It's a calathea roseopicta. Like others have said, they're picky plants. They don't like tap water and need distilled or rainwater. They need high humidity. No direct sunlight. They're also temperature sensitive so don't have it in front of an open window in the winter. The soil needs to be moist but not soggy and can't dry out completely. They also get pests like spidermites easily. I think those are the basics š And even then they can still die randomly because they're drama queens. They're beautiful plants but they only thrive in special spots.
i basically shoved mine in a north window & water it every 3~ weeks bc i got tired of its moodiness, she went from 1 leaf to like 20 in 2 months š¤¦š» she did get mealybugs but i sprayed her with an alcohol mix one time & theyāre gone, calatheas are the weird cryptid you kinda wanna be friends with
I had a perfectly happy calathea in my office, then a few weeks ago it decided to just go completely crispy and die on me. My wife had one that did that as well, which I then put outside expecting to compost it, but by the time I got back it, it was sprouting up new shoots. I've concluded it's just what they do.
I'm a big believer that most plants do well in a couple hours of direct sun (indoors). I think people starve their plants of the sun more often than giving them too much.
Considering how much UV light is filtered by windows, I honestly think that's a good bet to take.
It's also rather difficult to discuss this (online at least) because someone sitting near the equator will obviously have very different experiences to someone in, say, Oslo. 4 hours of direct light in Oslo are probably difficult to compare to 4 hours of direct light in Algier even during best of times.
I honestly didn't even mean to. It's against a south facing window with a large awning. All summer the sun was blocked by the awning. As the seasons went on the angle of the sun got lower and all of a sudden it was getting direct sun. I didn't notice until a few weeks later and by then it had sprouted a ton of new leaves. The old leaves had some burnt tips and all the newer ones are healthy.
I agree. I make sure to have a sheer curtain to protect my plants in the summer sun, because a lot of them would roast, but now that it's October I have my plants in the sunny front window and don't worry about it.
The porosity of a pot is if it has a lot of microscopic holes, causing it to be a hard sponge, which makes moisture wicking and drying out WAYYY easier and happen way faster. They also can have bacteria, pests and mold build up in the pores over time as well, causing more problems if it isn't the suitable environment for some plants. Ceramic would treat this plant better. Always have pots with holes on the bottom for good drainage. Plants always need drainage or else it will kill them by rotting the roots. Also, if a plant is in too big of a pot, it's like you are wearing pants that are way too big for you. It just doesn't work. Too much space. Then when you water that plant in too big of "pants" it's like putting your own feet in a pool and just leaving them there all week. No mercy. What would that do to your flesh? It's actually pretty horrifying š it does it to plants too.
This is all very good to know! I didnāt know that about too-big pots. Thank you!
Is terracotta well-suited to some plants then, like those that need to dry out more? Or is the potential for mold/bacteria going to be an issue no matter what?
It's very good for dry loving plants like zz plants, snake plants, cacti and succulents, even most philodendron and pothos won't mind it. It's just a good idea to keep it in mind with your watering schedule.
Interesting theory on terracotta. All my houseplants immediately get repotted into terracotta because it breathes so welll and prevents root rot for the exact reasons you mention. Oxygen is readily available for the roots and excess water makes its way out very quickly.
I'd disagree that mold is caused by terracotta, mold simply just happens. Ceramic, plastic, an old shoe, terracotta, doesn't matter, mold can strike anywhere.
As for bacteria build up, literally everything has bacteria build up. It's all over the world and even on our skin and it's definitely on ceramic pots too. They are not special. This advice is sus. Terracotta is fantastic for indoor plants.
My water loving plants thrive in terracotta because I can water them so much and the terracotta keeps them nice and dry. The only build up is mineral build up from the water evaporating out of the sides of the terracotta and leaving behind minerals.
If anything, ceramic pots for indoor plants have always led to root rot for me as it doesn't breathe at all and oxygen can't get to the roots. My plants either dry up because I water too little out of fear of root rot or i water too much and the ceramic doesn't breathe at all, leading to root rot.
I did not say terracotta causes mold. It can trap and harbor mold. Because it's a hard sponge. I was referring to the specifics that can cause this particular issue. Thanks for the general science lesson I learned in 6th grade. š¤
The first three sentences of your comment state terracotta pot structure is the reason for the issues then you directly state ceramic is better.
Here's a bonus sixth grade lesson in debate on the house.š¤
It *can* cause these issues if you use them wrong. As stated. There's literally no reason to be rude. Nor to give a general science lesson that doesn't apply here. I worked in a plant shop for a few years and I do know what I'm talking about. Not all plants do great in terracotta. A hard sponge can cause build up and other things within the pores of a pot. Terracotta is just not good for a prayer plant, either. What works for you doesn't work for everyone. And using terracotta can cause a plant to dry out too much. Then some people will over water it because they don't know how to handle the situation, which causes bad mold, bad bacteria, etc. to start building up. Which can kill your plants. š¤·š»āāļø I appreciate your attempt to help but you're just coming off unnecessarily rude.
Hmm, mine does amazing on tap water, close to a South facing window with the sunlight hitting it late afternoon, and completely drying out between watering. It's growing lots of new, big leaves and even flowered a few times. It is super humid here though (think 80%-100% outside, 60-70% inside).
Iāve put mine in direct sun (5-6 hours a day) and itās thriving. I just got 3 new leaves. I just put half a glass of regular tap water (once a week) . No other maintenance or fertilizer. I dont know what Iām doing right. š¤·š»āāļø Good luck!
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Calatheas are DRAMA QUEENS. Iāve had mine for about 3 years and it hasnāt grown a bit. Also hasnāt died, so thereās that. The trick with these suckers is to ignore them and donāt make eye contact with them. Also, it helps if you forget about them. I donāt water mine with any kind of regularity except when I have the passing thought of āoh shit, I better water that plant!ā I have mine sitting on my desk by a window that gets indirect sunlight so the leaves donāt burn. I also donāt have high humidity at all so tbh, I have no clue what these plants actually need. They all seem different, which is a mystery in/of itself.
https://preview.redd.it/6m3kfpq0s6vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52b2bf6bc828fdac19e472482aa16c55c1a4e872
This is the truth. I have 3 calatheas. Iāve had one that lost all but 2 leaves and remained that way for two years. I eventually gave up on it and ignored it and it grew FOUR LEAVES in a month. After 2 years of nothing. My other one is enduring a slow death and the third one rapidly perished within 2 months. I am avoiding all eye contact with the last one standing. No touching.
