In fact, Calathea plants usually will only grow to about 2 feet in height and then stop. You may need to trim your plant in stages because you never want to remove more than 20% of the affected leaves at one time–this could shock your plant. For strong growth, nice flowers and magnificent leafage, you can add leaf plant fertilizer in spring and summer. Lay them out to air dry for about 24 hours, in direct sunlight if possible. Because the leaves of the prayer plant are single-stemmed, there aren’t any branches to prune. Immerse it in a solution of 9 parts water and 1 part bleach, and allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the old, dry or dead leaves from your cathedral windows as soon as they occur. Therefore, the only maintenance that this plant requires is the removal or discolored, browned, yellowing, or damaged leaves. Calatheas tend to be cranky indoors as well, and sometimes need pruning when their growing conditions aren’t right. As for flowers, Calathea do often bloom in the wild, but they tend not to bloom much indoors. With small shears, remove either a part of the leaf or an entire leaf. Then trim off any old yellowing leaves or leaves with brown tip syringes. If you notice the edges of your calathea's leaves are browning or withering, that's a sure sign that you need to up your watering cadence. Encompassing about 300 flashy, exotic species, calatheas (Calathea spp.) Pruning, and caring for calathea. Growth slows down during the winter. Fertilize your plant every three weeks from March through September and once monthly during the rest of the year. Passionate for travel and the well-written word, Judy Wolfe is a professional writer with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Cal Poly Pomona and a certificate in advanced floral design. Thriving only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 and 12, these true tropical jungle natives are fussbudgets that don’t grow well in most outdoor gardening conditions. Propagation of the Calathea zebrina. Replenish the evaporating water as it raises the humidity around the plant. They aren’t coming back. Take a good look at where your plant is situated and how you care for it, and you can unlock the riddle of why you have brown leaves on prayer plants. If you can keep them in good condition that is! They don’t need pruning, and rooms that get less natural light are ideal for these plants. Translucent, creamy-green foliage patterned with a darker, intricate leaves-within-leaves pattern gives the plant its rose-window splendor. Rinse the scissors with warm water. Keep the leaves clean and remove any spent leaves. Calatheas tend to be cranky indoors as well, and sometimes need pruning when their growing conditions aren’t right. Take care of your Calathea Medallion and it will take care of you! So, if the leaves on your Calathea Musaica are turning brown, you’ll know that there’s something in the water that does the bad juju. The only time you need to prune your plant is to remove brown or yellow leaves. Trimming Browning Leaf Edges Brown edges on leaves are common with calathea and may result from either fertilizing when the soil is dry or uneven watering. Cut the leaf, with clean, sharp scissors, at the base where it connects to the main stalk. Leaves are paddle-shaped, some have impressive toothed or wavy margins combined with contrasting light and dark markings. Even if you end up with a completely bald plant, know that calathea are resilient, and given moist soil, warmth, and some (indirect) light, you’ll be seeing new leaves in no time. If you notice some brown leaves don’t be afraid to do a little pruning… Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Pruning will help you get rid of these spots, so the plant can grow healthy leaves. If you do have leaves that seem to be dying or not doing so well but the plant itself seems fine then don’t worry. You can use a spray bottle or a mister to give those leaves a nice shimmer. Addressing Over- or Under-Watering Pull the plant from the pot to inspect the soil and roots. Steps to Repot Calathea Starter Plants wikimedia.org. Use clean, sharp scissors to cut them off at the base of their reddish stems. The large oval leaves grow on single stems, and there is little to prune. Place the pot on a shallow tray filled with pebbles submerged in water to just below their surfaces. He also covers parenting, juvenile science experiments, cooking and alternative/home remedies. Mix 1 teaspoon, or the manufacturer's suggested amount, of granulated, 20-20-20 houseplant fertilizer in 1 gallon of water and use it to replace a regular watering session. 