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katheryniridaceae

Calathea hybrid?

KatherynIridaceae
10 years ago

This is my Calathea. I'm wanting to know if anyone knows what variety it is? It has flowered, they were white with purple tips. It's a teeny bit bigger now. i'd say almost to feet tall but still just as wide. not much growth for one year. If that info helps identify it. The undersides are a DEEP wine purple, this picture doesn't do them justice. And it folds itself up at night almost completely. and then spreads out by eight AM. lot's of movement. I LOVE it.

Comments (8)

  • plantomaniac08
    10 years ago

    I believe that is Calathea roseopicta.

    Planto

  • KatherynIridaceae
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I've heard that before The only C. roseopictas i had ever seen had a much lighter underside almost baby pink and maybe the pattern on top was slightly different? Not sure... could attribute it to the light and nutrients my plant has received versus the plants I've seen that have been called C. roseopicta... Maybe the other ones I've seen were under fertilized and thus kinda pale.

    It seems to be the most likely option. Wikipedia claims that calathea identification is moot and wasted time, maybe I'll believe it lol

  • plantomaniac08
    10 years ago

    KatherynIridaceae,
    Well, I just searched Google by typing in "Calathea roseopicta" and it brings up several looking leaves (some of which look nothing alike). Most of them look like your plant imo, but Calathea identification isn't something I'd put on my resume. :P If it's roseopicta or not, you seem to be taking good care of it. If I remember reading correctly, roseopicta specifically is more fickle than some other Calatheas so you're doing something right if that is indeed roseopicta!

    Planto

  • KatherynIridaceae
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I treat it like the rest of my plants. But this one gets to sit in the bathroom a few days a month and it gets more Epsom salt than fertilizer. That's it. I've never had any problem with it, though I keep hearing that it's a pain in the butt to keep alive

  • plantomaniac08
    10 years ago

    I had one... for like two days and it fell over and died on me. That was the fastest dying plant I've ever owned. I have no idea what I did wrong. In fact, all I did was bring it home and repotted it. Maybe repotting it was a bad idea.

    Planto

  • birdsnblooms
    10 years ago

    Kath. Your Calathea is Roseo Picta, but I guess you want the variety name.

    Google Exotic Angel. Once the page opens type in Calathea in the search box or scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the letter C.

    AE has several Calatheas varieties.

    Examples are Angela, Cora, Cynthia, etc.

    Also, colors can vary depending on light. Leaves darken or redden in higher light..'never place Cal in full sun.'

    Toni

  • petrushka (7b)
    10 years ago

    there was a thread last mo - asking whether they should repot. I loved the plant so I searched and on one site they said - 'they don't need to be repotted'. that's a bit unusual, but 'repotting not often' proly is more like it.
    on Spanish latam sites (which is where it is from) it is listed as Calathea picturata, pop name maranta prateada.
    I think it's vandehekei, not roseopicta: in other words I can see no pink on the top.

  • KatherynIridaceae
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Planto, if it died that quickly there was likely something wrong with it in the first place, no? Or it could have been salvageable ill but the shock got it. If you can tend to it's humidity needs and lower filtered light requirements I'd really recommend getting one. It's the most rewarding houseplant I have. As long as you leave it in the same spot in your house it will eventually learn when sunset and sunrise is and will flex its leaves up and down depending on the time of day. It's more like a pet than a houseplant.

    Hope, I bought it from Pikes Nursery and AE does supply them so yours is probably the best bit of advice. I will try that!

    Pet, I agree with the no pink assessment, as for the re-potting question the pot I had mine in for somewhat less that a year I know was too small for it, when I took it out the roots had wrapped them selves around a few times and looked somewhat less than healthy, so I just gave it a new, bigger home. It's only been three days but I can see it establishing itself and stretching out comfortably. I would be careful about what TIME you re-pot it, I withheld some water and all fertilizer over the winter like you're supposed to and then gave it a good soak and a new pot, I think that might be the best way to stir it back up. Like I said to planto, it's one of the most interactive houseplants I've had, it should be easy to see what it's needs are.