Calathea crocata is a perennial flowering herbaceous rhizome plant found in humid tropical coastal climates in South America. The stem is short, large dark green leaves are oval in shape and reach about 30 cm in length. The flowering period of each flower does not last long (approximately 10-12 days), and begins around January-February or early March. The flowers are colored orange-red and are collected in inflorescences that are on long peduncles.
Caring for calathea saffron at home
Calathea as a houseplant is considered quite capricious and requires a lot of attention and patience. In the spring-summer period, the flower grows and develops beautifully, but with the arrival of cold weather and a short daylight hours, it plunges into a depressed state. Insufficient natural light and dry air in the room due to central heating can even kill the plant. It is very important to create comfortable living conditions for calathea, full development and excellent flowering will depend on them.
Location and lighting
The plant, picky about the level of illumination, painfully reacts to the lack and excess of light. The light should be bright, but not in direct sunlight. Diffused lighting on the windowsills on the west and east sides of the room will be ideal for saffron calathea.
Temperature
The tropical plant Calathea saffron is very fond of moderate heat without cold airing in cold months and without temperature fluctuations in the room. The optimum temperature is from 21 to 24 degrees Celsius. This temperature range must be maintained throughout the year. A drop in temperature below 18 degrees can lead to the death of the plant. When growing calathea on a windowsill, it is strongly not recommended to open the vents in the cold season.
Watering
Irrigation water must be necessarily filtered or settled, without lime and chlorine impurities. Abundant watering of saffron calathea is carried out in the spring and summer months. During the growing season, it is necessary to maintain a constant light soil moisture. The frequency of irrigation and the volume of irrigation water decrease in the autumn-winter period. At this time, the soil surface should dry out slightly before the next watering.
Air humidity
The optimum moisture level for saffron calathea is from 65% to 70%. This level should be constant throughout the year. Even regular daily spraying will not be able to accomplish such a task, especially during the heating season, when the air is dried out thanks to central heating or various other heating devices. This problem can be solved by using a pallet with moistened expanded clay and constant spraying, as well as a plastic bag that covers the plant at night.You can choose the wettest room or florarium as a place for growing calathea.
The soil
The recommended soil mixture for growing saffron calathea consists of humus, peat soil, coarse river sand (one part of each component) and leaf soil (two parts). For looseness, lightness and good air permeability of the soil, it is necessary to add a small amount of perlite, charcoal and chopped pine bark to the mixture. The plant requires slightly acidic soil. You can purchase a ready-made substrate that is prepared for growing plants from the Marantov family.
Top dressing and fertilizers
A flowering plant especially needs complex feeding intended for ornamental indoor plants during the growing season. Fertilizers are recommended to be applied regularly every 2 weeks.
Transfer
In the first 3-4 years, the calathea needs an annual transplant, and as it grows up, this procedure is carried out only when necessary, when the root part does not fit in the flower container.
Given the structural features of the root system of the calathea, the transplant container must be purchased wide, but small in depth. First, a drainage layer is laid on the bottom, then a plant is placed, the rhizome of which is covered with sphagnum moss, and then a soil mixture.
Preparing for flowering
Before the beginning of the formation of buds in the period from October to December, you must:
- Maintain adequate lighting for at least 10 hours during the day;
- Use any opaque flower cover at night.
Reproduction of calathea saffron
The main methods of reproduction of calathea are seeds, root suckers, division of the rhizome.
Diseases and pests
The main pests are thrips, spider mites, scale insects. Preventive measures for calathea are a regular warm shower, and when pests appear, chemical treatment.
Growing difficulties
Violation of the rules of care leads to various diseases and changes in the external data of the flower. For instance:
- An excess of moisture in the soil leads to the appearance of rot on the leaf plates;
- Bright sunlight makes the leaves appear pale green;
- Dry indoor air, lack of moisture and low temperature promotes curling and falling of leaves, wilting of stems.
