Scientific name - crispy Calathea, Calathea insignis, Calathea makoyana, Calathea zebrina.

Distribution and Habitat - originating in South America, Brazil.

Species Description:

Calathea crispy - leaves oval-lanceolata, shot in dark green metallic purple and gray spots. Flowers small, orange, elongated, rigid stem, longer than leaves.

Calathea insignis - caulescenta, 2-3 M high. Petiole long, brown at the base. Language leaves to ovat ovat-elliptic, top short acuminata, the round or obtuse, dark green on top with green central rib, except nervurii glabra. Blossom terminal, spike side flat, narrow oblong, 15-40 cm long, peduncle 25 cm long, 4,5-6 cm wide; bractei green-yellow, yellow flowers, 2,5-3,5 cm long. Blooms in June-November (in the natural environment). Fruit capsule, obovoida, 1 cm long.

Calathea makoyana (Maranta makoyana) - 60 cm high, leaves ovata, 33 x 16 cm, light green and cream, with dark green elliptical spots. Blossom with white flowers.

Calathea zebrina - was introduced in Europe in 1815, in the UK. Robust herb 80-100 cm tall. Frunze lanceolata to oblong-elliptic, open green dark green stripe, green esre main rib on the outside and red-purple on the underside. Blossom spike, 10 cm long; bractei green with purple spots and dark purple and white flowers. Pollination is done by insects.

Requirements - does not support direct sun, filtered light indicated exhibitions. Direct light causing dry leaves on the side. Temparatura optimal for these species is around 18-21 ˚ C.

Summer fertilizeaza with liquid fertilizers (NPK 10:30:10) at 2 weeks.

Management - 2-3 wet summer days and winter every 10-14 days. The leaves are not sprayed with water. All species of Calathea prefers to be watered with rain water, tap water can cause drying plant.

Propagation - division is made once every 4 years in June, when they can and multiply by division rizomuluand, allow the piece of rhizome 3.4 leaves. Do not use very deep pots because they superficially radical system.

Subtratul favorite is the peat.

Pests and diseases - if Portine dried on the leaves is due to an environment too dry, not held close to sources of heat, radiators.

Natural partners and Garden - Aglaonema commutatum 'Silver Queen'.

References

Horace F. Clay, James C. Hubbard - The Hawai'i Garden Tropical Exotics - University of Hawai'i Press, 1987

Michael Hickey - 100 Families of Flowering Plants - Cambridge University Press, 1988

Thomas Croat - Flora of Barro Colorado Island - Stanford University Press, 1978