Calathea Picturata Argentea Silver Variegated Calathea 70 cm - 110 cm

 Calathea picturata Argentea has pale, silvery-green, ovate leaves with dark green band around the outer edges. and wine red undersides that are held singly on tall stems. Flowers, if produced, are white, small and formed in spikes in summer.

This plant is a special, highly-decorative houseplant with colourful, variegated foliage. It is a houseplant that really purifies the air, so it is a true eye-catcher in every interior that also makes a contribution to a better and healthier indoor climate.

Calathea is also called the living plant because it closes its leaves at night and opens them again in the morning. The plant owes this ability to a small joint between the leaf and stem. Light moves the joints and, as a result, Calatheas leaves open and close - which is sometimes accompanied by a rustling sounds. 

Light: Like most types of Calathea the Calathea Picturata needs to be kept out of direct sunlight to prevent leaf scorching. It will do well in medium to bright light conditions as long as it is protected from direct light. A common sign that your plant is receiving too much light is leaf curling. If the light is too intense for the Calathea then the leaves will start to curl in on themselves for protection. This is a method used to try and conserve water.

Watering: Calathea Picturata need to be watered often and do not like being left to dry out. Of course this doesn’t mean you should be watering them daily and they won’t do well sitting in water logged soil but feel the top two inches of soil and as it starts to dry out give your plant a drink, do not wait for the for pot to have dried out.

Fertiliser: Calathea Picturata can be sensitive to fertiliser and if the mix is too strong it can cause burning on the leaves. To prevent this we would recommend diluting the fertiliser and using it on your plant approximately once a month during the growing season. If you find the fertiliser is still too strong then try watering your plant before adding fertiliser so that the plant sucks up the water first and the fertiliser gets diluted further. Do not fertilise during the winter months.

Humidity: Calathea Picturata will do well in higher humidity. They can tolerate medium level humidity but will start to suffer in dry air. If the air is too dry for the plant it can cause crisping of the leaves. As this is a plant that likes things moist we would recommend using a humidifier to increase the levels in your home. Our favourite model if the Levoit humidifier as it has a large capacity, hot and cold mist and a humidity detector so you can set your device to put out a certain amount of humidity and it will automate this itself.

Toxicity: Non-toxic to pets 

Origin: native to northwest Brazil

70 cm plant supplied in nursery plastic pot: ϕ-17cm x h-16m (Please note that decorative pot  from the picture not included) 

110 cm plant supplied in nursery plastic pot: ϕ-21cm x h-20m (Please note that decorative pot  from the picture not included)