Mine kills off leaves faster than it grows them but she did grant us a new leaf recently.
Itās already started getting the crispy tip but it was pretty to look at while it lasted. I refuse to give in to her picky ways and use rain water or distilled water. Sheās gonna get tap and sheāll learn to like it like the rest of the plants.
Any calathea Iāve ever had always sits by itself because itās only time before they turn on me. The previous one died a sudden spider mite death out of no where. And by death, I mean that thing was covered so she got yeeted in the dumpster so fast before having a chance to spread.
https://preview.redd.it/f0p63dk008vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f75ded4b8c146ffc9d994719580eb7ef8aaf191f
The picky b\*tch before I moved. I literally took a picture of this plant before moving in case it decided to be dramatic and die after I moved to a new house.
She hated the move and got more crispy than ever before but hey sheās alive š¤·āāļø
I actually think itās the one of the easiest plants to own. Itās SO dramatic and tells you exactly when to water it by pretending itās dying
Weāve named ours the Drama Cabbage
u/funny_joke_clips yours probably needs water
We have a calathea named Princess Victoriaā¦ she ended up thriving even with months of feline abuse so we got an even bigger huge AF one and the child named her Queen Augusta. Apparently Queen Augusta and our tiny little English Ivy (Bob, just Bob) are married and Princess Victoria is their child.
Gonna have to teach the child one day about how genetics work.
100% agree. i have 5 different calatheas and theyre some of my easiest plants. i water when they droop a little. i have the calathea pictured and itās gone from four leaves to about thirty in a little over a year.
My friend is one of those people who can keep all plants properly cared for despite having hundreds of them.
I was gifted one of these bastards once and I asked her the best place for it. She told me the only place they belong is in a dumpster.
first mistake: buying a calathea
LOL i've rarely seen anyone with a calathea not struggle with it. any small issue becomes a huge one with this drama queen of a plant š
I feel so much better reading these comments. I had a really pretty one for a while, seemed like things were going well. Then one day things were suddenly not going well, I had no idea wtf I did wrong, and I couldn't bring her back. I have never tried again...maybe someday. But probably not lol.
I was afraid to get one from the comments Iāve read on Reddit and the fact Iām a notorious plant killa. Somehow this is the plant that thrives the most of all I have collected. Puts off new leaves like crazy!
https://preview.redd.it/uruf5vpzh6vb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c14b647b6fc721a52b6b2ed6557954ab8b6deff5
Mine won't stop growing and I have no idea why
I'm so jealous of this. I'm somehow keeping mine alive but she kills a leaf to grow a leaf, even with fertilizing and worm castings. You must have magic hands.
What is this magic you possess! I had sooo many beautiful calathea I was all smug until a spider mite infestation and heatwave wiped out the whole collection. Since then Iāve stuck to easier plants like pathos, rubber plants, monsteras etc I cannot put myself through that pain againā¦.
I seem to be in the minority but my calathea is doing quite well? It did FABULOUSLY at work in a window that got no direct sunlight (buildings around), it actually bloomed! Picture of flower included :). I do use tap water currently but at my previous job I gave it deionized water from lab (am a scientist) and it liked that for sure. I have had a lot of success bottom watering too, I have it in a tray thing and I just fill that with some water and it sucks it right up. I always expect a few crispy leaves though, that seems to be unavoidable.
https://preview.redd.it/olgl7p2657vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d54f2661eb54062e3d4e56991209dcbae0078b38
The question mark at the end of the first sentence is accurate! Like we could be doing well or so we think until she decides " actually you blinked twice in my direction and I didn't appreciate that so now I will die"
Calatheas are my very favorite houseplant. Owning them is basically a form of self-loathing. They will die in droves, you will never make them happy, and you will be sad and feel eternal shame and guilt for being unable to keep them alive. That said, they're so beautiful and the joy when one actually makes a new leaf is incredible.
Agree it's calathea. They are such a pain. I've managed to get mine under control by not using tap water (I use fishtank water instead) and by keeping it in a humid area without a whole lot of light. It's thriving now
Calathea, and you probably looked at it funny one time (jk, but only a little). I don't have any advice, I killed all of mine and have learned my lesson.
It is a toxic ex plant! Calatheas will destroy your self esteem.
Edit: gather all your important papers, formulate an exit plan and get yourself in a safe place!
So this brat princess of a plant needs lots of light and water. At least in my experience with my beautiful turd tri color Calathea.
I have her at the top of my plant stand close to my grow lights. When her leaves go STRAIGHT up I water her. She will not stop sprouting leaves. I looked at her last night and noticed a new leaf and just screamed "ANOTHER ONE?!" She might be petty at this point. Idk. She is gorgeous though and worth the stabbing pain in my heart and anxiety she causes.
- Leaves curling = needs humidity and/or doesn't like the temperature (any cold drafts or heaters nearby?) Get a humidifier if possible.
- Brown tips = you let her dry out too much before watering and/or your water is too hard. Try rainwater/distilled.
-Your pot is not appropriate for this plant. Terracotta+ Calethea is not a good mix, I would swap to a nursery pot that you can place inside a decorative planter. It makes reporting and transporting the plant sooo much easier.
- cut all the completely dead and/or yellowing leaves off so the plant can focus energy on the right stuff.
- Use a light meter app (like Lux) to see how much light your plant is getting. If it's getting low light and you don't have any other places/windows, you can get a grow bulb and put it in a lamp nearby.
Hope this helps! I have a Calthea collection and they take a bit to make happy, but they are thriving under the current conditions I have them in which is a lot of what I mentioned to ya. ā¤ļø I have this exact plant which is a Calethea "Medallion", my leaves are currently over 8" long (22cm) by 6" wide.
Specifically, brown tips from water quality is usually caused by accumulated phytotoxic compounds, namely fluoride and chlorine/chloramine in drinking water. The same happens to plants like Dracaena and Spathiphyllum. Chlorine can be degassed from water, but other than that you would need a reverse osmosis system to remove fluoride, which is considered one of the more damaging compounds.
I just buy a few gallons of purified water for my Goeppertias, I use the old bottles for making fertilizer mixes.
Right. You can actually use aquarium water strips to test levels most of the above mentioned compounds. You can also use fish tank conditioner (dechlorinator) to treat water. I actually use my aquarium water from water changes and rain water as my sources that my Caletheas seem to love.
It's just a calathea doing what they do best. At this point I'm pretty convinced that calatheas are sentient and decide whether or not they like you the moment you pick them out, and if they don't like you they just die for funsies
As others said, Calathea, famous for being difficult.
