requires humidity of 60% to 80% to thrive. Low humidity will cause brown leaf tips and edges. Use a hygrometer to monitor the humidity for the optimum growth of the plant. To elevate humidity, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier. Learn more on how to increase humidity for houseplants.
You may also grow the plant in a well-lit bathroom, kitchen, laundry area and other moist areas in the home. Calathea picturata is one of the best plants for the bathroom on account of its requirement for warm, humid conditions.
The plant can also be grown in a closed terrarium where a high humidity can be easily maintained inside a terrarium and is among the best plants for a closed terrarium.
Keep the leaves clean by damp-wiping with a soft cloth to get rid of dust and minimize pest and disease infestations. Maintain a good air circulation to discourage fungal diseases.
Light Requirements
Calathea picturata grows best in medium to bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight as it can scorch the leaves and cause loss of leaf color.
You can also grow the plant under grow lights where the natural light is not adequate. Check out these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.
For uniform growth to prevent lopsided growth, turn the pot regularly to ensure that the plant receives light on all sides.
Watering
Water Calathea picturata liberally and allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings to keep the soil consistently moist at all times during the growing season. Reduce watering in the cold season as growth is minimal at this time but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
Use water that is at room temperature to prevent plant shock. The water should also be free of chlorine and flourides as like other Calathea, it is sensitive to chemicals dissolved in water as they will cause brown leaf tips and edges.
Ascertain that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can result in root-rot and loss of the plant. To reduce fungal infestations, avoid wetting the foliage during watering or water from the bottom instead.
Fertilizer
Feed Calathea picturata with a balanced, liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks during the growing season for a lush growth. Do not feed in the cold season as growth is minimal and feeding at this time can lead to fertilizer burn.
Flush out accumulated chemicals (salts) from the soil by running a stream of water through the soil. Allow the stream of water to run for some time and repeat the process several times.
Potting Mix
The best potting soil for Calathea picturata should be rich in organic matter and free-draining to prevent it from getting soggy while providing the required nutrients. All purpose potting mixes are suitable for this plant.
Repotting
Repot Calathea picturata every 2-3 years at the beginning of the growing season or when it becomes root-bound. Take care not to injure its delicate roots. Use a pot one size larger than the current one and ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to root-rot.
At least one day before repotting, water the plant thoroughly to hasten establishment. A well hydrated plant suffers less repotting shock and takes a shorter time to take root.
If the plant is large and has outgrown its current pot, divide it into several sections and use the splits to propagate new plants. Repotting may cause the leaves to droop but the plant will eventually recover once it takes root; in about 3-4 weeks. Check out these pots with drainage holes on Amazon.
Pruning
Pruning Calathea picturata is easy. Remove dead and yellow foliage to maintain the plant neat and discourage pests and diseases. Cut the leaves with a sharp knife or pruning scissors at the base, where the leaf meets the stalk.
Propagation
Calathea picturata (Goeppertia picturata) is best propagated by plant division at the beginning of the growing season (in spring) during repotting. Dividing the plant at this time hastens establishment as it is in the active growth phase.
Read more on how to propagate Calathea Plants in 2 easy ways.
Calathea picturata Problems and Solutions
Calathea picturata (Goeppertia picturata) growing problems include drooping leaves, dying plant, yellow leaves, loss of leaf color, brown leaf tips, pests and diseases among others. Keep reading for more on these problems and how to solve them.
Drooping leaves
Calathea picturata drooping leaves are due to three possible causes. One possible cause is too dry air (low humidity) as the plant is very sensitive to low air humidity. To increase humidity, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier.
The second possible cause of drooping leaves in Goeppertia picturata is incorrect watering; either overwatering (soggy soil) or underwatering. Water the plant liberally and maintain the soil consistently moist during the growing season.
Lessen watering during the cold season but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Ensure that the soil is free-draining and that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy. Learn more on how to water indoor plants the correct way.
The third possible cause of drooping leaves in Calathea picturata is that the plant is root-bound which means that the roots have filled the pot and there is very little soil to hold water when you water the plant.
Therefore, there is no water for the plant to take up to the leaves. The leaves loss their stiffness and they droop. Check the bottom of the pot for roots growing through the drainage hole. Repot the plant into a pot one size larger than the current one or divide it into several sections to propagate new plants.
Check out these 10 Causes of Calathea Drooping Leaves and How to Revive It
Plant dying
Calathea picturata may die due to root-rot, underwatering, wrong temperature, cold drafts, poor feeding, low humidity, pests infestations among other reasons.
Read more on these 12 Reasons Why Calathea is Dying and How to Save It
Pests
Goeppertia picturata is prone to aphids, mealy bugs, scales and spidermites infestations. Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to the other plants and treat it appropriately for the pests. Read more on how to identify and get rid of pests in houseplants.
Diseases
Calathea picturata is prone to leaf spot disease due to the humid conditions in which it grows. The disease is indicated by brown patches surrounded by a yellow halo. Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to the other houseplants and treat it with an insecticidal solution.
Leaves appear washed out
Calathea picturata washed out leaves are due to exposure of the plant to hot direct sunlight. The plant grows best in medium to bright indirect light. Position it in a more shaded spot or instal a light curtain to protect it from direct sunlight to prevent its eventual death.
Curled, yellowing leaves
Goeppertia picturata curled and yellowing leaves are caused by incorrect watering; either overwatering (soggy soil) or underwatering. Overwatering (soggy soil) causes the roots to die due to lack of oxygen in the soil. When the roots die they cannot take up water and therefore the leaves begin to curl, yellow and eventually die.
Underwatering implies that there is too little moisture in the soil and therefore, the plant has no water to take up to the leaves. Thus, the leaves begin to curl, yellow and eventually die if the situation is not corrected.
Water the plant thoroughly and keep the soil consistently moist during the growing season. Reduce watering in the cold season but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Make sure that the soil is free-draining and that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy.
Brown, dry leaf tips and edges
Brown, dry leaf tips and edges in Calathea picturata are due to four possible causes. One possible cause is dry air (too little humidity). To raise humidity, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or grow the plant in a well-lit bathroom, laundry area and other moist areas in the home.
The second cause of brown, dry leaf tips and edges in Goeppertia picturata which is accompanied by stunted growth is infestation by spider mites due to the air being too dry (low humidity). Remove the dead growth and raise humidity for the plant to discourage the pest infestations.
The third cause of brown, dry leaf tips and edges in Calathea picturata is watering it with hard water. Water it with chlorine-free water only like rain water. Like other Calathea, it is sensitive to chlorine and other chemicals dissolved in water and it responds with brown leaf tips and edges.
The fourth cause of brown, dry leaf tips and edges in Goeppertia picturata is accumulation of salts or chemicals in the soil which may have originated from the water used for watering or from the fertilizers used.
Regularly, flush out accumulated chemicals (salts) from the soil by running a stream of water through the soil. Allow the stream of water to run for some time and repeat the process several times.
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