Calathea

Common Name:
Calathea (Common name applies broadly across the genus)

Description:
Calathea is a genus of tropical plants celebrated for its vividly patterned foliage, with species and cultivars showcasing an extraordinary variety of leaf shapes, colours, and markings. Native to the rainforests of Central and South America, Calatheas are renowned for their decorative leaves which often display combinations of greens, purples, silvers, and creams, along with striking undersides in deep burgundy. As part of the Marantaceae family, many Calatheas exhibit nyctinastic movement—their leaves raise and lower in response to light changes—earning them the nickname "prayer plants." These plants are best suited to indoor conditions in Melbourne, where they prefer bright, indirect light, high humidity, and consistently moist but well-drained soil. While they rarely flower indoors, their foliage alone is a showstopper. Calatheas are ideal for bathrooms or living spaces with stable temperatures and low light exposure, bringing a bold, tropical aesthetic to interior settings.

Form:

• Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

• Shrub - Small

• Indoor Foliage Plant

Mature Size:

• Height: 30–80 cm (varies by species)

• Width: 30–60 cm

Aspect:

• Part Shade

• Full Shade

• Indoors / Well lit

Flowering:

• Flowers in Summer (rare indoors)

• Does not flower under Melbourne's weather conditions (in most varieties)

Flower Colour:

• White

• Yellow

• Purple (varies by species – often insignificant indoors)

Key Attributes:

• Suitable for Pots

• Suitable for Indoors

• Perennial

• Non-toxic

• Air-purifying qualities

• Excellent for Humid Spaces

• Low Light Tolerant

• Herbaceous

Toxicity:

• Non-toxic to humans

• Non-toxic to cats and dogs

Companion Plants:

• Maranta leuconeura

• Ctenanthe burle-marxii

• Fittonia albivenis

• Peperomia spp.

• Spathiphyllum spp.