Terracota pot is probably a mistake, though I have mine in terracotta too and it's doing very well. I water it literally every day though so it never comes even close to drying out.
I've got mine in terracotta as well and it's popping out new leaves with wild abandon, so all these folks saying terracotta is bad for them had me confused lol. But I like to show love by watering (bottom watering with distilled basically every other day) so most of my plants are in that so I don't kill them.
I've only had it four months though, so I'm not sure I should trust it yet š¤£
I water mine so much that it now has a liverwort (a weird kind of moss, basically) friend sharing its pot š„¹
https://preview.redd.it/0kcp4iwa18vb1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f0d02f05e851a9a57db5b29bcf4e4f1dacd8023
For some reason I can keep these moody beyotches alive. I don't do much to them other than no direct sunlight, moist soil. I used to use tap water and one day decided to use filtered water and they all thrived even more.
That being said I'm sure they will all die tomorrow because I typed this out. They are dramatic af.
The plant is Calathea roseopicta.
What did you do wrong? Probably looked at her the wrong way. It may be the type of water youāre using. Avoid tap water. But honestly, she probably just didnāt like the way you looked at her.
Itās a calathea and theyāre notoriously over dramatic. Iāve had 3 before the one I have now. The current one is the first one that Iāve gotten to a happy-ish place, and it still hates me
I have a calathea triostar that was bought for me when I left working at a garden centre a few years ago. Leaves all curled and died off until I was left with one leaf within weeks of having it. I hate giving up on plants so I watered said one leaf, and gave a good spot in the house even tho it looked shit.
After a month or so it slowly started putting out new leaves and hasnāt stopped since. Totally worth the good spot in the house now. P.S Iāve never told the triostar how good it looks.
This is the only plant Iāve had to send to the graveyard due to being a stuck up bitch. Needs distilled water, let soil dry slightly, humidity and indirect light.
The worst plant ever. If you keep it live long enough it will eventually get infested with spider mites. Then you will spend all your time trying to get rid of the mites, inadvertently making super bugs that then take over the rest of your plants.
I've had luck with planting my calathea musaica in 100% coco coir, she was a dramatic, always dying pita before, now she still gets the occasional crispy leaf but she does put out plenty of new growth and seems happier
You are not doing anything wrong. My suspicion is they sell those out of completely different circumstances like a greenhouse. In a regular household they can't keep up the leaf size. I bought one three foot high, and now it's less than one foot high and happy.
Make sure it gets lots of sunlight Sit it on a pebble tray with water to increase humidity. I often top up the tray with boiling water to create steam Water it regularly - weekly - but never water it after 5pm and Never with tap water THE KEY! Spray the leaves and stems with rose gun every fortnight. They are extremely prone to fungal infections. This causes the brown spots and curling. Then you canāt go wrong! Iāve rescued a few and this is foolproof to get them thriving
https://preview.redd.it/rr5z6jfru7vb1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68998f24514079227c31c3a6b6a3dfac8a66108e
The humidity is extremely important. If you find the pebble tray method too cumbersome, take it into the bathroom when you shower & let it have a steam session
Iām just gonna comment hereā my calatheas are beautiful like they thrive in my house. The only reason I have any issues is the cat just BITES THE LEAVES. So I have this pretty middle part and then all the surrounding leaves are just nibbled shreds. Does no one else have this problem?
And please donāt say move the plant higher, or move it into a room without the cat, or donāt have a cat indoors with indoor plants. She leaves all plants alone EXCEPT the calatheas. It doesnāt bother me but itās like some personal vendetta and not sure how to make it stop. She leaves everything else alone and she isnāt dead, so she hasnāt nibbled on anything unknowingly toxic. She just fkn hates the calatheas I guess.
Editing to add that one of my calatheas is so large and full she couldnāt reach the leaves if she tried because sheās too fat (the plant is even in a pot on the ground). Itās our smaller one on the table. If we move it to a counter she finds it. If it goes in a different room she finds it. When we put it outside she finds it. The cat WONT LEAVE IT.
It wants humidity, but not wet feet. Likes to be moist, but not wet. Itās not crazy hard if you can give it what it needs. If itās indoors in air conditioning, it will need to be misted regularly or on a dish of gravel with water for humidity. Cool plant if you can grow it.
Cut off the dead stuff and try this:
https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-calathea/#
Check the underside of the leaves for spider mites, this is exactly what happened to my calathea. Then throw it in the trash, I tried for over a year to get rid of them and all I got rid of was my sanity.
Calathea Medallion. It looks very similar to mine, which I got at Kroger back in January.
There have been a few periods where I have underwatered mine (thanks, depression), and some of the leaves get brown like this. I trim them off and get back on track with the watering and the plant recovers. Calatheas seem to like their soil a bit moist like a slightly damp sponge. I try not to let it get drier than that for too long. Calatheas also like humidity. Iām (mostly) lucky to have a humidity level of at least 50-60% in my house, and Iāve heard it also helps to group plants together to create a humid microclimate so I have all my calatheas together. I currently have them in indirect light about 10 ft from a SE and W window under a grow light, but seeing some comments here about lightning has me reconsidering and I might move them to better light. For a while I had this plant up against a north window and a couple feet from a grow light that was on other plants, and it was doing really really well. Unfortunately the cat we adopted in June is a plant chewer so I had to move the plant elsewhere.
I water my calatheas with either distilled water or, when Iāve recently done a water change, the dirty water from my fish tank. They seem to like the latter. I donāt use tap or filtered water on them because theyāre sensitive.
Right now mine is struggling with spider mites. It actually had a light case when I bought the plant, I just wanted it so much I bought it anyway and treated it. I used Insecticidal Super Soap and it worked perfectly. I recently had a stressful time and underwatered all my plants, and it kind of seems like spider mites took advantage of the plantsā weakened state because half my calatheas now have spider mites. I just sprayed all of the plants in that area down with the super soap yesterday and cut off dead or heavily-infested leaves (or leaves too bitten by the cat sneaking into the room! Thankfully calatheas are not toxic). The plants are looking much perkier today thank goodness. Iāll keep a closer eye and likely spray again soon to be safe.
Zooming in on your pics, I canāt tell if thereās any spider mite webbing, but I do see some tiny white specks that could be dust buildup or could be evidence of the mites. My plant looked pretty much identical to this yesterday before I sprayed and trimmed. I would recommend treating for mites if you can.
I saw a YouTube video long ago in which a woman treated a Calathea Medallion for spider mites. This was before I got mine, but I did successfully use her treatment on my banana tree. If I can find it, Iāll post it here.
