Calathea Care: Types and Why the Leaves Curl

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People buy calathea for its leaves: striped as if painted with a brush, burgundy underneath and sometimes velvety. It also “moves” — the leaves fold up in the evening and lower again in the morning. Yet this tropical beauty has a fussy reputation: dry air or hard water is enough to make the leaf tips brown. Here is how to give calathea the conditions it needs to grow lush without crispy edges.

What kind of plant is calathea

Calathea is a tropical plant of the prayer-plant family (Marantaceae) from the forests of Central and South America. In 2012 botanists moved most species to the genus Goeppertia, but they are still sold as calatheas. In the wild it grows on the forest floor, in humid air and shade beneath the canopy — hence its key needs at home: bright indirect light, steady warmth and high humidity.

View full-size photoCalatheas feature a variety of leaf patterns and textures

Each leaf has a “joint” at the base of the blade, so it responds to light, rising at night and lowering by day. That is why it is called a prayer plant.

Popular calathea types

• Calathea makoyana (peacock plant) — pale leaves with dark-green feather markings.
• Calathea orbifolia — large round leaves with silver stripes; one of the most humidity-hungry.
• Calathea lancifolia (rattlesnake plant) — long wavy leaves with dark spots, fairly tough.
• Calathea zebrina — velvety leaves with dark stripes.
• Calathea rufibarba — narrow leaves with a fuzzy, reddish underside.
• Calathea crocata and warscewiczii — flowering types with orange and cream blooms.

Light and temperature

Calathea needs bright indirect light: 1–2 m from an east or west window, or a south window with a sheer curtain. Direct sun bleaches the pattern and scorches the leaves, while deep shade makes them smaller and duller. Keep it at 18–24 °C all year, never below 16 °C, away from draughts, cold windowsills and hot radiators.

Watering and humidity

Keep the soil lightly moist but never soggy: water when the top 2–3 cm have dried. Water less in winter. Calathea is sensitive to chlorine, fluoride and salts, so use soft water — filtered, rested or rainwater — at room temperature.

The real secret is humidity of 60% or more. A humidifier, a pebble tray and grouping plants all help. A fine mist suits smooth-leaved types, but velvety ones are best kept dry to avoid spots. See our houseplant watering guide.

View full-size photoOptimal calathea conditions: indirect light, humidity, and pebble tray

Soil, pot and repotting

Use a light, airy, slightly acidic mix: a ready-made prayer-plant or azalea mix, or all-purpose compost with peat, perlite and fine bark. The roots are shallow, so choose a wide, shallow pot with drainage holes. Repot young plants every spring and mature ones every 2 years, going up 2–3 cm in size. Let a new plant settle for 2–3 weeks before repotting. Step-by-step: how to repot houseplants.

Feeding

From April to September feed every 2–3 weeks with a liquid foliage-plant fertiliser at half strength. Excess salts show up as brown leaf edges, so under-feeding is safer than over-feeding. No feeding in winter.

Propagation by division

Calathea cannot be grown from stem or leaf cuttings — only by dividing the rhizome. Do it in spring when repotting: ease the plant out, split it into sections, each with several leaves and healthy roots, and pot them separately. Keep divisions warm and humid for the first weeks, covered with a clear bag.

View full-size photoCommon calathea issues: brown tips, curled and healthy leaves

Why the tips brown and leaves curl

• Brown tips and edges — dry air, hard water or too much fertiliser.
• Leaves curling into tubes — underwatering, dry air or cold.
• Yellow lower leaves, limp stems — overwatering and root rot.
• Faded pattern, pale patches — direct sun.
• Fine webbing, pale speckles — spider mites; a warm shower and a miticide help.

More in houseplant problems and symptoms.

Is calathea safe for cats and children

Calathea is considered non-toxic to people, cats and dogs, so it is a good choice for homes with pets — though chewed leaves are bad for the plant, so keep it out of the cat’s reach. For more ideas, see foliage houseplants and houseplant names and care. Browse potted plants.

FAQ

Why does calathea fold its leaves at night?

It is a normal response to changing light: leaves rise in the evening and lower in the morning. Leaves curled during the day signal thirst.

How often should I water calathea?

When the top 2–3 cm of soil are dry — usually once or twice a week in summer, less in winter. Check the soil, not the calendar.

View full-size photoThe photo shows various calathea leaf issues: brown tips, curling, and healthy leaves.

Can I trim brown tips?

Yes, cut off the dry part with clean scissors, leaving a thin strip of brown so you do not wound the living leaf.

Which calathea is best for beginners?

Calathea lancifolia and makoyana are the toughest. Orbifolia and crocata need higher humidity.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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