Calathea orbifolia care
Goeppertia orbifolia
Also called Round-leaf calathea and Prayer plant. Family Marantaceae.
In short
Calathea orbifolia (Goeppertia orbifolia) is a demanding plant from the humid forests of Bolivia, grown for its large, round, silver-striped leaves. It wants medium indirect light, never direct sun, and soil kept evenly moist, usually watering every 5 to 7 days with filtered or rain water. Keep it at 18 to 26°C (64 to 79°F) with high humidity and away from draughts. It is safe around cats and dogs.
Updated
Calathea orbifolia at a glance
- Light
- Medium indirect
- Water
- Every 5 to 7 days
- Temperature
- 18 to 26°C64 to 79°F
- Humidity
- High and non-negotiable
- Difficulty
- Demanding
- Pets
- Safe for cats and dogs
How often should you water a calathea orbifolia?
Usually every 5 to 7 days, keeping the soil evenly moist and never fully dry, with filtered or rain water at room temperature.
Warm room, medium light, ordinary pot: usually every 5 to 7 days, keeping the soil evenly moist and never letting it dry out fully. Water quality matters as much as frequency: hard or chlorinated tap water produces brown crisping along the edges. Filtered or rain water, at room temperature.
How much light does a calathea orbifolia need?
Medium indirect light, and never direct sun, which fades and scorches the silver banding.
Medium indirect light, never direct sun. It fades and scorches the silver banding quickly.
How to feed a calathea orbifolia
Weak, half-strength feed every 4 to 6 weeks in spring and summer.
Weak, half-strength feed every 4 to 6 weeks in spring and summer. It is easily burned.
When to repot a calathea orbifolia
Every 1 to 2 years in spring, into a peat-free mix that holds moisture.
Every 1 to 2 years in spring into a peat-free mix that holds moisture. Divide then if the clump has outgrown the pot.
How to prune a calathea orbifolia
Remove browned leaves at the base as they appear.
Remove browned leaves at the base as they appear. Some loss of older leaves is normal even on a healthy plant.
What temperature and humidity does a calathea orbifolia like?
18 to 26°C (64 to 79°F) with high humidity, away from draughts and sudden change.
18 to 26°C (64 to 79°F). Dislikes draughts and sudden change. Humidity: High and non-negotiable. This is the plant most often killed by an ordinary centrally heated room in winter.
Is a calathea orbifolia toxic to cats and dogs?
No, it is non-toxic and safe around cats and dogs.
Safe around cats and dogs.
How big does a calathea orbifolia get?
60 to 90cm (24 to 35 inches), as a clump of large round leaves on upright stalks.
Clumping, with large round silver-striped leaves on upright stalks reaching 60 to 90cm (24 to 35 inches). Slow, and it puts everything into a few large leaves rather than many small ones, so losing one is conspicuous.
Where does the calathea orbifolia come from?
The humid forests of Bolivia, in warm, wet, deeply shaded understorey.
Warm, wet, deeply shaded understorey. Like its Maranta relatives it moves its leaves through the day, and it has no tolerance at all for dry air.
What's wrong with my calathea orbifolia?
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Brown crisping along the leaf edges | Hard or chlorinated tap water, or dry air | Switch to filtered or rain water at room temperature, and raise the humidity. |
| Leaves browning and dying back in winter | Dry air in a centrally heated room | Raise the humidity around it, for example with a humidifier, and keep it away from radiators and draughts. |
| Faded or scorched silver banding | Direct sun | Move it to medium indirect light, never direct sun. |
| An older leaf browning now and then | Normal loss of older leaves | Remove it at the base. Some loss is normal even on a healthy plant. |
Questions about the calathea orbifolia
Is calathea orbifolia hard to care for?
Yes, it is demanding. High humidity is non-negotiable, it dislikes draughts and sudden change, and it needs evenly moist soil and soft water. An ordinary centrally heated room in winter is the most common way to lose one.
Why do calathea leaves move during the day?
Like its Maranta relatives, it moves its leaves through the day. It is normal and not a sign of trouble.
Can I use tap water on a calathea orbifolia?
Hard or chlorinated tap water produces brown crisping along the leaf edges. Use filtered or rain water, at room temperature.
Can I divide a calathea orbifolia?
Yes, when you repot in spring, if the clump has outgrown its pot.
Christi Miltz, CC0
Jacqui Geux, CC BY 4.0
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