Calathea's are a wonderful showy plant but how do we keep them looking their very best?

They are said to be a tricky plant due to their tropical nature. However get the right water, temperature and lighting conditions and your Calathea Orbifolia will absolutely thrive indoors. Our care guide will help you out with tips and tricks.

Calathea's are a wonderful plant well suited to indoor housing due to their tropical nature. This plant requires partial shade, humidity and good drainage to really thrive. Calathea Orbifolia plants can be relatively fast growing indoors and can grow to be three feet tall. 

These plants are often referred to as prayer plants. This is because their leaves actually rise up in the evenings, as if to be praying. You don't need to pray to keep this plant looking it's best just follow some easy steps to keep the plant in it upmost happy place. 

WATER -Water periodically when roots dry out but do not over water. Keep an eye on the soil, if it feels dry past the first inch then give it a drink. When watering Calatheas, use room-temperature water if at all possible. Opting for distilled water is safest. If you don’t have distilled at hand, fill a container with water and let it sit open for at least 24 hours before use. Ensure that the soil is evenly moist, but not soggy. Too much water can cause distress to the plant. Avoid wetting the leaves directly, you want moist soil at all times but not soggy. Good drainage and regular water will help keep your Calathea Orbifolia looking good. 

LIGHT - Calathea Orbifolia enjoys medium to low light conditions. While I say this they do require some light just make sure it is indirect sunlight to protect the plants beautiful leaves. Find it's happy spot in your home or office by looking at the natural light that comes in the window throughout the day. It will happiest in a bright spot with indirect sunlight. Direct bright lighting will damage the leaves and fade the colour. The Calathea Orbifolia can also survive well in shady spots outdoors.

TEMPERATURE - This plant will not respond well to sudden temperature changes. Place it in a comfortable spot in your apartment and don’t move it. The Orbifolia prefer high humidity levels to remain healthy. A good indoor temperature for this plnat is ideally between 18 and 23 degrees celcius.There are other ways you can create this artificially. Try placing the pot on a pebble tray with a shallow pool of water and spraying it regularly with lukewarm water.

For more information on Calathea care watch this short video, it has some great tips.