A house without flowers is empty; it lacks comfort and warmth. Therefore, the green corners in urban apartments are so attractive as small oases in the midst of everyday fuss. How many bright emotions awaits the one who chooses suitable home flowers for his apartment. Calathea - able to decorate the house with its presence. With what pride the amateur florist shows his friends bright unusual leaves on a green bush in the corner of the room! The flower has a feature: in the evenings it picks up leaves, as if reaching for the sun.
This perennial shrub belongs to the family of arrowroots, in height it can reach sixty centimeters. They love moisture and perfectly develop in the shade of these flowers. Calathea, whose photo is presented in the article, looks beautiful and unusual. She has noticeable, large leaves, which, depending on the variety, can have several color options. For example, Makoya calathea is distinguished by oblong leaves. On the one hand they are silver-green in color with dark green longitudinal stripes, and on the other purple. The leaves of the calathea decorated on the outside have stripes of green and pink.
In order for the calathea flower to grow safely, he needs to create the necessary conditions similar to his native tropics. The most suitable place for a flower is a greenhouse or conservatory. In the room where the pot with the plant is located, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 22 to 24 degrees Celsius, in winter it should be at least 18 ° C. The room should have a diffused, soft light. Exposed sunlight to the flower is contraindicated. Calathea does not like drafts, so when airing a room (especially in winter), the plant must be removed from the window sill. The plant suffers from dust and tobacco smoke.
Since the flower loves moisture, it is necessary to maintain the level of humidity in the room. To do this, the calathea flower in the pot is installed on a pallet with wet pebbles. In summer, the plant must be abundantly watered, at this time it is recommended to spray from the spray gun. In winter, the flower is watered regularly, but in moderation. To do this, use soft, warm, settled water. It should not contain chlorine.
It is better to grow a plant in a shallow but wide pot. The soil for planting a flower is prepared from the ground - turf and leaf, peat, sand and compost. During the warm season, the calathea flower begins to grow rapidly. It is recommended 1-2 times a month to feed the plant. Organic fertilizers are suitable for this purpose. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the leaves of the flower. Due to the excess nitrogen in the fertilizers, they can change color, and the whitish patterns on the leaves turn green. Once in two or three years the plant must be transplanted. The best time for this is spring. Propagation of the flower is possible by dividing the bush or cuttings. Saplings with the root system are placed in a separate container with peat moist soil and placed in a shady place. Calathea flower will develop safely, subject to the following rules. It is important to monitor the temperature regime, air humidity, the amount of light and the amount of watering, otherwise the plant may become sick and lose attractiveness.