Calathea care
Goeppertia (formerly Calathea) spp. — also called Prayer plant, Peacock plant, Rattlesnake plant. Everything below is the same data Plantroster uses to schedule care for this species.
Care at a glance
| Light | Medium indirect. Tolerates low-medium. No direct sun at all — it bleaches and crisps. |
|---|---|
| Water | About every 5 days in summer, every 9 in winter. Let the top 0.5" dry first. |
| Soil | Standard houseplant mix — 7 parts potting mix, 3 parts perlite |
| Humidity | At least 55%, happiest near 70% |
| Temperature | 65–80°F. Cold damage below 55°F; heat stress in sun above 90°F. |
| Feeding | Every ~45 days while actively growing. Nothing in winter. |
| Repotting | Every 2 years, or when roots circle the pot |
| Tap water | Fluoride-sensitive — use distilled or rainwater |
| Pets & children | Non-toxic to cats and dogs — one of the safest choices for pet households. |
What people get wrong about calathea
Crispy brown edges are the #1 complaint and the cause is usually tap water, not humidity. Calatheas are genuinely fluoride- and salt-sensitive — switch to distilled or rainwater.
Leaves folding up at night ("praying") is normal. Leaves staying folded during the day means it is thirsty or cold.
Common problems
Watch for spider mites, thrips, fungus gnats. Check leaf undersides monthly — backlighting a leaf against a window is the fastest way to catch mite webbing before an infestation takes hold.
Plantroster tracks this plant's watering, feeding and repotting cadence against your actual weather — and tells you when a cold night or heatwave means moving it.
Open PlantrosterCalathea FAQ
How often should I water a calathea?
Roughly every 5 days in the growing season and every 9 days in winter, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule — light, pot size and your home's warmth all shift it. Keep lightly and evenly moist, never soggy and never bone dry. This is the fussiest part of owning one.
Is calathea toxic to cats and dogs?
No. Non-toxic to cats and dogs — one of the safest choices for pet households.
How much light does a calathea need?
Medium indirect is ideal, and it will cope with low-medium. No direct sun at all — it bleaches and crisps.
Why does my calathea have brown tips?
Calathea is genuinely sensitive to fluoride and salts in tap water — brown tips on this species usually mean your water, not dry air. Switch to distilled or collected rainwater and flush the pot to leach out accumulated salts. Filter pitchers do not remove fluoride.
What soil is best for calathea?
Standard houseplant mix: 7 parts potting mix, 3 parts perlite. Bagged potting soil alone stays too wet in an indoor pot; perlite fixes the drainage.
Other plant guides
General horticultural guidance, not a substitute for inspecting your own plant. Toxicity notes are a starting point — if a pet or child has eaten part of a plant, contact a vet or poison control rather than relying on this page.