If you accidentally let your Calathea’s soil dry out completely, you may see leaves go limp, droop, and possibly start to brown and curl. Calathea plants thrive in high humidity and they make use of their large leaves to absorb humidity. If they get too hot, their leaves will start to curl. Drooping/curly leaves If your plant looks somewhat sad (dropped, as you wish), it’s usually a sign that you are watering it too much. If the air is too dry, the leaves will curl up, turn yellow and brown around the edges, and they may even become brittle and rough if the air is extremely dry. Place in bright light, but protected from direct sunlight. Humidity is essential for a healthy … The worst thing for a calathea—and most houseplants—is to let them sit in waterlogged soil. However, yellowing leaves can also be a sign of under-watering, pest infestation, or standing in a cold draft. Although calatheas are perennial tropical evergreen plants, they thrive indoors with minimal care. You need to check the moisture level in the soil. If exposed to direct light, its leaves will not only curl, but they can get scorched easily. During the day, the leaves extend outward. Resume regular plant feeding after a few weeks. Provide deep watering to get moisture to the roots. A few months ago I noticed the edges starting to brown and crisp. I thought they would pray (close) at night since that's how they are supposed to be. The minimum temperature for calatheas is around 55°F (12°C). Dry air and cool air can also cause problems for Calathea leaves. Calathea medallion plants aren’t poisonous and won’t harm humans, dogs, cats, or other household pets. Even within this range, you may notice a slight curling if temperatures are towards either end of the spectrum. Your calathea is signalling that something is off in its environment, and you need to figure out what to put your calathea plant at ease again. An essential care tip to remember when growing calathea medallion at home is to flush the soil occasionally. Fill the new container one-third full with fresh potting soil. Calathea medallions rarely need repotting and should only be repotted a maximum of once a year. Also, low light can cause your calathea to look poorly. In the evening, the leaves of calathea plants fold upright at the base of the stem, as if the plant is folding its leaves upward to pray. Always check that the soil is partly dry before watering. Prayer plants perform nicely in terrariums as well as pots. Take care of your Calathea Medallion and it will take care of you! If misting won’t solve the problem of curling leaves, you may need to look for a more permanent solution like a humidifier. Not watering enough or poor humidity can cause leaves to roll up into a tub-like shape. Watering too frequently before the soil has partly dried leads to root rot, fungus gnats, and a host of other issues. Only a few plants will do well under direct sun exposure, and calathea plants are definitely not one of those plants. If this happens, adjust the temperature to see how the plant reacts. However, the plant never produces flowers indoors. If you notice signs of houseplant pests such as aphids, thrips, mealybugs, or spider mites – read our article on how to get rid of bugs on houseplants. Calathea zebra plants are natives of Brazil and their bright green leaves can be boldly striped in white, yellow, or pink in a striking feather-like pattern that is sure to catch the eye. How to Remove Dead Dry Leaves on a Calathea Makoyana. Use scissors, a sharp knife, or pruning shears and sterilize them before using. So, err on the side of caution and avoid over-watering your tropical houseplants. NOT humidity. Give your plant a thorough watering and mist the leaves with distilled water or filtered tap water to revive a wilting plant. In this section, we look at how to resolve common problems plant owners face when growing medallion plants. You may need to repot a calathea to freshen up the potting mix and get rid of wet, soggy soil. The leaves still look healthy so you might have a shot. As for direct sun exposure, I would recommend generally avoiding it for most of your houseplants. After 12-24 hours, watch the leaves unfurl. Indirect sun is fine for these plants and they’ll even benefit from it but avoid any amount of direct light. Its oval-shaped leaves are indeed very sensitive to light, which causes it to arrange itself in different arrangements, especially if you keep it near a window. You should also avoid letting the plant stand in water. There are few other things to consider to help improve soil quality. The plant thrives in medium light, away from direct sunlight, high humidity at 50%, and average room temperatures of between 65°F and 80°F (18°C – 27°). However, adequate humidity levels will prevent medallion plant leaves from curling or drooping. So, this means keeping plants away from hot sunlight, radiators, or air conditioning flow to avoid stressing the stunning houseplants. This means that calatheas are related to prayer plants (Marantas). The reason why calatheas are common houseplants is due to their enormous, showy, decorative leaves. Leave water out overnight so that harmful chemicals evaporate. But what could be the cause of calathea leaves curling? Calathea drooping. It has to do with the amount of light these plants have evolved to tolerate. The ideal potting soil for calathea plants should be a mixture of peat moss, perlite, and potting soil. Not just the top inches, but the base of the pot. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The plants share a trait of raising their leaves at night as though in prayer. Cover the new plant with plastic, keep it warm, and mist daily until new growth appears. If there are pests or bugs on your plant, use natural ways to kill bugs on houseplants such as neem oil spray to kill off indoor plant pests. By developing a good eye for assessing the state of the potting medium, you’ll easily prevent extremes in your watering routine. Getting humidity levels right can be a challenge in winter due to heating. • Type: Evergreen perennial plant. Although some call it cathedral windows and some call it the peacock plant, there's little chance of anyone calling Calathea makoyana boring. Plants growing in pots tend to suffer from a buildup of mineral salts. Except for root rot caused by overwatering, most of these issues can be easily remedied by making the necessary adjustments. Why is direct sun exposure causing curling leaves on your calathea? Drooping leaves on plants of this nature are often a symptom of overwatering. Calatheas prefer damp soil. But new leaves still came. Damp soil can attract fungus gnats, and the large leaves attract thrips, aphids, and other pests. To get rid of these pests, only water the plant when the top part of the soil has dried. Give it a few days to see if the leaves unfurl. Underwatering. One reason for calathea leaves turning brow is a thrip infestation. Calathea medallion plants can be sensitive to temperature changes. If you accidentally let your Calathea’s soil dry out completely, you may see leaves go limp, droop, and possibly start to brown and curl. If you notice signs of white mold on plant soil, scrape it off. Pale and/or wilting or droopy leaves - overwatering. As a response, calathea plant leaves curl in an attempt to reduce the surface area exposed to the sun. Wilting or drooping leaves is typically a result of the plant being thirsty. Those dreaded Calathea crispy leaves and edges, more times than not, are due to inconsistent watering and/or improper watering! JennyJ Doncaster Posts: 2,711 If in a south-facing location, make sure that the calathea only gets dappled or filtered sunlight between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Keep humidity levels high when growing calathea plants indoors. Curling, spotted leaves and lower yellow leaves are a result of under watering. Most tropical indoor plants go dormant during this period and don’t require any feeding. So make sure to keep the plant in a warm area with some humidity, and water it regularly. Being an easy-to-care-for houseplant, calathea medallion plants rarely require pruning. Even if you feed your plant correctly, excess fertilizer can still build up. I thought maybe too much sunlight. It can still be waterlogged at the roots andnstill feel dry on top. You can also group houseplants so that there is enough moisture in the air. Cactus Care Guide: Watering, Sunlight, Soil and More, Dracaena Marginata Plant Care: How to Grow Madagascar Dragon Tree, Mother of Thousands (or Millions) Plant Care - How to Grow Kalanchoe, 13 Philodendron Types with Pictures and Care Guide, Calathea Medallion: Care, Plant Profile and Growing Tips, Beautiful Types of Calathea Plants (With Care Guide), Unique, Cool, and Unusual Houseplants You Need to Grow, Proper watering to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. During winter, you will need to reduce the frequency of watering, but continue to check the soil and let it guide you — along with the health status of the leaves — in correctly watering your calathea. after misting if the air is dry, or watering if the soil is too dry), but sometimes it will take a couple of days to see changes in the state of your calathea, so you’ll need to be patient. Look for tiny black insects that craw on the underside of leaves or stems. I suspect that the leaf yellowing and drooping are due to underwatering - waiting a bit too long before watering. If the soil is extremely dry all the way through the pot, a thorough soak is in order. Read our complete Calathea Medallion care guide to learn more about … When misting, make sure the water is clean to avoid any bacterial or fungal overgrowth. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. The Flowering Calathea will reach a smaller size of 30cm / 12in ... Leaves curling and spotted, with lower yellow leaves ... Limp, rotting stems or drooping leaves . Here’s how to soak-water your Calathea: Place your plant in your sink or tub without the saucer. Gently remove the plant from the container. The Calathea orbifolia is a species of tropical plant that is commonly grown indoors. Calathea will manage to get through a few days of underwatering, but if you leave it thirsty for longer it will start to show it. As tropicals, caring for zebra plants in the home is not as difficult as some gardeners may think. If you’ve accidentally placed your calathea plant in a location with direct sunlight, getting it out from the sun in a shady location will help unfurl the leaves in a matter of a few days. A few months ago I noticed the edges starting to brown and crisp. Hi, my calathea ornata is going through a bit of a bad spell. Some species are clump-forming species. This combination holds enough moisture but allows for adequate drainage. Give your plant a thorough watering and mist the leaves with distilled water