Best of luck with this beautiful plant!
Edit: I found the video! [Here it is](https://youtu.be/PJDLK7Tc8q0?si=26lwhFgqly5v4KM2)
This is a cheaper but more time consuming way to treat for spider mites. It did work for me last year on another plant!
She calls this plant a Calathea ornata, but thatās a pinstripe Calathea. I also have an ornata, makoyana, and rufibarba quite afflicted with spider mites. I did not āleave room for Jesusā between my plants as she suggests, haha! My Calathea musaica, roseopicta, and bigger makoyana and my Stromanthe triostar donāt seem to have mites despite cuddling close; I treated them anyway. (Can you tell Calatheas are my favorites? Lol)
burn her, she doesnāt deserve to be a houseplant, she causes too much stress for people who love plants. she has no mercy and will suicide right in front of you for her own pleasure. trust me, had her before and no matter how hard i tried, she said fuck you and diedš
Calatheas need bright indirect light and humidity! That terracotta pot you have her in might be drying her out too quickly. Also use distilled water only.
Mine was gorgeous since I bought her 5+ months ago ā¦until 2 weeks ago. I think itās an October thing, all my plants go haywire and I donāt always know what to do or how to adjust!
I have a (different type of) calathea that I've been nursing along ...keeping it alive ...though it sure isn't thriving.
That is, until I got a kitten. One who's decided that THIS is the plant he wants to dance all over when he gets the zooms.
It's still hanging in there but with half the stalks bent and then straightened back up and made to lean against its monstera friend ...woof.
Now it looks like shit. It's been served a series of heavy beat-downs. If it were a horse I'd feed it sugar lumps, take it for one last ride and tenderly blow its brains out.
Calathea's are know to be drama queens. My neighbours has one that's absolutely gorgeous and mine was fine for a few month and then just died. They like it a bit more shady, so don't put them in straight sunlit but a bit more away from the windows.
Mine lives in a little greenhouse inside my house. I use cheapish grow lights I got off Amazon. It has a self watering globe that my ADHD allows to be empty for a day or six before I refill it. I just had one leaf die off, but another one started growing right away.
There is no right answer.
ETA: I also use tap water.
And ceramic can also cause damage to plants if used wrong as well. Like root rot and mold. But the best way to combat that is to make sure you have the right type of soil mix for your plant and pot choice. Making sure your soil is chunky and less moisture retentive is a great way to combat root problems with plants that need that specific treatment. These plants need a high moisture content with great drainage and slightly chunky but still pretty moisture retentive soil. They're great plants when in a pot that fits it's root ball with a well draining ceramic pot and bright, indirect light and moisture retentive soil. Keep the soil moist but not sopping wet. So water just about once every 7 to 10 days in the winter. Maybe more if your soil dries out more than an inch deep in the soil each week. The molds that build up can also be inviting for pests so I recommend to treat with systemic granules to combat possible pests. Maybe spray the plant with Neem oil weekly as well to keep spider mites away while it recovers. These treatments also help with mold if I'm not mistaken. I don't feel like double checking the label. I haven't read it in a while.
im never getting a calathea after reading those comments. I can stand many things, im ok with rainwater, and some humidity, BUT SPIDER MITES? Hell nahh
It's a calathea roseopicta. Like others have said, they're picky plants. They don't like tap water and need distilled or rainwater. They need high humidity. No direct sunlight. They're also temperature sensitive so don't have it in front of an open window in the winter. The soil needs to be moist but not soggy and can't dry out completely. They also get pests like spidermites easily. I think those are the basics š And even then they can still die randomly because they're drama queens. They're beautiful plants but they only thrive in special spots.
i basically shoved mine in a north window & water it every 3~ weeks bc i got tired of its moodiness, she went from 1 leaf to like 20 in 2 months š¤¦š» she did get mealybugs but i sprayed her with an alcohol mix one time & theyāre gone, calatheas are the weird cryptid you kinda wanna be friends with
I had a perfectly happy calathea in my office, then a few weeks ago it decided to just go completely crispy and die on me. My wife had one that did that as well, which I then put outside expecting to compost it, but by the time I got back it, it was sprouting up new shoots. I've concluded it's just what they do.
I put mine in direct sun (in a window box/morning light NE), and she did great! Sadly, she succumbed to spider mites :(
I have one that's doing quite well with a couple hours direct sun per day as well.
I'm a big believer that most plants do well in a couple hours of direct sun (indoors). I think people starve their plants of the sun more often than giving them too much.
Considering how much UV light is filtered by windows, I honestly think that's a good bet to take. It's also rather difficult to discuss this (online at least) because someone sitting near the equator will obviously have very different experiences to someone in, say, Oslo. 4 hours of direct light in Oslo are probably difficult to compare to 4 hours of direct light in Algier even during best of times.
Very true! Nothing is ever quite so simple.
I honestly didn't even mean to. It's against a south facing window with a large awning. All summer the sun was blocked by the awning. As the seasons went on the angle of the sun got lower and all of a sudden it was getting direct sun. I didn't notice until a few weeks later and by then it had sprouted a ton of new leaves. The old leaves had some burnt tips and all the newer ones are healthy.
Yup! All mine that sprouted were honestly perfect and HUGE!
I agree. I make sure to have a sheer curtain to protect my plants in the summer sun, because a lot of them would roast, but now that it's October I have my plants in the sunny front window and don't worry about it.
I live in Cali, and the 110-degree days don't seem to bother them, I think the glass just cuts the uv so much that it doesn't matter.
I recommend to repot it into a pot that's not terracotta! It's too porous!
I just got some terracotta pots myself and noticed the porosity - can you say more about how that affects the plants? Iām new to all of this :]
The porosity of a pot is if it has a lot of microscopic holes, causing it to be a hard sponge, which makes moisture wicking and drying out WAYYY easier and happen way faster. They also can have bacteria, pests and mold build up in the pores over time as well, causing more problems if it isn't the suitable environment for some plants. Ceramic would treat this plant better. Always have pots with holes on the bottom for good drainage. Plants always need drainage or else it will kill them by rotting the roots. Also, if a plant is in too big of a pot, it's like you are wearing pants that are way too big for you. It just doesn't work. Too much space. Then when you water that plant in too big of "pants" it's like putting your own feet in a pool and just leaving them there all week. No mercy. What would that do to your flesh? It's actually pretty horrifying š it does it to plants too.
