Eye-catching Calathea warscewiczii is bound to be the pride of your houseplant collection. It can be a challenging plant to get right, but for lovers of tropical plants, the effort is well worth it.
Although it’s temperamental, this jungle velvet plant will reward your close attention with stunning growth up to four feet high under the right conditions. It instantly grants any room a tropical aesthetic and will bid you goodnight each evening by folding its leaves to the sky.
So if you’re looking for some gorgeous green to decorate your urban jungle, look no further than Calathea warscewiczii.
About Calathea Warscewiczii
Calathea warscewiczii (pronounced vark-zeh-wik-ZEE-eye) is perhaps more commonly known as Calathea jungle velvet because of its striking light and dark green fishtail-patterned leaves with their purple undersides. This plant was technically renamed Goeppertia warscewiczii by taxonomists but is still better known as a Calathea.
They originate from tropical rainforests in Central and South America, where they live on the ground beneath dense canopies. They are part of the Marantaceae prayer plant family, and their leaves actively move in response to temperature and light, folding up at night as though in prayer.
A mature plant will grow up to four feet high and wide. These plants are known for being highly temperamental, and you’ll need to recreate tropical conditions in your house to grow them successfully.
Can I Grow Calathea Warscewiczii Hydroponically?
Yes, you can grow Calathea warscewiczii in a hydroponic or semi-hydroponic system. Because they are so picky about their environment, a controlled hydroponic setup can be the perfect way to provide them with the exact temperature and humidity they crave. They will respond particularly well to soft water containing just the right nutrients.
An important thing to note when growing Calathea warscewiczii hydroponically is that they are sensitive to their roots being disturbed. Always be gentle when transplanting them into your hydroponic growing medium.
How to Care for Calathea Warscewiczii
Calathea Warscewiczii is a stunning plant if cared for correctly, but it does have specific needs. For a healthy and happy plant, you’ll need to pay close attention to creating an environment that mimics its tropical homeland and be careful not to disturb it too much.
Light
Your Calathea warscewiczii prefers moderate to bright indirect light. Its leaves are delicate and can scorch easily, so avoid exposing it to direct sunlight, especially the hot afternoon rays. If you must keep your plant next to a window with bright light, protect it with some sheer curtains.
Water
Calathea warscewiczii needs good drainage and does best in soil or growing medium that is kept consistently moist. You should be careful not to underwater, which can cause the plant to dry out, or overwater, which can make your plant prone to root rot.
To determine if your plant needs water, insert your finger into the top few inches of soil to test. If it feels dry to the touch, it’s time to water.
It’s best to water in the morning because this allows your Calathea warscewiczii to dry out before the evening temperature drops, which helps avoid fungal growth. Use room temperature water to avoid stressing it, and water thoroughly until it flows out of the drainage holes. Distilled water or rainwater is best because these plants are extremely sensitive to the chlorine, salts, and minerals in hard water.
Growing Medium
Calathea warscewiczii likes a well-draining growing medium. Most hydroponic growing mediums are designed to provide this, and LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) is a popular choice.
If you’re using soil, you might need to mix in some perlite to provide adequate filtration.
Temperature
Calathea warscewiczii is native to the tropical regions of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, so it likes things hot. During the warm months, it prefers to live between 65 and 85 °F (18 and 29 °C), but can tolerate up to 90 °F (32 °C) with enough humidity.
Your plant will go dormant when temperatures drop to the mid-60s and below, and even a brief chill will cause damage to its leaves, so keep it well insulated against the cold.
Humidity
To mimic its native rainforest environment, high humidity is a must for Calathea warscewiczii. It will be happiest at 50% humidity, which you can achieve by:
- Keeping it in the bathroom
- Grouping it with other humidity-loving plants
- Placing it on a pebble tray
- Buying a humidifier
Fertilizer
There’s no need to heavily fertilize your Calathea warscewiczii. During the warm months when it is growing, you can provide it with a ¼ dilution of a balanced fertilizer to promote growth.
Pruning
Simply pruning off any dead or damaged leaves is sufficient for this plant. It’s not possible to train the Calathea warscewiczii, but you can stimulate new foliage by trimming it back at the base of the leaves.
Dusting
Your plant will be happiest if you keep its leaves free of dust, which can build up over time and prevent it from completing its photosynthesis. Use a dry or slightly damp soft cloth to gently wipe the dust off the leaves every one or two weeks.
Repotting
Calathea warscewiczii is a delicate plant that doesn’t like its roots disturbed, so keep repotting to a minimum. If your plant has outgrown its pot, wait until spring to repot it and do it as gently as possible.
How to Propagate Calathea Warscewiczii
The best way to propagate (or clone) Calathea warscewiczii is by division of the rhizome. Also known as a creeping rootstalk, the rhizome is the horizontal part of the plant that lies beneath the soil or growing medium. The rhizome can create new shoot and root systems, so it’s possible to divide it to create a second plant. Unfortunately, you’ll see little or no success if you try propagation using stem cuttings.