or filtered tap water to revive a wilting plant. Calathea medallion plants are not fussy houseplants when it comes to caring for them. Calathea medallion propagation is done by dividing the roots—called rhizomes—early in the growing season. Brown crispy edges on the large calathea leaves are due to moisture issues. If there is still moisture—hold off watering until the top 1” (2.5 cm) of potting soil is dry. I always water sufficiently, and not too much. Take off any dead leaves down to the base of the stalk if you want to keep it tidy. At the end of the article, you will find out answers to questions related to caring for this tropical indoor plant. Always use water at room temperature to avoid stressing roots. Repot in a new container with the appropriate potting mix. Treat with neem oil to get rid of them. Before watering, press the potting soil to test for moisture. calathea leaves drooping and curling. Choose a container that is 2” (5 cm) wider than the current pot. Here are some care tips to help a calathea medallion thrive: The ideal temperature range for calathea medallion plants is 65°F to 80°F (18° – 27°C). Calathea is an excellent indoor plant, but it requires maintenance. The plant will let you know when it's getting stressed. Here’s a quick overview of the things I’m going to cover as possible causes of distress for your calathea: As you can see, these are causes that you can change and influence, and get your calathea plant back into good shape. About Calathea Medallion. Once the problem is identified and resolved, the leaves will unfurl. I mentioned that you should use ambient temperature water to avoid shocking the plant. Calathea roseopicta ‘medallion’ is a tropical plant in the family Marantaceae. To humidify the air around your plant, mist the leaves, use a room humidifier, or place on a pebble water tray. Low humidity is a common reason why the leaves of calathea curl up, especially because the air in our homes is often too dry for these plants. So, check for signs of pests, stick to a proper watering schedule, and mist regularly to increase humidity. You will have to prune dead, brown leaves to improve the calathea appearance. Find a place that is away from heat sources or cold drafts to prevent exposing your calathea plant to thermal shock. Remedy - Allow the soil to air out, or change the soil entirely to reduce the risk of root rot. Make sure that there is enough humidity in the room as well as adequate airflow. Put in your plant and make sure it’s at the same height as in the previous pot. Like other plants belonging to the Calathea genus, these plants belong to the Marantaceae (Prayer Plant) family.. An interesting aspect of this plant is that a Calathea Medallion’s leaves will move throughout the day. Likewise, you should also know that water that is rich in minerals, salts or hard water can also cause leaf problems including curling. Thermometers are a good way to monitor the air temperature around your calathea and see if there are any adjustments needed to ensure that your calathea is comfortable in its environment. Don’t let plants sit in a saucer or tray of water. • Blooming: Some species produce flowers. Here are some care tips for watering a calathea medallion: Grow calathea medallion plants in a porous potting mix with good drainage. This process is called nyctinasty. Like all stress factors, it can produce yellowing. The beauty of this type of calathea is its large oval green leaves with purple undersides. Water a calathea medallion whenever the top 1” (2.5 cm) of the potting mix has dried. How to care for calathea medallion: grow the calathea in well-draining potting soil and water the plant enough so that the soil is moist. If it gets too cold or too hot, calathea plants will respond by curling their leaves. If you have information about the quality of your tap water — you can ask your water provider for a water report to check the different levels of minerals in your water and other substances — you will be able to tell if hard water may be causing these issues. Cease the watering to see if it can recover, but don’t put it on the radiator to dry it, it won’t help, and it can only lead to root rotting. Only water when the soil has partially dried to prevent fungal issues. Check the roots for signs of disease or decay and trim them as necessary. For example, the leaf edges will turn brown if the soil is completely dry. Repotting this way prevents the calathea from growing larger and gives roots enough room. Shake excess dirt from the roots and run them under a faucet to remove all soil. Therefore, sunny windowsills are simply not a good option for these plants. Use a balanced houseplant fertilizer and dilute it to one-fourth strength. The only time the plant will forgive you for under watering is during the winter months. Curling leaves on your calathea plant are a sign of distress. The temperature range accepted by calathea plants is between 60-85°F (16-29°C). The large oval leaves grow on single stems, and there is little to prune. Thorough watering after the soil has partly dried nourishes roots without making the soil too soggy. Gently remove the mother plant and rhizome from the pot. Avoid over-fertilizing your calathea plants, or they may become leggy, suffer from root burn, or die. Jan 4, 2020 8:32 AM CST. Signs that a calathea is dying are drooping leaves, yellowing or browning leaves, poor growth, or curling leaves. These variegated plants