This is all very good to know! I didnāt know that about too-big pots. Thank you! Is terracotta well-suited to some plants then, like those that need to dry out more? Or is the potential for mold/bacteria going to be an issue no matter what?
It's very good for dry loving plants like zz plants, snake plants, cacti and succulents, even most philodendron and pothos won't mind it. It's just a good idea to keep it in mind with your watering schedule.
Interesting theory on terracotta. All my houseplants immediately get repotted into terracotta because it breathes so welll and prevents root rot for the exact reasons you mention. Oxygen is readily available for the roots and excess water makes its way out very quickly. I'd disagree that mold is caused by terracotta, mold simply just happens. Ceramic, plastic, an old shoe, terracotta, doesn't matter, mold can strike anywhere. As for bacteria build up, literally everything has bacteria build up. It's all over the world and even on our skin and it's definitely on ceramic pots too. They are not special. This advice is sus. Terracotta is fantastic for indoor plants. My water loving plants thrive in terracotta because I can water them so much and the terracotta keeps them nice and dry. The only build up is mineral build up from the water evaporating out of the sides of the terracotta and leaving behind minerals. If anything, ceramic pots for indoor plants have always led to root rot for me as it doesn't breathe at all and oxygen can't get to the roots. My plants either dry up because I water too little out of fear of root rot or i water too much and the ceramic doesn't breathe at all, leading to root rot.
I did not say terracotta causes mold. It can trap and harbor mold. Because it's a hard sponge. I was referring to the specifics that can cause this particular issue. Thanks for the general science lesson I learned in 6th grade. š¤
The first three sentences of your comment state terracotta pot structure is the reason for the issues then you directly state ceramic is better. Here's a bonus sixth grade lesson in debate on the house.š¤
It *can* cause these issues if you use them wrong. As stated. There's literally no reason to be rude. Nor to give a general science lesson that doesn't apply here. I worked in a plant shop for a few years and I do know what I'm talking about. Not all plants do great in terracotta. A hard sponge can cause build up and other things within the pores of a pot. Terracotta is just not good for a prayer plant, either. What works for you doesn't work for everyone. And using terracotta can cause a plant to dry out too much. Then some people will over water it because they don't know how to handle the situation, which causes bad mold, bad bacteria, etc. to start building up. Which can kill your plants. š¤·š»āāļø I appreciate your attempt to help but you're just coming off unnecessarily rude.
I thought the plant name was Regina George. Get it? mean girl....hardy har har
Hmm, mine does amazing on tap water, close to a South facing window with the sunlight hitting it late afternoon, and completely drying out between watering. It's growing lots of new, big leaves and even flowered a few times. It is super humid here though (think 80%-100% outside, 60-70% inside).
Iāve put mine in direct sun (5-6 hours a day) and itās thriving. I just got 3 new leaves. I just put half a glass of regular tap water (once a week) . No other maintenance or fertilizer. I dont know what Iām doing right. š¤·š»āāļø Good luck! img
Makes you wonder how the hell they survive out in the wild!
Thanks mine is toast now
ah, no tap water, guess I'm not ever getting a calathea <= uses tap water for all plants
Calatheas are DRAMA QUEENS. Iāve had mine for about 3 years and it hasnāt grown a bit. Also hasnāt died, so thereās that. The trick with these suckers is to ignore them and donāt make eye contact with them. Also, it helps if you forget about them. I donāt water mine with any kind of regularity except when I have the passing thought of āoh shit, I better water that plant!ā I have mine sitting on my desk by a window that gets indirect sunlight so the leaves donāt burn. I also donāt have high humidity at all so tbh, I have no clue what these plants actually need. They all seem different, which is a mystery in/of itself. https://preview.redd.it/6m3kfpq0s6vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52b2bf6bc828fdac19e472482aa16c55c1a4e872
Okay "the trick with these suckers is to ignore them and don't make eye contact with them" made me spit my coffee out
Itās true though, the more you fuss over them the more they decide to be a pain in the a**! Quite the abusive relationship, really!
I have two and they're doing... Okay š maybe I love them too much
Treat them with the same disdain they show youā¦thatāll whip those jerks into shape! ;)
This is the truth. I have 3 calatheas. Iāve had one that lost all but 2 leaves and remained that way for two years. I eventually gave up on it and ignored it and it grew FOUR LEAVES in a month. After 2 years of nothing. My other one is enduring a slow death and the third one rapidly perished within 2 months. I am avoiding all eye contact with the last one standing. No touching.
 No touchy the calatheas!
Mine kills off leaves faster than it grows them but she did grant us a new leaf recently. Itās already started getting the crispy tip but it was pretty to look at while it lasted. I refuse to give in to her picky ways and use rain water or distilled water. Sheās gonna get tap and sheāll learn to like it like the rest of the plants. Any calathea Iāve ever had always sits by itself because itās only time before they turn on me. The previous one died a sudden spider mite death out of no where. And by death, I mean that thing was covered so she got yeeted in the dumpster so fast before having a chance to spread.
https://preview.redd.it/f0p63dk008vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f75ded4b8c146ffc9d994719580eb7ef8aaf191f The picky b\*tch before I moved. I literally took a picture of this plant before moving in case it decided to be dramatic and die after I moved to a new house. She hated the move and got more crispy than ever before but hey sheās alive š¤·āāļø
A crispy bitch indeed!
I had a beautiful one of these and I accidentally over watered it like one time and it died š
Calathea. You probably breathed wrong near her. Notorious for being a pain in the ass to keep alive.
So true! I ended up putting mine outside, because dying plants are bad luck. The damn plant is thriving now! My calathea just wanted to be outside. ><
Apparently they like rainwater much more than tap water, so that might be part of it
It's a calathea.... being a calathea. There are reasons I won't attempt this plant.
This haha. Calatheas are the pain to my existence
I bet OP dared to breathe in its presence
I actually think itās the one of the easiest plants to own. Itās SO dramatic and tells you exactly when to water it by pretending itās dying Weāve named ours the Drama Cabbage u/funny_joke_clips yours probably needs water
We have a calathea named Princess Victoriaā¦ she ended up thriving even with months of feline abuse so we got an even bigger huge AF one and the child named her Queen Augusta. Apparently Queen Augusta and our tiny little English Ivy (Bob, just Bob) are married and Princess Victoria is their child. Gonna have to teach the child one day about how genetics work.
100% agree. i have 5 different calatheas and theyre some of my easiest plants. i water when they droop a little. i have the calathea pictured and itās gone from four leaves to about thirty in a little over a year.
