Plant Care - Calathea
The prayer flower is a species of the Maranta genus of the Marantaceae family. It is also mostly known as Calathea (Caladya). However, this plant, scientifically referred to as Maranta, takes its name from the Italian botanist Bartolomeo Maranta. The prayer flower takes its name from the physical changes it undergoes. With the sunset and the arrival of night, the flower takes on an appearance resembling the hands of a person praying. The prayer flower, which resembles a work of art with its leaves as if drawn with a pencil, adds freshness to living spaces. This plant, discovered by the Italian botanist, has 20 accepted subspecies and all undergo the same physical changes.
The Most Popular Types of the Prayer Flower (Caladya)
Calathea Makoyana Calathea Roseopicta Calathea Lancifolia
Calathea Ornata Calathea Orbifolia Calathea Louisae
Calathea Ecuadoriana Calathea Warscewiczii Calathea Veitchiana
How to Water: The easy-care prayer flower needs a lot of moisture. For this reason, it is important to check the soil at regular intervals, give equal amounts of water before it dries out too much, and moisten the leaves with a spray. When the leaves lose moisture, curling and brown spots begin.
How Should Light and Heat Be?:
In Turkey, it is preferred as an indoor plant due to regional climate differences. The most ideal environment for the prayer flower, which does not need direct sunlight, is half sun and half shade. If it receives light from only one side, changing its direction every few weeks will ensure that its leaves benefit from equal amounts of sunlight. The most ideal ambient temperature for the prayer flower, which cannot withstand very cold weather, during the development period is 20-23 degrees. In places where the temperature drops below 5 degrees, its leaves and stems begin to dry.
How Should Pot and Soil Change Be?:
The prayer flower likes warm and airy soil. Soil with plenty of humus and vitamins and minerals should be preferred. Due to its large and showy leaves, choosing pots that are larger than necessary is not right for the roots of the plant. Wide but not too deep pots should be preferred and changing every 2-3 years is sufficient.
Calathea