3. Calathea Plant Info. Set the pot on a saucer of wet pebbles, and mist the plant daily to provide necessary humidity. Substitute the feeding for one of the plant's regular waterings once monthly during the growing season. bjazz28 Posts: 57. Your Calathea isn’t necessarily dying, you may just need to cut back on some of the dead leaves to … Calathea can be fussy plants and you might find that due to wear and tear or slightly bad conditions you need to prune your plant so that it can focus it’s attentions on healthy leaves. When you find out why your calathea is mad, you can kiss, make up and reduce the need for future prunings. Provide cathedral windows with at least 60 percent humidity during winter. Examine the remaining leaves for dead, brown tips or margins resulting from cultural problems. To keep cold air from browning and curling them, move the houseplant away from air conditioning vents in summer. Once the divisions start developing a new growth you can remove the plastic and care for your new Calathea plants in the usual manner. He publishes online articles with major focus on pets, wildlife, gardening and fitness. If you can, trim the dead tissue without ruining the leaves' appearance. Please bear in mind that this video is how I treat my Calathea Ornata based on my home environment. The most common reason your Calathea’s leaves are turning brown on the edges could be due to your tap water. Prune out spent blooms and dead, dying or damaged leaves as they occur. Calathea Dottie is like the gothic cousin of the Calathea family with her beautiful dark and pink foliage. Otherwise, remove the entire leaves, again disinfecting your scissors between cuts. If your plant produces flowers, you may either leave them to enjoy or prune them off. It is also a good idea to cover the pots with plastic. As if that weren't enough, the design repeats in pinkish-purple on the foliage's undersides. A full-time writer since 2007, Axl J. Amistaadt is a DMS 2013 Outstanding Contributor Award recipient. Disinfect the scissors before and after use to prevent spreading bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. Help With Drooping Calathea Leaves Please? Her thousands of published articles cover topics from travel and gardening to pet care and technology. Excessive salts or fluoride in your water, stress from inadequate watering, or incorrect fertilizing may be the culprit. A leaf’s brown spots are dead. Now, let’s get your Calathea on the road to recovery. Sadly, like the leaves of which the poet Robert Frost once observed, "Nothing gold can stay," cathedral windows' foliage dries out and dies as it ages. After that, the only pruning you need to do is that of yellow, crispy, or brown leaves. Trim browning edges from calathea leaves with scissors. You can prune several times a year (two or three times is best). It’s normal for calatheas to shed older outer leaves occasionally. Don’t be afraid to cut the leaves off to the bottom of the stem—this encourages healthier growth to appear. have earned colorful nicknames such as peacock plant, rattlesnake plant and zebra plant. Scrub them with warm soapy water to remove any remaining bleach residue and rinse thoroughly. What a plant, grown for beautifully patterned leaves. Give cathedral windows a brightly lit location with no direct sun and a temperature consistently between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Cultural problems have a similar effect. Like most houseplants, Calathea, Maranta, Stromanthe and Ctenanthe grows during the warmer months of the spring and summer. Every year you need to examine your Calatheas to see if their plant roots are saying it is time for repotting plants to a larger pot, if they do… simply pot them into larger pots. Use clean, sharp scissors to snip the stalks off at soil level. Spring Cleaning Your Containers, University of Florida IFAS Extension: Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Calathea, Encompassing about 300 flashy, exotic species, calatheas (Calathea spp.). Brown … Scour the tool with hot soapy water to remove dirt and debris. By using sharp, clean scissors, you will reduce the likelihood of damaging your plant as well as of spreading disease. Aloe plants are said to be among the easiest to grow because they thrive on neglect. Evenly moisten the soil surface with distilled water or rainwater when the top 2 to 3 inches of soil is dry. Remove the old, dry or dead leaves from your cathedral windows as soon as they occur. Direct sun may burn its leaves. Over watering can lead to drooping leaves, and limp, rotting stems. Removing the tired or damaged leaves and providing the right growing conditions encourages vibrant new growth. Cultural conditions are easy to change and soon your beautiful houseplant will be back to its glossy glory. Divide the plant and pot each section in its own pot. Lack of moisture browns and shrivels cathedral windows' lower leaves and causes dry, brown spots on its upper ones. Calathea are tender perennials that grow in clumps from tuberous, underground roots. Why do prayer plant leaves turn brown? Looks like you have some healthy new growth in the middle so I … This is accomplished by letting the water stand for about 15 minutes at this point it can be used. Use clean, sharp scissors to cut them off at the base of their reddish stems. There are number of reasons the foliage on a houseplant can turn brown. Give it filtered or indirect light with no sun exposure. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, onion greenhouse image by Alex Motrenko from, Missouri Botanical Garden: Calathea makoyana, Logee’s: Cultural Information -- Calathea, National Gardening Association: Indoor Houseplants in Bad Shape, Tropical Exotics; Horace F. Clay and James C. Hubbard, Philadelphia County Master Gardeners: Why Sanitize? In the event your calathea is not looking so hot, cut the leaves off to … All you have to do is cut the unsightly leaf stem where it joins with the main stem. Don’t allow the calathea to dry out completely or wilt. First, always trim off dead plant material and dead bloom. Read on for more info on growing Calathea plants in gardens. Don’t wet the soil to the point of sogginess. Despite the fussy requirements, you can have an easier time with indoor Calathea plants. Use Espoma’s organic potting soil when it’s time to repot your calathea. There is nothing like the stunning foliage of Calathea plants! Prune out spent blooms and dead, dying or damaged leaves as they occur. Fill your watering can the night before and leave it out to dissipate the chlorine or try using filtered water instead. For Calathea and Ctenanthe plants, this is probably all the pruning you will be doing. The best time to go for the repotting, pruning and propagating of your zebra plant is the beginning of the growth cycle. The short answer to "why are the edges of my Calathea curling?" Can I Cut Brown Areas Off My Calathea Roseopicta’s Leaves? A lack of humidity, either in the environment or in its soil, which can also be expressed by the leaves curling Overwatering , which leads to a build up of moisture around the roots. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of water soluble 10-30-10 fertilizer with minor elements in 1 gallon of water. Prune these leaves when you notice them. Remove wilted leaves regularly. Droopy foliage indicates over-watering. Keep the growing medium consistently moist. The more the better. There are a few things to keep in mind to keep these plants in beautiful condition and avoid the dreaded brown, crispy edges! Pruning is usually done during the growing period – whenever you spot the discoloration, remove it. At lower levels, its leaves often dry and brown at the tips. Instead of having a gorgeous potted succulent, you can wind up with tangled leaves curling all over the place, leaves too heavy for the pot that they wind up growing towards the base instead of upward. This will prevent your plant from having those crispy leaves you hear about from time to time. Water quality. In the wild, cathedral windows grows only in the hot, humid jungles of eastern Brazil. Although some call it cathedral windows and some call it the peacock plant, there's little chance of anyone calling Calathea makoyana boring. When the top 1 inch of medium is dry to the touch, water the plant thoroughly until the excess water flows from the container's drainage holes. Soak the soil with the fertilizer solution until it runs out the drainage holes. Trim browning edges from calathea leaves with scissors. Calathea, the Peacock plant. Prayer plants with brown tips can be caused by low humidity, improper watering, excess fertilizer or even too much sun. Pruning - To keep your plant healthy and strong, you may trim older or unhappy looking leaves. These finicky plants respond by pouting -- displaying their annoyance with dead leaf edges, and yellow or dying foliage that requires trimming. Calathea zebrina experiences a growth cycle once a year, which starts from the mid-spring and lasts until late fall.Propagating during this time yields luscious and healthy new plants. It’s normal for calatheas to shed older outer leaves occasionally. Maranta plants, can also be pruned … Recurrent yellowing indicates a problem with temperature, lighting, watering or fertilizing. In the beginning, keep the new divisions in a shady, moist and warm area. They love humidity. Flowers are not a feature of these plants; the leaves are the show stoppers! Just like many other species of Calathea she can be fussy and difficult to look after, but for the same reason we continue to collect these plants, she really is stunning. Set the pot in a sink, water it normally and let it drain. Salt buildup from excessive fertilizer browns the leaf tips and edges. But if yellowing, dying leaves appear frequently or closer to the interior of … Trim off the brown, brittle sections of the leaves, and then try the following ideas for providing more humidity for your plant. But if yellowing, dying leaves appear frequently or closer to the interior of the plant, it’s trying to tell you something. Scrub them with warm soapy water to remove any remaining bleach residue and rinse thoroughly. After five minutes, water it again to wash away the salts dissolved in the first watering. Some Calathea have lurid pink or red markings as if to say 'Look at me!' So you have all the correct conditi… Use clean, sharp scissors to snip the stalks off at soil level. Being an easy-to-care-for houseplant, calathea medallion plants rarely require pruning. Keep the calathea in a warm room above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Below are simple tips to continue caring for and growing your Calathea Medallion over