Huh, that actually sounds a lot like my peace lily. My peace lily is also my easiest plant for that same reason lol
Awww theyāre just babies š„ŗ I love my calatheas so much.
My friend is one of those people who can keep all plants properly cared for despite having hundreds of them. I was gifted one of these bastards once and I asked her the best place for it. She told me the only place they belong is in a dumpster.
first mistake: buying a calathea LOL i've rarely seen anyone with a calathea not struggle with it. any small issue becomes a huge one with this drama queen of a plant š
I feel so much better reading these comments. I had a really pretty one for a while, seemed like things were going well. Then one day things were suddenly not going well, I had no idea wtf I did wrong, and I couldn't bring her back. I have never tried again...maybe someday. But probably not lol.
I had some over the years and they are great.
good for you! its definitely not easy so that's awesome
I'm trying to nurse mine back to uncrustiness. She's in my bathroom now, after I let her out too long in the West Aussie spring sun.
I was afraid to get one from the comments Iāve read on Reddit and the fact Iām a notorious plant killa. Somehow this is the plant that thrives the most of all I have collected. Puts off new leaves like crazy!
https://preview.redd.it/uruf5vpzh6vb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c14b647b6fc721a52b6b2ed6557954ab8b6deff5 Mine won't stop growing and I have no idea why
I'm so jealous of this. I'm somehow keeping mine alive but she kills a leaf to grow a leaf, even with fertilizing and worm castings. You must have magic hands.
Mine only has one leaf left šš
Looks amazing but just remember this plant can decide to die at any point even if you change nothing
What is this magic you possess! I had sooo many beautiful calathea I was all smug until a spider mite infestation and heatwave wiped out the whole collection. Since then Iāve stuck to easier plants like pathos, rubber plants, monsteras etc I cannot put myself through that pain againā¦.
Obviously you are a witch!
I seem to be in the minority but my calathea is doing quite well? It did FABULOUSLY at work in a window that got no direct sunlight (buildings around), it actually bloomed! Picture of flower included :). I do use tap water currently but at my previous job I gave it deionized water from lab (am a scientist) and it liked that for sure. I have had a lot of success bottom watering too, I have it in a tray thing and I just fill that with some water and it sucks it right up. I always expect a few crispy leaves though, that seems to be unavoidable. https://preview.redd.it/olgl7p2657vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d54f2661eb54062e3d4e56991209dcbae0078b38
The question mark at the end of the first sentence is accurate! Like we could be doing well or so we think until she decides " actually you blinked twice in my direction and I didn't appreciate that so now I will die"
I would transfer to a plastic or glazed pot. They like to be moist.
Calatheas are my very favorite houseplant. Owning them is basically a form of self-loathing. They will die in droves, you will never make them happy, and you will be sad and feel eternal shame and guilt for being unable to keep them alive. That said, they're so beautiful and the joy when one actually makes a new leaf is incredible.
Calathea. Moody b*tch. Idk I have no advice. All mine end up in the trash.
Agree it's calathea. They are such a pain. I've managed to get mine under control by not using tap water (I use fishtank water instead) and by keeping it in a humid area without a whole lot of light. It's thriving now
Caltheas are just really expensive composting material at this point. I cut myself off.
Iāve been able to keep my Freddie happy but thatās the only one lmao.
Mine loved to have each leaf whiped with a wet cloth once a week
I read this as āwhippedā like the plant was into bdsm or something
Who's a naughty plant?
Iām laughing way too hard at this
Maybe this is where I went wrong with mine. Should have roughed her up a little. š¤£
I still have a watermelon one I wouldnāt mind smacking around. Her and her crusty leaves š¤
Calathea, and you probably looked at it funny one time (jk, but only a little). I don't have any advice, I killed all of mine and have learned my lesson.
hahahaa yall have me cracking up. and i feel less like a failure now. thank you. iāll stop breathing when iām in its presence š¤£.
It is a toxic ex plant! Calatheas will destroy your self esteem. Edit: gather all your important papers, formulate an exit plan and get yourself in a safe place!
Heaven hath no fury like a post about a calathea.
So this brat princess of a plant needs lots of light and water. At least in my experience with my beautiful turd tri color Calathea. I have her at the top of my plant stand close to my grow lights. When her leaves go STRAIGHT up I water her. She will not stop sprouting leaves. I looked at her last night and noticed a new leaf and just screamed "ANOTHER ONE?!" She might be petty at this point. Idk. She is gorgeous though and worth the stabbing pain in my heart and anxiety she causes.
- Leaves curling = needs humidity and/or doesn't like the temperature (any cold drafts or heaters nearby?) Get a humidifier if possible. - Brown tips = you let her dry out too much before watering and/or your water is too hard. Try rainwater/distilled. -Your pot is not appropriate for this plant. Terracotta+ Calethea is not a good mix, I would swap to a nursery pot that you can place inside a decorative planter. It makes reporting and transporting the plant sooo much easier. - cut all the completely dead and/or yellowing leaves off so the plant can focus energy on the right stuff. - Use a light meter app (like Lux) to see how much light your plant is getting. If it's getting low light and you don't have any other places/windows, you can get a grow bulb and put it in a lamp nearby. Hope this helps! I have a Calthea collection and they take a bit to make happy, but they are thriving under the current conditions I have them in which is a lot of what I mentioned to ya. ā¤ļø I have this exact plant which is a Calethea "Medallion", my leaves are currently over 8" long (22cm) by 6" wide.
Specifically, brown tips from water quality is usually caused by accumulated phytotoxic compounds, namely fluoride and chlorine/chloramine in drinking water. The same happens to plants like Dracaena and Spathiphyllum. Chlorine can be degassed from water, but other than that you would need a reverse osmosis system to remove fluoride, which is considered one of the more damaging compounds. I just buy a few gallons of purified water for my Goeppertias, I use the old bottles for making fertilizer mixes.
Right. You can actually use aquarium water strips to test levels most of the above mentioned compounds. You can also use fish tank conditioner (dechlorinator) to treat water. I actually use my aquarium water from water changes and rain water as my sources that my Caletheas seem to love.
Oops forgot to say you can also find water testing results from your local provider for quality and composition as well.
Same answer for both questions: itās a calathea. š
Mine is thriving in a very sunny bathroom. And like other have said, only filter water.
It's just a calathea doing what they do best. At this point I'm pretty convinced that calatheas are sentient and decide whether or not they like you the moment you pick them out, and if they don't like you they just die for funsies
As others said, Calathea, famous for being difficult. Terracota pot is probably a mistake, though I have mine in terracotta too and it's doing very well. I water it literally every day though so it never comes even close to drying out.
