Calathea louisae, commonly known as Thai Beauty, is a lovely tropical plant that is famous for its alternating bands of dark green and bright yellow on its leaves. The leaves have a purple underside, which is an added visual treat. As the sun sets each day, the leaves of this plant are carefully lifted to a position that evokes the gesture of a person praying.
About Calathea Louisae Plant
Table of Contents
Origin
Calathea louisae is a popular plant native to the Brazilian jungle, making tropical forests its natural habitat. This plant is classified as a Marantaceae family member.
Like many other members of the Marantaceae family, this Thai Beauty is also known as a prayer plant. These plants fold up and down in response to changes in temperature and light.
Growth
The sort of Calathea you have will determine how well it grows in your environment. Calathea is a slow-growing plant, typical of those adapted to dim conditions. It grows at a normal rate but won’t outgrow its container. Calathea plants often cease growing at the height of about 2 feet. After that, you only need to remove any crispy brown or yellow leaves.
Flowering
Although Calathea blooms are common in the wild, they are less common in the home. With a few notable exceptions, such as the Calathea species C. crocata, which can produce stunning orange blossoms, this is generally true. When compared to other Calathea species, this one has bright green leaves with different colors on the underside of the leaves.
Calathea Louisae Care
Calathea louisae care can be a challenge for new gardeners. Read on to ensure that your plant flourishes without any hassle.
Light Requirements for Calathea Louisae
Calathea louisae prayer plants prefer cool, shady spots; thus, that’s where they naturally occur.
You may achieve this by providing your Calathea with lots of indirect sunlight and some shade. Don’t risk sunburning your Calathea louisae by placing them near a window.
The best way to help your plant flourish is to locate a north-facing window that receives a great deal of direct sunlight. Then, locate a spot a few feet away to put your prayer plant. Your plant’s shadow should be hazy when the sun shines through the window.
During the day, you may take readings with a light meter to get a sense of the ambient brightness.
Up to two hours of direct sunlight is fine for your Calathea louisae; however, you should try to keep them out of the sun whenever possible. Installing a sheer curtain over the window can shield your plant from direct sun.
Soil Requirements for Calathea Louisae
Calathea louisae is highly sensitive to soil conditions, which greatly affects its overall quality and viability. The foundation of Thai plant care is paying attention to the condition of the soil and enhancing its quality in an indoor space.
The ideal consistency would be moist, pliable, and nutrient-dense. It must be dense enough to hold the plant’s weight but porous enough to let the roots breathe. Including perlite sand with the peat will cause a reduction in density. First-time gardeners purchase and employ a ready-made soil mix and organic nutrients. It is quick and easy, assuming you have access to good soil for your houseplants.
Put in some decomposed fir, larch, spruce, or pine needles if you like. It drains efficiently, is nutrient-rich, and is relatively loose. It’s similar to leafy soil in composition but even more porous and aerated. You can also mix charcoal, bark chips, and dried manure.
Water Requirements for Calathea Louisae
You should keep the soil slightly damp and water it regularly to help your plant grow. However, you must be careful! Never submerge the soil in water. The health of the leaves can be used to fine-tune the care regimen. It’s the best method for producing a suitable setting for the growth of this plant.
This equilibrium is accomplished through regular watering to keep the soil moist but also by allowing it to dry out between watering episodes. These plants need to be watered every two to three days when exposed to warmer temperatures.
During the colder months, your Calathea louisae has to be watered three to four times per week. Cut back on your water use. When water is poured into the pot, it should quickly and easily drain out of the bottom of the pot. Always make sure the drains are clean and open.
When watering, it’s important not to get any on the leaves. The leaves may become yellow due to fungal diseases. It’s best to just dump enough water on the ground and hope for the best.
Inadequately moist soil can kill this stunning plant. The leaves will begin to turn brown and become crispy as a result.
The water’s quality is crucial for this species. Members of this family of plants are particularly susceptible to the corrosive effects of the minerals commonly found in municipal water supplies. Use collected rainwater, bottled water, or boiled tap water to keep these problems at bay. Remember that Calathea plants are extremely sensitive to chlorine.
Humidity Requirements for Calathea Louisae
Calathea louisae, like many other Amazonian rainforest natives, thrives in damp conditions. Humidity levels between 50 and 60 percent are ideal for the plant. If the ideal humidity level is not met, Calathea will not thrive.
Even if you live in a humid region, the humidity levels in your home may be too low for your plant. The heating and cooling system is a major factor in the relative humidity inside a building. When the temperature inside is raised during the winter, humidity levels drop significantly.
Similarly, all central air conditioning systems contain built-in dehumidifiers that significantly reduce indoor humidity during the summer months. Therefore, before changing the humidity levels inside your home, it’s important to consider everything involved.
Create a humid atmosphere by including clustering plants, covering them with transparent polythene, or misting them. It’s important to supply adequate humidity for plants, yet some people mist them too much. Mist water that sits on the foliage for an extended period of time, especially overnight, can lead to fungal illnesses and spots. You can ensure that your plants always have the ideal amount of moisture in the air by utilizing a humidifier.
Temperature Requirements for Calathea Louisae
Although it may be cultivated in temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, Calathea louisae thrives in higher temps. The weather is always the same in its natural habitat. Therefore, the plant is sensitive to temperature fluctuations and can only adapt to changes of up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit. The Calathea louisae you care for will be safe from the effects of extreme temperatures. Therefore, when keeping your plant inside, make sure to do it in a spot that does not receive draughts from either the air conditioning or the heating system.
