Calathea lansifolia: description, care and flowering features

Calathea lancifolia is a very common plant that attracts with its appearance.

The leaves are spear-shaped with alternating dark green ovals and a purple underside. This houseplant belongs to the Marantaceae family. In nature, it grows in the tropics of sunny Brazil. The plant is chosen primarily for its interesting, attractive foliage. It is not suitable for a garden, as it cannot grow in cold or arid regions, since the birthplace of Calathea is tropical forests. In Brazil, it is also called a rattlesnake or prayer flower.

The plant grows quite voluminous, the maximum height is 90 centimeters. The foliage has a lanceolate shape, it is quite large, but thin. The edges of the leaves are slightly wavy. Greens are collected in rosettes, stalks are short.

The flower blooms, although very rarely, in indoor conditions, where it can delight with buds from late spring to late summer. The peduncle is formed in the middle of the rosette, its length is small. The flowers are in the shape of ears, and when they bloom, they turn into panicles. The colors are white and pink. After the flower ripens, the fruit appears in the form of a box, inside which there are seeds.

There are areas where a flower can grow outdoors. This is the south of California and Florida, but in most cases the plant is grown indoors, where the bush is half the height.

Calathea is boldly ranked among the species that do not require special attention to themselves, since this flower is unpretentious and resistant to most diseases. The plant can be in unfavorable conditions for a short period of time, but with prolonged non-compliance with the regime of keeping the foliage, it becomes lethargic and even turns black. If the grower does nothing, then the flower will simply die. You can appreciate the beauty of this tropical flower only by providing it with warmth, moisture and a sufficient amount of light.

For calathea, the window sill will be an ideal place, where the sun's rays fall through the curtains scattered, and most of the time there is a shadow. Ideally, windows on the west or east side are suitable, you can use the south, but only move the flower away from the glass.

When exposed to direct sunlight, burns appear on the leaves, they look like small brown spots, which then dry out. With the onset of winter, the flower can be rearranged for additional lighting. It is very useful to turn on the lamps from 5 to 9 pm - these hours are enough to support the calathea.

Do not allow foliage to come into contact with a cold window - frostbite may appear. In this case, it is recommended to put the plant on the window behind the curtain, it is advisable to simply move it aside for a day. Not only cold, but also heat is harmful, therefore heaters and batteries should be at a certain distance from the flower.

In high humidity conditions, this species does best. Spraying is ideal for lancifolia, but not directly on the foliage, but around the flower. Do not wipe the leaves with a damp cloth, it is better to take care that it is not too dry around, then the foliage will not fade.Spraying frequency depends on the season: the hotter, the more often you need to humidify the air.

You can put the flower pot in a container with small pebbles and water - this makes it easier to maintain the required moisture level. Some growers install automatic humidifiers, others prefer the wick irrigation method, which allows the plant to consume as much water as needed, but the ground remains dry and not swampy. But even with this method of irrigation, it is necessary to moisten the soil every two weeks and let it drain well.

It must be remembered that the humidity level in the room is very low in winter. This is especially true for houses with central heating. Maintaining adequate levels during the winter months can be a real challenge.

Calathea is resistant to low temperatures, it can safely survive a decrease in ambient temperature to + 15 C. Most other indoor plants cannot cope with such a load. If we talk about a favorable temperature, then it is in the range of 18-24 C.

There are special requirements for the potting mix for calathea. It should be well-drained, it is better if it is sandy soil, since it is slightly acidic and fertile enough. Experts advise to invest at least 40% of peat in the substrate.

You can always buy ready-made soil in the store; the same composition is suitable for the flower as used for Saintpaulias. If you have the time and the necessary materials, it is possible to make the soil yourself, the scheme is very simple: one part of perlite or vermiculite is added to two parts of peat or sphagnum moss. The drainage layer is of great importance, it is better to make it from small stones.

At the beginning of the spring season from above peat is added to the pot to improve the nutritional value of the soil... The ground must be wet but it cannot be swamped, otherwise the root system will simply rot.

When it's hot, water is applied with fertilizers every 4 days on average; in cool seasons - once a week, and sometimes less. There is a simple rule: the lower the temperature, the less often you need to water the flower. For irrigation, settled, rain, well or distilled water is best suited, the temperature of which is above room temperature by a couple of degrees.

Feeding calathea is necessary during the growing season, in winter the plant should rest... From April to September, diluted liquid fertilizers are applied every 3 weeks. Complex formulations are very suitable for this, but the dosage should be 3 times less than that indicated on the package.

In terms of transfer, the young are transferred to a new container every year for four years. When the plant reaches adulthood, it is only required to change the soil every 3 years. It is possible in the process of transplanting at the same time to propagate the bush, since division from the root is used for this.

At first, young calatheas should stand in the shade, you can cover the flower with plastic and air it once a day. In such greenhouse conditions, the plant will take root faster.

The most commonly affected indoor flower is the scale insect, thrips and spider mites. If you properly care for and avoid too dry air in the apartment, then they will not be, since excess moisture is the best method of prevention... Naphthalene helps against thrips - just put a couple of balls on the ground, a solution of insecticidal soap or Neem oil is no less effective.

If the leaves begin to curl or turn brown, then most likely the plant does not receive the moisture it needs. It also happens that the leaves die off due to low humidity, in this case it is worth humidifying the air early in the morning every day and the second time in the afternoon.

If there are signs of fungus and rotting, this may mean that watering was carried out too often. In this case, it will be necessary not only to treat the roots and the plant with fungicides, but also to remove the damaged shoots. As one of the reasons - the plant is too cold or it is standing in a draft. Move the plant to a sheltered, warm place away from drafts.

If gray mold spots appear, trim the affected area immediately and provide gentle ventilation. You can put a small fan on a low level next to the flower. Bacterial infections are so bad that they are practically not amenable to treatment, which ultimately leads to the loss of a flower.

When root rot appears, it is necessary to immediately transplant the flower, cut off the roots, treat them with a solution of activated carbon. The soil is completely replaced. Unfortunately, if infestation occurs during flowering, the buds will fall off. It is always worth remembering that the best prevention is quality home care.

For tips on caring for calathea, see below.