Calathea Types – If you are a nature lover or a home decor enthusiast, then you might be knowing Calathea plants. But even if you are not, Calathea plants are beautiful plants known for their bold patterned foliage. They are also famous for the purple color back of their leaves. Also, the leaves slightly curl up at night showing their beauty.
Calathea Plant is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the Family Marantaceae. Currently, it contains nearly 60 species. They are popularly known as Prayer Plants. Read this article to know more about Calathea plants and also how to care for different Calathea varieties.
25 Best Calathea Types to lit up your space with Calathea Plants
Calathea plants are the best plants for decor purposes available in various attractive styles. The best part is that it needs less care and also it is beginner-friendly.
1. Calathea Makoyana
Makoyana is also known as the Calathea peacock plant. The name is so because of the texture on the leaves of this Calathea type. It is a native of eastern Brazil. Also, this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
The peacock plant is light green in color with thick foliage, and dark green leaves similar to peacocks. It is famous for its beautiful contrasting green color. The leaves are also sometimes growing in Purplish-red colors. The Peacock plant is a must-have for home decor with greenery.
2. Calathea Lancifolia
Famously known as the rattlesnake plant, Lancifolia is an evergreen perennial plant in Calathea types. The rattlesnake plant is native to Rio de Janeiro state in Brazil. The rattlesnake name is because of the striking pattern of its leaves.
Lancifolia (rattlesnake plant) leaves are long in length and short in width. These Calathea varieties are beautiful plants to keep at the home, office or any other indoor place. Also, the light green leaves have dark green blotches on the visible side and attractive purple color on the backside.
3. Calathea Orbifolia
Orbifolia is the best plant for indoors. It is native to Bolivia and comes in species of Prayer Plant. The Calathea Orbifolia leaves are kind of round in shape. Also, they are famous for their ornamental leaves.
4. Calathea Ornata
Calathea Ornata is one of the famous Calathea varieties and is a species of perennial plant in the family of prayer-plants. It is also known as Pin-stripe Calathea because of the striking look of the lines on its dark green leaves. This Calathea Prayer Plant is native to South America.
5. Calathea Rufibarba
Rufibarba is a native to the Bahia state of northeastern Brazil. This plant in Calathea types has got fur-like or velvet texture on its leaves. Its texture is very unlikely than the other plants of its genus. The light green leaves are also long and less wide in their structure.
6. Calathea Zebrina
As the name suggests, it is based on its appearance as Zebra stripes. This plant is native to southeastern Brazil. It has also gained the Royal Horticulture Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Zebrina is one of the most popular plants in the Calathea plant family. Also, it has fairly large oval-shaped leaves.
7. Calathea Musaica
Calathea Musaica is popularly known as Calathea network or Network Prayer Plant. The plant is very beautiful and attention-grabbing because of the intricate pattern on the foliage. It needs less care compared to its cousins in the family. Also, it is native to Brazil.
8. Calathea Warscewiczii
Warscewiczii is the evergreen, perennial plant native to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. It has large dark green leaves of width up to 1 meter.
The plant is famous for its beauty and is also known as Calathea Jungle Velvet. Also, the visible part of the leaves has a deep green color with deep maroon color undersides. Although it is more similar in looks to Calathea Roseopicta dottiee types, it has a more velvety texture to its leaves.
9. Calathea Roseopicta
There are two species in Calathea Roseopicta. One is Calathea Roseopicta Dottie, and the other is Calathea Roseopicta Rosey. This plant is native to northwest Brazil. Also, it has an appearance similar to Calathea Makoyana. It is also known as Rose painted plant.
Calathiea Roseopicta plant is available in both green and dark pink colors. Both Calathea varieties are a treat to the eyes. These are very beautiful plants for indoors.
10. Calathea Crocata
Because of its exotic yellow flowers, Calathea Crocata is commonly known as Eternal Flame. This is a very luxurious plant for your indoors. The reason is that it is not easily available due to environmental pollution.
This plant is native to Brazil and tropical America. This is one of the most beautiful plants to have in Calathea Types.
11. Calathea Bicajoux ‘Cobra Pink’
Cobra Pink is a Calathea bicajoux plants variety. It is very famous and has eye-catching foliage.
It bears pink color flowers that last for 12 weeks or more. Cobra pink has a white-feathered pattern on the outer edges of the leaves. Also, the underside of the leaves has beautiful deep Burgandy Color.
12. Calathea Bicajoux ‘Anaconda Green’
Bicajoux Anaconda plant is also known as Calathea Anaconda Green. This plant has very beautiful foliage. Also, the leaves have a small white cast along the stem and a white-feathered pattern on the outer edges.
The Anaconda Green is a deep green color plant, and its white flower compliments the dark green leaves. Because of this, Anaconda is among one of the beautiful Calathea Types.
13. Calathea Loeseneri
Loeseneri is the Brazilian Star Calathea. This plant is native to Peru, northern Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador.
