Calathea Warscewiczii Plant

Calathea Warscewiczii Plant, Grow & Care Guide 2023

If you like anything velvety, then here is a plant you will love. Calathea Warscewiczii, the plant with brilliantly patterned velvety foliage, is an indoor plant with green colored top and a burgundy underside.  The tropical plant Calathea Warscewiczii, which is quite simple to care for, will add life and color to your home.

This plant requires minimal care, so it won’t cost you much money and time to keep it alive and happy. If you want to know more about Warscewiczii, keep reading.  

What Is The Calathea Warscewiczii Plant?

Also called the Jungle Velvet Calathea, Calathea Warscewiczii is a tropical plant with green and burgundy leaves. Its beautiful leafy foliage makes it a perfect indoor plant. It also requires minimal care, like watering, fertilizers, and maintenance. 

The bushy plant makes your living area or bathroom an admirable spot for visitors. It grows to a height of 0.5 to 1 meter and is safe for humans and animals. 

Jungle Velvet Calathea belongs to the family of prayer plants because the leaves fold up in the evening like they are praying. Since the plant grows well on the tropical forest floor, it requires indirect sunlight, consistent warmth, and high humidity. 

Origin and Classification

Calathea Warscewiczii is a flowering tropical plant whose origin is in the tropical forests of Central and South America. It also grows in the USDA zones 10 through 12. The plant’s scientific name is Geoppertia warszewiczii, and it belongs to the family Marantaceae.

You can grow it at the corner of your apartment, close to a north-facing window. If you place it on the south-facing window, ensure it is farther from the window.

Jungle Velvet Calathea’s flowers are showy and cone-like. They have an attractive creamy white color when new, and it grows and opens to a yellow flower with pink floral petals. Since the plant grows well indoors, ensure you provide the right environment for it to flower. 

Features of Calathea Warscewiczii Plant

Calathea Warscewiczii is a flowering plant that is beautiful even without flowers. The plant also grows to a reasonable height of 1 meter, which is ideal for your living room or bathroom corner. Some of the ways you can identify this plant are;

1. Leaves

Calathea Warscewiczii Plant

Calathea Warscewiczii’s leaves are green throughout the year if grown in optimal conditions. They are green and velvety at the top with cute green and light green veins. The underside of the leaves is dark maroon or purple, which is visible when the leaves close at night. 

The plant flowers are showy and come out as cone-like clusters. When new, they have a cute creamy white color which turns to a yellow flower with hints of pink when it opens.

The leaves curl into a tube if the plant’s habitat is not suitable. Ensure you give it the right amount of water and expose it to enough but indirect sunlight. 

2. Height

Calathea Warscewiczii plant is a slow grower, but its green leaves last long and make the environment greener. This plant grows to a height of one meter, making it perfect for indoors. In addition, less work is required to maintain because you only prune the yellow, crispy, and brown leaves. 

3. Evergreen

Calathea Warscewiczii is a tropical and tender evergreen plant that maintains its green leaves throughout the seasons. However, the leaves could turn brown or lose their markings when grown under the wrong conditions. 

4. Special Uses

The Calathea Warscewiczii plant is mainly grown indoors for home and office decorations. The plant is primarily green and flowers in certain seasons, making the spaces beautiful.

Basic Care of Calathea Warscewiczii Plant

Most people grow Calathea Warscewiczii plants indoors because they are easy to care for and maintain. Ensure you expose the plant to the right amount of light, humidity, and temperatures. You should also know the right amounts of water and fertilizer it requires. 

1. Light Requirements

Calathea Warscewiczii plant grows perfectly in medium to bright but indirect sunlight. Even in the tropical forest, these plants grow on the floor beneath the tall green plants with a canopy, blocking them from direct sunlight. 

Intense sunlight causes the beautiful light green veins on the leaves to disappear and could also cause a color change. However, exposing the plant to the right conditions can change the faded leaves and help produce beautiful new ones. 

2. Water Requirements

gooseberry g262b1db58 640

Calathea Warscewiczii owners should ensure the soil is not too soggy or dry. Signs of poor water conditions are first seen in the leaves, which signal that they need water or that the soil is waterlogged. 