I've got mine in terracotta as well and it's popping out new leaves with wild abandon, so all these folks saying terracotta is bad for them had me confused lol. But I like to show love by watering (bottom watering with distilled basically every other day) so most of my plants are in that so I don't kill them. I've only had it four months though, so I'm not sure I should trust it yet š¤£
I water mine so much that it now has a liverwort (a weird kind of moss, basically) friend sharing its pot š„¹ https://preview.redd.it/0kcp4iwa18vb1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f0d02f05e851a9a57db5b29bcf4e4f1dacd8023
I have this exact plant and itās looks as shitty as yours, so your guess is as good as mine.
For some reason I can keep these moody beyotches alive. I don't do much to them other than no direct sunlight, moist soil. I used to use tap water and one day decided to use filtered water and they all thrived even more. That being said I'm sure they will all die tomorrow because I typed this out. They are dramatic af.
Probably spider mites and not enough humidity / moisture.
It's a calathea, and I am sorry to say but the only thing you did wrong was buying it and thinking she would not be a bitch
Her names bitch and there is no telling..š¤£
Looks like the soil is dry
I took two cuttings from mine and they are thriving in a soup pot with just water. The original looks like OPs š
Calatheas... I swear just existing around them pisses them off š¤·š»āāļø *Edit* I've only ever had good luck bottom watering these.
The plant is Calathea roseopicta. What did you do wrong? Probably looked at her the wrong way. It may be the type of water youāre using. Avoid tap water. But honestly, she probably just didnāt like the way you looked at her.
That there's a Crispy Bitch plant. She's just doin what they do.
Mine like the bathroom. It gets moisture and filtered morning sun in the window.
Calathea. And probably nothing and somehow everything. Evil little bastards. Welcome to the club
Calathea. Itās not you. Theyāre very moody.
Itās a calathea and theyāre notoriously over dramatic. Iāve had 3 before the one I have now. The current one is the first one that Iāve gotten to a happy-ish place, and it still hates me
I couldnāt save mine. I was heart broken
That plantās scientific name is Assholia-calathea. But try a humidity tray.
I have a calathea triostar that was bought for me when I left working at a garden centre a few years ago. Leaves all curled and died off until I was left with one leaf within weeks of having it. I hate giving up on plants so I watered said one leaf, and gave a good spot in the house even tho it looked shit. After a month or so it slowly started putting out new leaves and hasnāt stopped since. Totally worth the good spot in the house now. P.S Iāve never told the triostar how good it looks.
Itās a calathea and itās dying because itās a calathea
This is the only plant Iāve had to send to the graveyard due to being a stuck up bitch. Needs distilled water, let soil dry slightly, humidity and indirect light.
Self watering pot. Not terracotta for sure. Mine loves the bathroom
The worst plant ever. If you keep it live long enough it will eventually get infested with spider mites. Then you will spend all your time trying to get rid of the mites, inadvertently making super bugs that then take over the rest of your plants.
I've had luck with planting my calathea musaica in 100% coco coir, she was a dramatic, always dying pita before, now she still gets the occasional crispy leaf but she does put out plenty of new growth and seems happier
You are not doing anything wrong. My suspicion is they sell those out of completely different circumstances like a greenhouse. In a regular household they can't keep up the leaf size. I bought one three foot high, and now it's less than one foot high and happy.
youāre actually not supposed to look at calatheas
Mine started doing better when I started watering from the bottom. And I only water when she looks limp and sad.
I would use a plastic pot to retain more moisture and water frequently.
Ever since my experience with one of these, I never go near its family.
They are hateful monsters.
1. Prayer plant. 2. You bought it. I avoid this plant and its relatives.
What plant is it? A Calathea. What are you doing wrong? Itās a Calathea.
What you did wrong...? You did wrong by owning a Calathea. š
Itās a calathea, you probably looked at it in the wrong way.
Calathea acting up. Best to cut everything thatās curled up, if you want to keep it.
Make sure it gets lots of sunlight Sit it on a pebble tray with water to increase humidity. I often top up the tray with boiling water to create steam Water it regularly - weekly - but never water it after 5pm and Never with tap water THE KEY! Spray the leaves and stems with rose gun every fortnight. They are extremely prone to fungal infections. This causes the brown spots and curling. Then you canāt go wrong! Iāve rescued a few and this is foolproof to get them thriving https://preview.redd.it/rr5z6jfru7vb1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68998f24514079227c31c3a6b6a3dfac8a66108e
The humidity is extremely important. If you find the pebble tray method too cumbersome, take it into the bathroom when you shower & let it have a steam session
Calathea.....it needs higher humidity but never to sit n water
Iām just gonna comment hereā my calatheas are beautiful like they thrive in my house. The only reason I have any issues is the cat just BITES THE LEAVES. So I have this pretty middle part and then all the surrounding leaves are just nibbled shreds. Does no one else have this problem? And please donāt say move the plant higher, or move it into a room without the cat, or donāt have a cat indoors with indoor plants. She leaves all plants alone EXCEPT the calatheas. It doesnāt bother me but itās like some personal vendetta and not sure how to make it stop. She leaves everything else alone and she isnāt dead, so she hasnāt nibbled on anything unknowingly toxic. She just fkn hates the calatheas I guess. Editing to add that one of my calatheas is so large and full she couldnāt reach the leaves if she tried because sheās too fat (the plant is even in a pot on the ground). Itās our smaller one on the table. If we move it to a counter she finds it. If it goes in a different room she finds it. When we put it outside she finds it. The cat WONT LEAVE IT.
Mine thrive in my daylight basement, I think it is slightly more humid and stays a consistent temperature
Honestly everyone always says to ignore calatheas and donāt make eye contact but Iāve found mine are the exact opposite. Iād check on my medallion every morning,afternoon, and night and call her a pretty girl, she grew huge and happy fast! Spent an unfortunate 3 days in the hospital with my fiancĆ© and came back and she was dead ššš
It wants humidity, but not wet feet. Likes to be moist, but not wet. Itās not crazy hard if you can give it what it needs. If itās indoors in air conditioning, it will need to be misted regularly or on a dish of gravel with water for humidity. Cool plant if you can grow it. Cut off the dead stuff and try this: https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-calathea/#
Mine looks the same always looks like itās dying
THE DEVILS SPORN
Thank you for posting! I cannot keep one of these alive to save my life, but maybe now I can!
haha! dont make eye contactā¦ love it! š
Check the underside of the leaves for spider mites, this is exactly what happened to my calathea. Then throw it in the trash, I tried for over a year to get rid of them and all I got rid of was my sanity.
That is a calathea and what you are doing wrong is owning a calathea.
Calathea Medallion. It looks very similar to mine, which I got at Kroger back in January. There have been a few periods where I have underwatered mine (thanks, depression), and some of the leaves get brown like this. I trim them off and get back on track with the watering and the plant recovers. Calatheas seem to like their soil a bit moist like a slightly damp sponge. I try not to let it get drier than that for too long. Calatheas also like humidity. Iām (mostly) lucky to have a humidity level of at least 50-60% in my house, and Iāve heard it also helps to group plants together to create a humid microclimate so I have all my calatheas together. I currently have them in indirect light about 10 ft from a SE and W window under a grow light, but seeing some comments here about lightning has me reconsidering and I might move them to better light. For a while I had this plant up against a north window and a couple feet from a grow light that was on other plants, and it was doing really really well. Unfortunately the cat we adopted in June is a plant chewer so I had to move the plant elsewhere. I water my calatheas with either distilled water or, when Iāve recently done a water change, the dirty water from my fish tank. They seem to like the latter. I donāt use tap or filtered water on them because theyāre sensitive. Right now mine is struggling with spider mites. It actually had a light case when I bought the plant, I just wanted it so much I bought it anyway and treated it. I used Insecticidal Super Soap and it worked perfectly. I recently had a stressful time and underwatered all my plants, and it kind of seems like spider mites took advantage of the plantsā weakened state because half my calatheas now have spider mites. I just sprayed all of the plants in that area down with the super soap yesterday and cut off dead or heavily-infested leaves (or leaves too bitten by the cat sneaking into the room! Thankfully calatheas are not toxic). The plants are looking much perkier today thank goodness. Iāll keep a closer eye and likely spray again soon to be safe. Zooming in on your pics, I canāt tell if thereās any spider mite webbing, but I do see some tiny white specks that could be dust buildup or could be evidence of the mites. My plant looked pretty much identical to this yesterday before I sprayed and trimmed. I would recommend treating for mites if you can. I saw a YouTube video long ago in which a woman treated a Calathea Medallion for spider mites. This was before I got mine, but I did successfully use her treatment on my banana tree. If I can find it, Iāll post it here. Best of luck with this beautiful plant! Edit: I found the video! [Here it is](https://youtu.be/PJDLK7Tc8q0?si=26lwhFgqly5v4KM2) This is a cheaper but more time consuming way to treat for spider mites. It did work for me last year on another plant! She calls this plant a Calathea ornata, but thatās a pinstripe Calathea. I also have an ornata, makoyana, and rufibarba quite afflicted with spider mites. I did not āleave room for Jesusā between my plants as she suggests, haha! My Calathea musaica, roseopicta, and bigger makoyana and my Stromanthe triostar donāt seem to have mites despite cuddling close; I treated them anyway. (Can you tell Calatheas are my favorites? Lol)
Well, not knowing what it is is your first mistake!
burn her, she doesnāt deserve to be a houseplant, she causes too much stress for people who love plants. she has no mercy and will suicide right in front of you for her own pleasure. trust me, had her before and no matter how hard i tried, she said fuck you and diedš
First problem....owning a calathea hah
I have this plant and I hate it
I had one and she was sooooo dramatic! My Calathea was the hardest plant Iāve ever had.
Use RO water and add some humidity
Yup looks like a caletha. Beautiful plants. They like to be misted daily and like humidity. They need a lot of attention.
I love that plant but itās hard
They are a pain in the ass to keep
What others have said. Also I wouldnāt use a terracotta pot for her personally.
Calathea's are dramatic š
Calathea. They hate everything
Calatheas need bright indirect light and humidity! That terracotta pot you have her in might be drying her out too quickly. Also use distilled water only.
Prayer plant= dramatic water whore š¤£
Mine was gorgeous since I bought her 5+ months ago ā¦until 2 weeks ago. I think itās an October thing, all my plants go haywire and I donāt always know what to do or how to adjust!
Hey, I just saw this. I have the same plant and the same problem.
Water it and it should fix itself right up. The crisp will never recover but the other leaves will be fine.
it needs more water, its so cRisPy "i require MoiSTURe human"
All my calatheas have just randomly died whereas I've never lost another plant. They're just assholes.
If you grow it in a terrarium, it will never disappoint. In the house? Nope.
Based on this page, Iāll never get this plant it seems finicky
I have a (different type of) calathea that I've been nursing along ...keeping it alive ...though it sure isn't thriving. That is, until I got a kitten. One who's decided that THIS is the plant he wants to dance all over when he gets the zooms. It's still hanging in there but with half the stalks bent and then straightened back up and made to lean against its monstera friend ...woof. Now it looks like shit. It's been served a series of heavy beat-downs. If it were a horse I'd feed it sugar lumps, take it for one last ride and tenderly blow its brains out.
Calathea's are know to be drama queens. My neighbours has one that's absolutely gorgeous and mine was fine for a few month and then just died. They like it a bit more shady, so don't put them in straight sunlit but a bit more away from the windows.
Mine lives in a little greenhouse inside my house. I use cheapish grow lights I got off Amazon. It has a self watering globe that my ADHD allows to be empty for a day or six before I refill it. I just had one leaf die off, but another one started growing right away. There is no right answer. ETA: I also use tap water.
I have this same kind of calathea. It's beautiful but I don't get it at all. Thrives randomly, dies randomly.
And ceramic can also cause damage to plants if used wrong as well. Like root rot and mold. But the best way to combat that is to make sure you have the right type of soil mix for your plant and pot choice. Making sure your soil is chunky and less moisture retentive is a great way to combat root problems with plants that need that specific treatment. These plants need a high moisture content with great drainage and slightly chunky but still pretty moisture retentive soil. They're great plants when in a pot that fits it's root ball with a well draining ceramic pot and bright, indirect light and moisture retentive soil. Keep the soil moist but not sopping wet. So water just about once every 7 to 10 days in the winter. Maybe more if your soil dries out more than an inch deep in the soil each week. The molds that build up can also be inviting for pests so I recommend to treat with systemic granules to combat possible pests. Maybe spray the plant with Neem oil weekly as well to keep spider mites away while it recovers. These treatments also help with mold if I'm not mistaken. I don't feel like double checking the label. I haven't read it in a while.
im never getting a calathea after reading those comments. I can stand many things, im ok with rainwater, and some humidity, BUT SPIDER MITES? Hell nahh