Also, it is a very beautiful ornamental plant. It has beautiful long light green leaves with white color flowers.
14. Calathea Variegata
Variegata is a native to Trinidad and much of South America. It has very large and long leaves with striking dark green color on the inner foliage. Also, the backside is a beautiful purple color similar to its other family members.
15. Calathea Undulata
Undulata belongs to one of the smaller species. It is native to southern Colombia, Peru, and northern Brazil.
The leaves of Undulata are attractive because of the pale green color in the stem area. The other portion of the leaf is dark green in color.
16. Calathea Lutea
Calathea lutea is an amazing plant with a long and thin stem. The leaves are long and wide. Also, it has small white color flowers that contrast with semi-light green leaves.
These Calathea Types are the absolute beauty to have. The other names of this calathea plant are Havana Cigar, Pampano, Cigar Calathea, and Maranta lutea.
17. Calathea Fasciata
Calathea Fasciata is native to northeast Brazil. If you are a beginner, you are bound to get deceived between Fasciata and Orbifolia.
Orbifolia and Fasciata have quite similar looks. The only difference is the color. The Fasciata leaves are darker in color compared to Orbifolia. Also, the strikes on leaves are sharper.
18. Calathea Picturata
Picturata is also native to native to Brazil. This is very different in appearance from its cousins in the Marantaceae family.
The leaves of this plant are big and pale while its perimeter has dark green color. This makes the plant looks unique and attractive.
19. Calathea ‘Silver Plate’
Silver Plate is a gorgeous plant for indoor decor. The name is because of its silver-like appearance.
Its leaves are strikingly pale and big.
20. Calathea Fucata
Goeppertia Fucata has dark green striped leaves. Also, the underside is purple in color.
It is a beautiful plant with big leaves. Like most of its family members, this plant is native to Columbia and North Peru.
21. Calathea ‘Pink Aurora’
Like the name suggests these Calathea Types have scattered pink color on their leaves. The leaves are very pale and there are flashes of pink color on them.
Therefore, the name Pink Aurora is given.
22. Calathea ‘Helen Kennedy’
The appearance of this Calathea plant is quite similar to Makoyana. Also, the light green leaves are big and beautiful.
23. Calathea Elliptica
The Elliptica is native to Colombia, northern South America, and Northeastern Brazil. Also, it bears a beautiful flower white and pink in color. This makes this plant more eye-catching.
24. Calathea Burle-marxii ‘Ice Blue’
Calathea Burle-Marxii is a long, tall, and beautiful plant to have. Also, it is native to Brazil.
The leaves of the plants are slightly curled at the stem end. This makes them look like a cone. It also bears a unique white plant which adds to the beauty of this plant.
25. Calathea Majestica
This Majestica plant is also native to western South America and Northern Brazil. Also, this plant is known as White Star Plant.
The leaves of Majestica are Majestic similar to its name. Also, they bear white lines on those big leaves. This makes the plant different from its Cousins in the family.
Some Tips and Smart Guide for healthy growth of Calathea Plant
All the Calathea varieties are almost similar in their caring needs. With some regular care and following some tips, your Calathea Types will survive in all seasons and for many years.
1. Use Distilled Water
Feed your Calathea Plant with distilled water, rainwater, or bottled water for the best growth. Even if you are using tap water, allow it to sit overnight before using it. This will prevent spotting on your Calathea leaves.
2. Maintain Humidity
Calathea requires a humid environment, especially in winters. As calathea are tropical plants, they require a warm place. Look for the best place in your locale, and let your Calathea thrive there.
3. No window nearby
Calathea varieties require a lot of bright indirect light but not direct sunlight. Keep them away from where sunlight comes. Also, Calathea requires a shady area for its proper growth. So, keep that in mind while choosing the right place for your Calathea.
4. Do not overwater
Calathea varieties do not require much water. Check the layer of the soil. If it’s moist, there is no need to water. But, if it’s dry add only a little water as per requirement. Overwatering your Calathea plant will rot its roots, and Calathea will die soon. Underwatering is also not advisable. Calathea is also drought resistant.
5. Use a Drip tray and a good pot
As Calathea does not require much water, having a good pot with more dripping holes will allow the excess water to get away.
6. Report your Calathea after 2-3 years
In most cases of Calathea Types, repotting is not required much. But, if you feel like repotting it, take a slightly bigger pot if its roots are overgrown, or just changing the pot will suffice after two years.
7. Change the soil at regular interval
Most of the Calathea plants are sensitive to salt in fertilizers. Those salts burn the leaves of your Calathea. Change the soil if salt persists to avoid buildup. Also, do not over-fertilize your Calathea plants.
We hope this article helped you gain a lot of knowledge on different Calathea varieties. Also, we hope that the caring guide will be useful.
If you need to share some tips about caring for the Calathea plants, do share them via comments. Or, just comment on which is your favorite Calathea Plant. For more topics from the Science & Nature category, click here.