You can use a moisture meter to prevent the effects of too much or too little water on the plant. However, the readings might vary depending on the soil type. You can also use your fingers to check if the soil has the right moisture. 

During the warm seasons, ensure the soil is moist. You can do so by watering the plant once the half-inch top soil dries. Ensure your pot has enough drainage to let out excess water. Too much water can cause root rot leading to the death of your plant. 

3. Humidity Requirements

The prayer plants grow under the canopy of tropical forests, so they require a humid environment to thrive well. If you are growing the plant indoors, ensure the humid levels are between 50% and 60%. You can use a humidifier to control these levels. 

Also, if you want to provide the best humid conditions for your beautiful velvets plant, grow them in a group to trap humidity. You can also buy a humidifier for your house to ensure the correct levels are maintained. 

Other plant owners mist their Calathea Warscewiczii plant but do not soak them for too long. Too much water on the leaves can cause fungal infections and pests. 

4. Soil Requirements

Always ensure your Calathea Warscewiczii plant’s soil is fertile, organic and drains perfectly. Fertile soil has many plant nutrients that support its growth, and a well-draining soil ensures most excess water is drained. 

Plant owners should add some sand to the soil to ensure there are some spaces to preserve soil oxygen. Pumice, sand, and perlite are some of the best materials to boost plant soil’s aeration. Besides, these don’t also alter the soil’s nutrient retention. 

5. Fertilizer

You should add fertilizers to your plant during the growing season. You can also mulch the plant to keep moisture levels for a longer time. When the manure rots, it leaves nutrients in the soil. One of the signs of poor quality soil is rolling and brown edges. The plant could also show stunted growth. 

6. Temperature and Humidity

In order to thrive, the Calathea Warscewiczii requires high humidity and temperatures that do not dip below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The best way to create a humid environment for this plant is to place it in a room with a humidifier or to mist the leaves on a regular basis.

Additionally, it is important to keep the plant out of direct sunlight, as this can cause the leaves to fade. With proper care, the Calathea Warscewiczii will thrive and provide a stunning addition to any home.

7. Drought and Disease

In most homes, the air is dry and dusty, which can lead to problems for the plant. Brown leaves are a common sign that the plant is not getting enough moisture. Another common issue is powdery mildew, which appears as white or gray patches on the leaves.

To help your Calathea warscewiczii thrive, it is important to give it regular misting and watering. It is also a good idea to keep it away from vents and other sources of dry air.

8. Pruning

background gf16985ad5 640

When it comes to keeping a houseplant healthy, few things are as important as pruning. Not only does pruning help to encourage new growth, but it also helps to prevent the spread of disease.

For many plants, the best time to prune is in the early spring, before new growth begins. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, and one of those exceptions is Calathea Warscewiczii. 

One of the secrets to success is to prune at the right time of year. For Calathea Warscewiczii, that time is late summer or early fall. Pruning in late summer will help the plant to produce new leaves that are less susceptible to damage from cold weather.

It is also important to prune away any dead or dying leaves, as these can provide a foothold for pests or diseases. 

How to Propagate Calathea Warscewiczii

pexels huy phan 2987081 1

Calathea Warscewiczii is easy to propagate. However, you cannot propagate them through stem cuttings but through division. Also, plant owners are advised to propagate during repotting to reduce stress on the plant. This step-by-step guide will lead you to perform the procedure. 

Step 1

Calathea plants are sensitive, so ensure you are gentle when propagating. Start by removing the plant from the pot. Then, check for sections on the plant with their root stem and a healthy leaf. 

Step 2

Once you locate a section, separate it from the mother’s plant carefully. Also, be gentle with the roots. You should carefully separate them or use clean scissors to cut them and divide them from the rest. 

Step 3

Take the newly separated plant and repot it in a sized pot. Ensure you maintain the proper moisture for your new plant, and avoid over watering as too much water can lead to root rotting. Place the new plant in a medium-lit room away from direct sunlight. 