need enough sunlight to keep markings and patterns on their leaves vibrant. • Spread: 2-3 ft. The label “prayer plant” covers several species of foliage houseplants, including Maranta and Calathea. Both extremes can cause the leaves of your calathea to curl, but of the two, underwatering will more often lead to curling leaves. The problems that could be causing calathea leaves to curl are all related to changes or shortcomings in the keeping requirements of your plant. • Common Names: Peacock plant, cathedral, zebra plant, calathea, or prayer plant. To keep your plant growing healthy, flush the soil this way: After flushing the soil, wait until the potting mix partly dries before watering. If you suspect that low humidity is causing your calathea plant’s leaves to curl, you’ll need to increase the humidity around the plant by gently misting its leaves. I’ve created this website to help beginners care for their plants. Put a layer of pebbles along the bottom of the pot to improve drainage and airflow. Repotting a calathea in spring allows you to refresh the potting mix, give roots more room to grow, and resolve any soil fungal problems. Here are the best care tips to ensure high humidity for your calathea medallion: Feed your calathea medallion plant every four weeks during the growing season—from spring until the end of summer. Bright, direct sunlight will scorch the leaves and cause the tips of the leaves to turn brown. This is completely normal since the leaves fold up during the night, then let loose during the day! • Family: Marantaceae. Calathea medallion is a flowering species of tropical plant that blooms in the wild. I mist frequently too. I earn a commission if you make a purchase through my referral links. The three main requirements for the plant to thrive are: Let’s look in more detail at how to care properly for a calathea medallion. 0 comments. Fill the remaining space with a new porous potting mix. Calathea Medallion is a popular houseplant that is easy to care for. A curious fact about the calathea medallion is that you can expect its leaves to shift and move during a normal day. Whatever changes you make, monitor you calathea for a couple of days. Otherwise, it can suffer from leaf burn. If you want to buy a commercially available soil, a good quality African violet mix is ideal. calathea white fusion leaves drooping. If the soil is extremely dry all the way through the pot, a thorough soak is in order. Thoroughly water and put in a bright location. However, the leaves of this plant move up and down following the light, so be sure to feel the soil to ensure you're not mistaking your Calathea's natural movement for needing a drink before giving your plant water. Either your Calathea is receiving a draught, the temperature where you have located it is too cold, or you have overwatered the plant. Calathea orbifolia plants have large, silvery-green leaves with pronounced dark-colored veins.Although this calathea species grows well at home, there are a few care essentials to help the plant thrive. Calathea plants are sensitive to direct sun exposure, overwatering, low humidity, and other environmental factors that I discussed above. Even if you water and it drains, the soil type might be holding water, and your plant is suffocating. The leaves of a Calathea curl when the temperature is too warm. I think your plant is appropriately potbound and your Calathea overall quite healthy. Because there are quite a few things that may be stressing out your plant, I’m going to examine them one-by-one to help you identify the problem more easily. Proper watering is a much bigger factor in ensuring that your Calathea leaves are in great condition. The colorful foliage of the Medallion calathea plant can help to brighten up any room, office, or other indoor location. Also, in hot summers, room air can quickly become dry. You should keep the plant out of direct sunlight. Put back in a location with medium to bright light. When watering a calathea, ensure that water drains out the bottom. • Bloom Description: Some species like Calathea crocata, Cala… A common mistake when it comes to watering houseplants—calatheas included—is to water on a schedule. Either over- or under-watering your plants may cause leaf edges to brown. The best time to repot calatheas such as pinstripe plants, rose-painted calatheas, zebra plants, and medallion plants is just before the growing season. If … Brown spots on calathea medallion leaves could be a sign of a pest infestation or overly dry air. An east- or west-facing part of your yard is ideal. With calatheas such as the zebra plant, rattlesnake plant, and medallion plant, it’s best to under-water rather than over-water. The most common cause, so check the soil. . Also, remember the light requirements when growing a calathea on a balcony, porch, or deck area. The plants don’t like cold drafts, and their leaves may start to wilt or droop. The only way to revive a dying calathea is to eliminate the root cause. This could be a sign of overwatering, although it's more likely a sign of the temperature being too cold or from exposure to draughts. Drooping leaves and limp or rotting stems can result from one of three problems. Droopy Leaves - your plant is getting too much water! Any of these circumstances can shock your calathea plant and cause curling leaves. Still, overwatering is the more dangerous of the two. Popular types of calathea include the pinstripe plant (Calathea ornata), rattlesnake plant (Calathea lancifolia), and zebra plant (Calathea zebrina). The plant can suffer permanent damage and die if left to grow in cold temperatures. Propagating medallion plants by seeds or cuttings is very difficult and often unsuccessful. The only time you need to prune your plant is to remove brown or yellow leaves. • Height: 2-3.5 ft, depends upon the species. PlantIndex.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. After that night, I still gave it a couple of hours and see if it will perk up, but it stayed drooping the whole day and it is the 2nd day..I am clueless now and need help. Fertilize monthly during the growing season with a diluted liquid houseplant fertilizer. Some plants give obvious signs of drooping in dry conditions, but you can’t depend upon a Calathea’s leaves to tell when they’re thirsty. But due to its stunning emerald green, silvery, and purple foliage, there is no need for blossoms to make this houseplant attractive. Low Humidity Is A Very Common Cause Of Calathea Leaf Curling. Other ingredients to create a suitable potting medium are charcoal, coco coir, or orchid bark. Gently pour water through the potting soil for two to three minutes to flush out salts. Keep the room temperature even. The causes are quite similar to those of curling Calathea leaves. Extremes like soggy soil will without doubt cause root rot, while soil that’s too dry will cause the leaves to curl. If the soil is dry—thoroughly water your plant. There are many calathea species and hundreds of cultivars. Common calathea medallion care issues include curling leaves, brown leaves, or wilting leaves. Alternatively, you can use a tray of pebbles or peat moss submerged in shallow water to increase humidity and continue to mist your plant regularly. If it gets too cold or too hot, calathea plants will respond by curling their leaves. Calathea medallion plants thrive in medium to low light, similar to their native habitat in tropical forests. Required fields are marked *. Household air tends to be too dry for moisture-loving tropical plants. Using a sharp, sterilized knife, cut the tuber so there is one or two stems and roots. The soil in terracotta pots dries out faster than soil in plastic or ceramic containers. @media only screen and (min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2), After repotting my calathea started to look bad, leaves started to dry and also new leaves that was going out the ground dryed. How to maintain a beautiful and healthy Calathea Medallion. Your email address will not be published. If direct sun exposure is to be blamed for your calathea curling its leaves, usually, there are other symptoms too like scorching. This will offer the leaves an immediate boost of humidity, but it’s only a temporary solution that will not have long-lasting effects. You can think of this guide as a checklist that you can quickly run through should you even notice curled leaves on your calathea plant. By understanding the exact needs of your calathea plant and working out an environment in which it can thrive, leaf curling can both be prevented and remedied. The flip side of the Calathea tightrope is that the plant will be quickly stressed by drought if the soil becomes too dry. Remember to keep the soil moist at all times. If you don’t have any information about the quality of your tap water, and you’ve ruled out all other possible causes I discussed in this article, you may use distilled or bottled water for a while to see if things change. Be mindful of cold drafts, heat vents, or air conditioning systems directly blasting hot or cold air onto your plant. The soil should be fertile, hold enough moisture, and drain well. Extreme Temperatures. The best location at home for a calathea is in a room that gets plenty of light. Cause - overwatering . The temperature range accepted by calathea plants is between 60-85°F (16-29°C). Try letting the plant dry out more ; alter the sequence of watering from regularly to sporadically. Avoid having standing water at the base of the pot, make sure the water you use is room temperature, and check on the plant every other day to see if it needs watering. Sometimes calatheas are called prayer plants because they raise their leaves at night like prayer plants. In addition to leaf burn, there are other reasons for brown leaves that you can read about at the end of the article. Most fungal problems that afflict calatheas are due to moisture and watering issues. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Not watering enough or poor humidity can cause leaves to roll up into a tub-like shape. How to propagate a calathea medallion by rhizome division: No. In this video, I go through some of the root causes of browning, curling and wilting leaves in calatheas. Calathea doesn’t respond well to sudden changes … That night, the leaves went all droopy and curling. So, if the soil is overly damp, don’t water the plant until it mostly dries out. Average room temperatures are suitable for your houseplants to thrive. While distilled water or bottled water can be considered as good alternatives to tap water, I would recommend watering with rainwater if you can. Allow the soil to air out or change the soil completely to decrease chances of root rot. The top of the soil can slightly dry out between waterings, but sticking your fingertip into the soil should still reveal some level of moisture beneath the surface.