Calathea warscewiczii is a evergreen tropical species that originates from the tropics of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The plant produces big showy leaves that are maroon-purple on the bottom side and the petioles are also maroon-purple. Contrastingly the leaves have different shades of green on their upper side, dark green on the sides of the leave and bright green in the middle along its main vein, which creates a fishtail like pattern. Their velvety-soft surface make the leaves even more admirable. Because of its showy appearance Calathea warscewiczii is also nicknamed the peacock-plant. Calathea plants are also known as prayer plants, since the plants ‘close’ during the night to ‘open’ again during the morning. Araflora thinks this plant is a magnificent addition to your urban-jungle and it will definitely be worth that extra bit of care.

Calathea warscewiczii thrives with temperatures between 18°C to 27°C. Try avoid big shifts in temperatures since this might damage the beautiful leaves. The plant is rather sensitive to direct (bright) sunlight, it can already quickly cause scorching of the leaves and/or curling of the leaves. Therefore Araflora advises to place the plant in an area with more light exposure during the winter but provide it with partial shade and indirect sunlight during the summer months. Araflora provides Calathea warscewiczii with a well-draining soil. During the winter months you can let the soil dry out a little before watering again. Remember that frequency of watering is more important than the amount of watering, hence you can water it twice a week during the summer period in order to keep it soggy but not drenched. Watering is best done with bottled or distilled water, while regular tap water might be too hard or too impure and therefore harm the plants root system. While Calathea warscewiczii also likes a high humidity level, Araflora advises to keep the pot in something like a pebble tray with water to a least keep the humidity level above 50%, but preferably around 70%. Keep the humidity level at a descent level during the winter months, while dry air might stimulate pests like spider mites. The spot you keep Calathea warscewiczii in should preferably be draft free to prevent curling of the leaves. According to Araflora Calathea warscewiczii is best fertilized with a water soluble fertilizer, twice a month from spring to autumn. Calathea warscewiczii is very sensitive to overfertilization so stick to the instruction for dilution of the product to prevent overfertilization. In order to keep the plant in a nice shape, pruning can be done during the autumn. If needed Araflora advises to repot Calathea warscewiczii during the spring, it is mostly done every two years.