To propagate your Calathea warscewiczii, you will first need to:
- Unpot your Calathea warscewiczii and gently remove any soil clinging to the roots.
- Identify where you can divide the rhizome. Each half should have some roots and at least one leaf already growing.
- Cut the rhizome into two using a sterile instrument.
- Plant each section in its own container using the original soil or growing medium.
- Water the cuttings generously.
- Cover the cuttings with a humidity dome to increase the humidity and moisture levels. Keep them in an area with plenty of bright, indirect light.
- Watch your cuttings for signs of growth, which should appear after a few weeks. When this happens, you can remove the humidity dome and care for it as normal.
It’s a sensitive plant, so it’s important to do all of this with minimal root disturbance, ideally during a springtime repotting. Be as gentle as possible, and always use sterile tools and containers to avoid introducing disease.
Common Calathea Warscewiczii Pests and Diseases
Calathea warscewiczii is prone to many of the same pests and diseases that other tropical houseplants reckon with. To keep your plant safe, always quarantine any new plants you bring home before exposing them to your existing plants to avoid introducing pests and diseases from the nursery or outdoors.
Inspect your plant regularly for signs of these common pests and diseases. The earlier you catch them, the easier they will be to treat:
Mealybugs
Mealybugs look like little clumps of white cotton underneath your plant’s leaves and on its stem. They enjoy the same warm conditions your Calathea warscewiczii likes and feed on its sap. If mealybugs take over your plant, they will weaken it and cause the leaves to yellow and curl.
To get rid of mealybugs, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently wipe them off. Neem oil can also help disrupt their lifecycle. To prevent mealybugs from coming back, avoid overfertilizing your plant, and keep moisture levels in check.
Mites
Yellowing or speckling on your plant’s leaves could indicate a mite problem. This occurs when the mites suck the chlorophyll from the leaves. Their webs are so small that they can easily be mistaken for dust, so you might not spot the mites themselves.
If you notice mites on your plant, quarantine it immediately. Then use a strong spray of water to physically remove them. You can also use insecticidal soap to wash them off.
Neem oil is an effective way to deter mites from coming back.
Scale
Scale are legless insects that look like little lumps on your Calathea warscewiczii’s leaves. They can multiply quickly, laying hundreds of eggs that then hatch into translucent crawling insects until they latch permanently onto a part of the plant.
The best way to remove scale insects is using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Scrub them off the leaves and stems, being as thorough as possible since the smaller scale insects can be hard to spot.
As with mites, neem oil is a great organic treatment to deter them from returning.
Leaf Spot
Leaf spot can be caused by several different fungi that survive on dead and decaying parts of the plant. They appear as small brown or black spots with yellow borders, which gradually take over and kill the leaves.
To treat leaf spot, prune off any affected foliage. Be careful not to bring the infected leaves into contact with any healthy parts of the plant because leaf spot can easily spread.
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas is a particularly contagious form of leaf spot that creates dark green and black lesions on your plant’s leaves. If you notice pseudomonas on your Calathea warscewiczii, you can try treating it with a copper bactericide, but these are often ineffective. To prevent it from spreading, it’s usually best to safely destroy your plant.
Fusarium
Fusarium is a soil-borne fungus also known as “damping off.” It eats both living and decayed plant material, so it can quickly destroy your plant. You’ll notice fusarium when it causes your Calathea warscewiczii leaves to yellow and curl and the branches to wilt. It can be particularly devastating to small seedlings and cuttings. The damage usually travels from the roots upwards.
Using sterile tools is an important way to prevent the spread of fusarium. To treat it, wash the roots of your plant clean to remove any soil and completely replace it.
Cucumber Mosaic Virus
Cucumber mosaic virus or CMV appears as bright yellow jagged streaks on your plant’s leaves. It won’t do much damage to your Calathea warscewiczii, but can easily spread to other plants that can’t handle the virus well.
To treat cucumber mosaic virus, trim off any infected parts of your plant.
Frequently Asked Questions About Calathea Warscewiczii
Answers to some of the most common questions about this lovely but temperamental houseplant.
Is Calathea warscewiczii toxic to pets?
No, Calathea warscewiczii is non-toxic to both humans and animals. It’s safe to grow indoors around children and pets.
Is Calathea warscewiczii easy to care for?
Unfortunately, Calathea Warscewiczii is among the more demanding and difficult houseplants to care for. It is very sensitive to hard water and requires the right levels of humidity to thrive. It’s certainly not a set-and-forget kind of plant and is best for those who enjoy giving their houseplants lots of care and attention. Beginner plant parents might prefer a lower maintenance choice to get started.
Do the leaves of Calathea warscewiczii close at night?
Yes! Calathea warscewiczii is part of the prayer plant (Marantaceae) family, so it responds to changes in light and temperature. It will fold its leaves up at night and open again in the morning.
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