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Color Full Orbifolia Prayer Plant Calathea orbifolia

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    Features

    Calathea orbifolia is a prayer plant, the common name for plants that tend to fold their foliage as night falls. Prayer plants include plants in the following genera:  Calathea, Maranta, Stromanthe, and Ctenanthe.  Calathea are grown for their beautifully ornamental leaves. Orbifolia's leaves can get quite large, and are green with silvery-green stripes throughout.  Calathea orbifolia has been reclassified as Goeppertia orbifolia. 

    Adaptable As Houseplant
    Foliage Interest
    Harmful To: 
    Pets

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Houseplant
    Height Category: 
    Medium
    Height: 
    12 - 36 Inches
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Shade: 
    Shades of green create a striped pattern
    Habit: 
    Mounded
    Container Role: 
    Filler

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Low
    Light Requirement: 
    Medium

    Low - No direct sun, not near a window. Medium - Medium bright indirect light in the AM or PM, typically from an east or west window. High - Bright direct or indirect light for much of the day, typically from a south window.

    Maintenance Category: 
    Time Intensive
    Preferred Temperature: 
    60 - 85 °F
    Water Category: 
    Consistent
    Humidity Preference: 
    High
    Container Soil Type: 
    Indoor Potting Mix
    Needs Good Drainage
    Uses: 
    Humid Spaces
    Uses: 
    Low Light Spaces
    Uses: 
    North Facing Windows
    Uses Notes: 

    Not for human or animal consumption.

    Maintenance Notes: 
    • For optimal performance, keep at 60-85°F (15-29°C).
    • Prefers higher humidity to prevent leaf edges from browning.
    • Feed once per month at half strength when plant is actively growing.
    • Protect furniture when watering.
    • Calathea prefer shady areas with bright shade to low light (not not too dim!)  Directly in front of windows that have no direct sun will work.  Windows with early morning or late afternoon sun are also great options. Avoid mid-day direct sun.
    • They need moderate to high levels of humidity with leaf damage occurring when humidity levels drop to 40% or less.
    • They should not be watered with tap water, unless it has been filtered. Distilled water is a good option as well. The plants are sensitive to impurities and salts in tap water, which can cause leaf edges to burn.
    • Calathea also prefers to have moist, but not wet soils. If the soil gets too dry it can cause leaf curl, which is a symptom of dry soil. Water when the top inch or so of soil is dry. If your soil is very dry you may want to soak your pot in water until the soil is rehydrated. It can take half an hour or more to rehydrate the soil. Allow the pot to drain once the soil is moist through.
    • Do not allow the plant to sit in water over extended periods of time.
    • Add some perlite and/or orchid bark to help fluff up the potting mix and provide better drainage. 
    • It will do best with high humidity. A pebble tray may help add humidity if needed, but a humidifier is a better option.
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