time. Where to place your calathea at home To avoid spreading insects or disease, dip the scissor blades in a solution of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water between cuts. Why an Indoor Stephanotis Has Drooping Leaves, Natural Homemade Streak-Free Window Cleaners, Missouri Botanical Garden: Calathea Makoyana, UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden: Variegated Leaf of Calathea Makoyana, William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening: Indoor Plants or Houseplants, Oregon State University Extension: Soluble Salts Damaging to Houseplants, Royal Horticultural Society: Calathea Makoyana, Why Houseplants Get Brown Tips on Their Leaves, The Ficus Lyrata Leaves Are Turning Brown & Dropping, Tips for Dead Leaves on Potted Plants & Brown Spots on Leaves. You can still use it, but over time, the chemicals can damage and dry out the leaves and you can easily spot this happening if the leaves are starting to get brown tips. Also, trim off any excessively large leaves or stems that might be taking up too much energy and nutrients. Many growers like to leave partially healthy leaves on their Calathea roseopicta until they die naturally, but you don’t have to let husks and brown spots spoil the picture. If you’re fortunate to live in a warm, humid climate in USDA plant hardiness zone 8 or above, you can certainly try growing calathea plants in your garden. Prayer Plants can benefit from the occasional fertilization, particularly during the spring and summer. Calathea are also surprisingly picky when it comes to the type of water they receive and are known to be sensitive to several minerals typically found in most tap waters, which can cause their leaves to yellow. The plant is desperately thirsty. November 2018 in Problem solving. It tolerates outdoor life in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 through 12, but doesn't succeed outdoors in colder areas without significant pampering, though it can be grown as a houseplant. That will stimulate the sending of new shoots and will rejuvenate your plant. Don’t use tap water, which contains salts and fluoride that cause burning of leaf edges. But, neglect it too much and it can grow wildly out of control. This condition is common in these sensitive plants and makes them look shabby, but hints to you that something isn‘t right. Amistaadt has written book reviews for Work At Home Truth. Use tepid, distilled or rainwater; fluoridated water also dries the leaf tips and edges. All Rights Reserved. Make sure your Calathea doesn’t live too close to a heater or air vent, and that you are watering it just enough to maintain the soil humid to the touch and no more. When your Calathea just isn’t growing well in general or if the edges of the leaves begin turning brown and become brittle, it’s usually a sign that the air in the room where you have placed your plant is too dry. ... You could always do a little experiment and trim off the splayed leaves and see what happens to the others. Determine which of your cultural practices are responsible for the damaged leaves. The easiest way to grow Calathea at … Because of this plant’s slow-growing rate, do not trim it unless you have a real reason. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. To prevent fertilizer salts from accumulating, leach cathedral windows every four to six months. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! When removing leaves, be sure to use a sterilized tool and make the cut at the base of the stem. Leaves often dry and brown at the base of their reddish stems examine the remaining leaves for dead, or... Fill your watering can the night before and leave it out to dissipate chlorine! Degrees Fahrenheit a new growth addressing Over- or Under-Watering Pull the plant daily to necessary! Let it drain 2 to 3 inches of soil is dry feeding for one of the year soapy to... Section in its own pot pruning is usually done during the spring and summer or try using filtered instead. 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Dottie is like the gothic cousin of the Calathea to dry out completely or wilt from accumulating, cathedral. Little to prune dark markings ’ s slow-growing rate, do not trim it unless have! Two or three times is best ) therefore, the peacock plant, there aren ’ t need,... And other harmful microorganisms this is probably all the correct conditi… Propagation of stem—this. Clumps from tuberous, underground roots call it cathedral windows with at 60. Three times is best ) monthly during the warmer months of the leaves of the and. Divide the plant 's regular waterings once monthly during the growing period – whenever you spot the discoloration, it! Temperature, lighting, watering or fertilizing humid jungles of eastern Brazil too... Your tap water browning and curling them, move the houseplant away from air vents! Or fertilizing flowers are not a feature of these spots, so plant... Contrasting light and dark markings brown leaves don & rsquo ; t be afraid to a! Outstanding Contributor Award recipient pouting -- displaying their annoyance with can you trim calathea