Fertilizing Calathea Louisae
Fertilize your Calathea Thai Beauty once every month with standard houseplant fertilizer. However, you must be careful during the winter season. While the plant is not actively growing and may enter dormancy, less fertilizer should be applied. Adding fertilizer to the soil when your plants aren’t actively absorbing all the nutrients might lead to salt buildup and root burn.
It’s important to dilute the fertilizer since the plants’ roots are more vulnerable to chemical damage if it’s applied undiluted. You should also avoid cheaper fertilizers that are heavy in salt. A fertilizer with a balanced ratio of phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium should do fine for this plant.
There is a risk of over-fertilizing houseplants; therefore, you must exercise caution. If you over-fertilize your Calathea Thai Beauty, you risk damaging the plant’s roots and leaves and even killing it. Over-fertilization can cause yellowing and browning of the leaf tips.
Pruning Calathea Louisae
Regular trimming is unnecessary for the Calathea louisae. Remove any unhealthy or discolored leaves by hand or with sanitized pruning shears to maintain the plant’s beauty. You can stop the spread of pathogens and promote new growth by removing diseased leaves immediately.
The splendor of the Calathea louisae plant’s foliage is enhanced by regular cleaning. If you want your plant to look its best, wipe its leaves off with a damp towel every so often. Small pores in the leaves of the Calathea louisea allow the plant to take in oxygen. Use caution while applying any kind of shine or wax product to the plant life since doing so can clog the pores and cause damage. As a result, your plant’s health may suffer.
Propagating Calathea Louisae
Calathea louisae is typically propagated by division in the spring or fall.
If you’re a novice gardener and have no experience propagating Calathea louisae, don’t worry. Take care of your Calathea plant by following these simple instructions:
Carefully remove your plant from its container first. Never disturb the root system of this plant.
Remove it from its container and carefully sever the roots where you can see that the plant has already begun to grow in two separate directions.
Separate the young Calathea Louisae plants and place them in new potting soil in their own pots. Confirm if the new soil shares the same characteristics as the original.
It takes new plants a couple of weeks to establish their roots. Keep the young plants in a warm, humid setting. Temperatures between 67 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit are optimal for propagation.
Treat your cuttings the same way you would your parent plant by placing them in an area with bright indirect light.
Repotting Calathea Louisae
You should repot your young Calathea louisae in the spring. Plants of a suitable age need only be repotted once every two years.
Make sure to purchase a container with drainage holes that is somewhat larger than the one your plant is currently in before you repot it. Get some new potting soil ready for your project. It is important to check the roots for any signs of disease or infection whenever you repot a plant.
Recurring Issues
Knowing the most typical issues that can arise with your Calathea louisae will allow you to take care of them as quickly as possible should anything go wrong.
Yellow Leaves
There are instances when leaf yellowing is a normal occurrence. However, if your plant has bright yellow stripes and is turning yellow all over, it’s probably because you’re watering it too much. It’s easy to solve this issue by reducing the watering frequency.
Curling Leaves
To protect itself from heat, your plant’s leaves may curl inward. You can solve the problem by relocating your plant to a cooler area.
Droopy Leaves
Because of their habit of closing their leaves at night and opening them again in the morning, reminiscent of a prayer, Calatheas are commonly referred to as “prayer plants.” Therefore, you should not be concerned by the drooping of leaves since this is a natural occurrence.
For a plant to have drooping leaves for an extended period of time may signal that it needs water. You can get your plant back to its upright position after a fast drink of water.
Brown Leaves
There are various potential causes for the brown tips of the leaves. A little trial and error will reveal the problem, and soon you’ll have a flourishing plant.
The first step is to eliminate any leaves that have turned brown. Removing more than 20% of the leaves at once may shock the plant; thus, you should remove the leaves in phases.
Even after you’ve given your plant a thorough cleaning, a drop in water quality may be to blame for its browning leaves. While it may seem convenient to just refill potted plants with tap water, many people don’t realize that the minerals, chlorine, and fluoride found in water supplies can damage the plants’ delicate leaf tips and even kill them. To avoid this, you can either buy a filtration jug or leave some water in an open container to filter out any harmful pollutants in it.
The frequency with which you water your Calathea could also be to blame for the discoloration of its leaves. Before adding more water, be sure the top few inches of soil have dried out to prevent over- or under-watering.
Diseases and Pests
Aphids, spider mites, scale, fungus gnats, thrips, and mealybugs are the most likely pests to attack your Calathea louisae plants. Moreover, fungal infections and root rot are among the most widespread ailments.
A plant that has been grown and cared for properly is less likely to fall victim to pests and illnesses. Here are some options if the pests or diseases continue to plague your home:
Pest-infested plants should be kept in isolation.
Make sure your plant stays alive and well. When faced with an infestation, a healthy Calathea louisae will fare better than one that isn’t doing so well.
If you see that the plants are beginning to collect dust, wipe them properly.
Remove any diseased or decaying branches.
Check your plants for signs of pest damage every few days.
Keep young plants in their own environment for a week.
Use a powerful stream of water from a garden hose to knock off the pests on your plant.
Eliminate and prevent pests by regular applications of neem oil.
Remove any diseased or damaged leaves with clean secateurs.
Conclusion
Although this indoor plant is difficult to care for, its beautiful flowers and deep green foliage will win your heart and convince you to put in the extra effort. This plant can enliven any space with its vibrant colors and distinctive overall design. As an added bonus, Calathea louisae is said to bring joy and prosperity into the home, making it a wonderful token of appreciation for loved ones.
Since the Calanthea plant contains no toxic components, it can be grown everywhere. In fact, these plants are famous for being office plants. Naturally, you need to be careful if your pet likes to gnaw on plants. With proper care, your plant might be the envy of every plant enthusiast.
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