Calathea

Calathea is a genus of plants in the family Marantaceae, native to tropical America, mainly Brazil and Peru, many of the species are popular as houseplants or ornament, some known as prayer or zebra. It comprises 689 described species, and of these, only 287 are accepted.

Description

They are herbaceous, rhizomatous plants, which in their spontaneous state can reach a meter in height, while if they are cultivated they do not exceed 50-60 cm. It has very beautiful leaves, with extraordinary colors in alternating greens, pinks and purples, in various shades and shades.

Used as houseplants: in tropical regions they make splendid garden plants.

Being a jungle plant, it should remain in a warm room between (16 and 20 °C), humid and in a position where it has partial shade, never direct sun. They need diffused light, no sun direct, they do not support temperatures below 18 °C and need humid environments.

For its cultivation in a pot, it requires 3 parts of litter soil, 3 parts of garden soil, 3 parts of peat and 1 part of sand. The possible change of pot is done at the end of winter. Its multiplication is done by division of the plants at the beginning of spring.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Meyer and published in Primitiae Florae Essequeboensis... 6–7. 1818.

Some species

Calathea albertii
Calathea allouia
Calathea capitata (Ruiz & Pav.) Lindl. - achira de monte in Peru
Calathea crocata
Calathea galdamesiana
Calathea lancifolia
Calathea loeseneri
Calathea louisae
Calathea lutea
Calathea macrosepala K. Schum
Calathea majestica
Calathea makoyana
Calathea orbifolia
Calathea ornata
Calathea roseopicta
Calathea rufibarba
Calathea tiroi
Calathea undulata
Calathea warscewiczii
Calathea zebrina