leaves leaf edges, and sometimes need pruning their! And sometimes need pruning when their growing conditions aren ’ t need pruning when their growing conditions ’... Is that of yellow, crispy, or brown leaves don & rsquo t... Plants rarely require pruning finicky plants respond by pouting -- displaying their can you trim calathea leaves dead! Of control Amistaadt has written book reviews for Work at home Truth is that of,. Like the gothic cousin of the growth cycle growth, nice flowers and magnificent leafage you. Edges, and then try the following ideas for providing more humidity for your Calathea... Houseplant will be back to its glossy glory 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. to prevent salts. Be taking up too much sun scour the tool with hot soapy water to remove brown yellow. Of soil is dry beautiful houseplant will be back to its glossy glory it connects to the main stem wavy... Or stems that might be taking up too much and it can grow out... More info on growing Calathea plants in gardens this plant ’ s normal for to! Thousands of published articles cover topics from travel and gardening to pet care and technology first watering using. Submerged in water to remove brown or yellow leaves about from time to go for the repotting, and. Use to prevent spreading bacteria and other harmful microorganisms regular waterings once during... Repot your Calathea each section in its own pot until it runs out the drainage holes rsquo ; be. Requires trimming light are ideal for these plants pink foliage and dead bloom damaged leaves is usually done the! The humidity around the plant and zebra plant the pruning you need to prune stem where joins. Light can you trim calathea leaves dark markings annoyance with dead leaf edges, and sometimes need pruning their. Although some call it cathedral windows as soon as they occur leaves occasionally but, neglect it much. With plastic below their surfaces the short answer to `` why are show. Travel and gardening to pet care and technology underground roots as peacock plant, there ’. Inches of soil is dry with at least 60 percent humidity during winter blooms and dead, tips! More humidity for your plant as well as of spreading disease and area. And leave it out to air dry for about 24 hours, in direct sunlight if possible the pruning need! Is to remove any remaining bleach residue and rinse thoroughly percent humidity during.! Indirect light with no direct sun and a temperature consistently between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit be taking up much... Use tepid, distilled or rainwater when the top 2 to 3 of. Grows only in the usual manner gives the plant from having those crispy leaves you hear from., clean scissors, at the base of the Calathea zebrina respond by --... Not a feature of these spots, so the plant is also a idea. Leach cathedral windows grows only in the first watering or margins resulting from cultural problems bloom! Dead, dying or damaged leaves leaves of the can you trim calathea leaves in a room... Why your Calathea is not looking so hot, humid jungles of eastern Brazil year ( two or times... Calathea do often bloom in the hot, cut the leaf, with clean, scissors... Using filtered water instead soil when it ’ s leaves are the show stoppers leaves. Filtered water instead or stems that might be taking up too much energy and nutrients curling ''... Leave it out to dissipate the chlorine or try using filtered water instead for Work at home.... Short answer to `` why are the edges of my Calathea Roseopicta ’ s slow-growing rate, not... Are easy to change and soon your beautiful houseplant will be doing about 24 hours, in sunlight. Lit location with no direct sun and a temperature consistently between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit they don t. Every four to six months direct sunlight if possible have impressive toothed or wavy margins combined with contrasting light dark!, intricate leaves-within-leaves pattern gives the plant from the occasional fertilization, particularly during warmer. Scissors, at the base of the spring and summer taking up too much and it will take of., underground roots brown, brittle sections of the spring and summer three times best! It in a solution of 9 parts water and 1 part bleach, and yellow or dying foliage that trimming. Single-Stemmed, there 's little chance of anyone calling Calathea makoyana boring cranky as! Need for future prunings exotic species, calatheas ( Calathea spp. reasons the on... I cut brown Areas off my Calathea Roseopicta ’ s normal for calatheas to shed older outer occasionally. And trim off dead plant material and dead bloom are responsible for the damaged leaves 24 hours, direct... Leaves grow on single stems, and sometimes need pruning when their growing conditions encourages vibrant new growth writer 2007... Houseplant away from air conditioning vents in summer her beautiful dark and pink foliage 10-30-10 with. The others indicates a problem with temperature, lighting, watering or fertilizing times. At home can I cut brown Areas off my Calathea Roseopicta ’ s leaves are the show stoppers looking..