Among indoor plants such as the peace lily or African violet, the Calatheas they are very popular. The genus includes more than 100 varieties native to jungle areas of America, Australia and Africa. The Calathea Roseopicta It is one of the most requested, due to the characteristics and color of its leaves; they are rounded, purple with pink marches.
Being tropical and indoor plants, they require some special care to maintain their health and beauty.
As a curiosity, this plant blooms during the summer, but only when it is in a greenhouse, it will never do it inside a room. Its flowers lack aesthetic value.
Calathea Roseopicta plant care
Being a rainforest plant, it appreciates moderate light exposure, it should never receive direct sunlight.
As for irrigation, it must be abundant when the plant is growing and reduce them towards the winter times, allowing the soil to dry out completely between one watering and another. The water should not be frozen and the soil should not be wetted to a puddle, just moisten the soil sufficiently.
Due to its characteristics, it is a good idea maintain ambient humidity This is achieved by lightly spraying its leaves with water once a day.
It is also necessary to place a plate under the pot and place gravel so that the excess water is deposited there and it gradually evaporates, maintaining the humidity of the leaves.
This aspect is important because in cases where the environmental humidity drops, the plant can be affected by pests such as spider mites, aphids and moths that will deteriorate its leaves.
To this plant too low temperatures do not suit you. In general, it should not be exposed to temperatures below 16 degrees Celsius and not receive constant drafts.
As for pruning, this is not really necessary at any time of the year. But it is up to you to remove the wilting flowers and leaves to maintain the visual charm of the plant.
How to multiply the plant?
Calathea Roseopicta multiplies by division during the spring season.
The soil must be fertilized with mineral fertilizer on a monthly basis during the spring and summer months, but using half the dose that would be used regularly for any other type of plant.
This plant is mainly planted in pots for interior decoration. However, it is also possible to plant it directly on the ground in gardens isolated from direct sunlight, with high ambient humidity and that reproduce the conditions of the place of origin of Calathea Roseopicta.
Inside greenhouses, the species grows normally and even flourishes, something that it does not usually do inside a property.
As a peculiarity, the plant folds its leaves at sunset and at the beginning of the new day its leaves return to their natural state, fully extended.