Step 4

You can add humidity to the newly cut plant by covering the top with a plastic bag. Alternatively, other homeowners use humidifiers to increase the humidity of the room. However, if you use a paper bag to cover the leaves, you must remove it occasionally to let them breathe. 

Step 5

Congratulations on getting a new Calathea warscewiczii. Start caring for new plants considering the water, humidity, and soil care the plant needs. Since these plants grow slowly, it might take months to see any changes. You can also place it in a well-lit room far from direct sun rays. 

Do not forget about the mother plant when caring for the new one. Remember you left it in a state of shock, so you should also take care of it. Calathea Warscewiczii is not a toxic plant. 

Common Problems Caring For Calathea Warscewiczii

Most plants suffer different issues associated with water, lighting, or humidity levels, and Calathea Warscewiczii is no exception. Some of the common problems you will encounter when caring for your plant are;

1. Pests

Mealybugs, mites, and scale are the most common insects that attack this plant. The pests feed on the leaves, causing spots and other damages like stunting. Plant owners are advised to schedule plant inspections to check for any abnormalities. 

You will know your plant has mealybugs if there is a white cottony mass on the underside of the leaves or stem. If your Calathea plant has yellowing leaves, it could signify mite infestation. Other mites make tiny webs on the leaves, and others like Tarsonemid cause water-filled lesions on foliage. 

These insects can cause damage to your plant, but you can use horticultural oils and insecticides to treat the plant carefully. In addition, you can change the soil after insect treatments to avoid toxins from remaining and building up there. 

2. Leaf Yellowing and Curling

Calathea Warscewiczii leaves curl and turn yellow if they do not receive optimal growth conditions. For example, the curling of the leaves is primarily due to a lack of moisture and humidity. Most plant owners fear watering their plants due to root rot, but under watering causes more problems. 

You can use your hand to test if your plant has the right amounts of moisture. Also, when watering, ensure the soil is properly drenched. Overwatering causes the leaves to turn yellow and roots to rot. Other reasons for leaf yellowing are wrong temperatures, humidity, fertilizer, pests, and diseases. 

3. Diseases

Warscewiczii’s common diseases are caused by overwatering or too much water on the leaves. Some common diseases are leaf spot, Pseudomonas, and Fusarium. Leaf spots are mainly caused by fungi. These plant infections are less severe, and you can minimize them by reducing the amount of water on the leaves. 

If your plant’s leaves turn dark green or black, it could be due to pseudomonas. The plant disease is highly contagious and mainly affects and thrives well in moist environments. Walk to your nearest plant chemist and buy copper bactericides. Alternatively, you can safely remove the affected parts. 

4. Direct Light

pexels kaique rocha 290617

Warscewiczii plants are sensitive to direct sunlight. Therefore, leaving them exposed to direct sunlight burns the leaves, causing fading. The plant, thus, loses its colors, reducing its beauty and the beauty of your living room. 

See more on plant types: Golden Goddess Philodendron

Outro

Warscewiczii plant is an evergreen perennial flowering plant liked by many growers. It grows in tropical forests and can be grown at home as an indoor plant. This velvet-ish green and purple plant is easy to care for and maintain, but growers must grow it under the right conditions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Calathea Warscewiczii Hard To Care For?

Calathea Warscewiczii grows in tropical forests and thrives well under certain conditions. While it is easy to care for this plant, growers should ensure the areas have the correct temperatures, humidity, and water. Overwatering the plant can cause yellowing of the leaves and stunted growth. 

How Do You Care For Calathea Warscewiczii?

The best way to care for Warscewiczii is by providing its optimal growing conditions. Grow it in a bright room away from direct sunlight. Also, the plant does well in a moist environment. Use rainwater and ensure you put in the required amounts of water. Maintain high humidity and ensure the pot has good drainage. 

Should I Mist Calathea Warscewiczii?

Calathea plants do well in environments with high humidity. Mist ensures your plant is receiving the best humidity. You can also use other methods to maintain humidity levels in your house for good plant growth, like damping peats around it or using a humidifier.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *