The Calathea roseopicta is a strikingly beautiful, easy to care for houseplant that thrives indoors when given a nice spot in view of a window with bright, indirect light, making it also a great option for offices with plenty of windows.
Also known as the Rose-Painted Calathea, and commonly as the Prayer Plant, the roseopicta features dark green tropical foliage with variegations and pastels of light green and pink on the top, and burgundy, pink and purple undersides on large oval leaves, with an almost hand-painted effect from the midrib to the leaf edges.
This stunning indoor plant originates from the rainforests of Brazil and so loves to be watered thoroughly each week and with a little extra humidity, but it is no trouble as a houseplant in most conditions. Your tropical plant will reward you with a long-lasting, beautiful leaves that will keep your air clean and oxygenated, improving the atmosphere of any room.
Easy to care for with once weekly watering, requiring no special equipment or growing mediums, if this is the plant for you, see our buyers guide below, and our full care guide here.
Calathea roseopicta In The House & Office
The Calathea roseopicta needs a good amount of light and warmth. Keep in mind that this plant grows on the floor of rainforests and will naturally see bright, but indirect light, and does well in typical room temperatures.
This can be ideal in homes and offices with plenty of natural light, but being next to a south-facing window will subject it to too much direct light, and around five feet or so from that window will be bright, indirect light which is perfect for your plant.
A few feet from north, west and east facing windows is also appropriate.
If your plant’s designated location is quite dull, you may need to supplement it with artificial lighting. If you have a light meter, the ideal range is 10,000 to 20,000 lux.
The large leaves attract dust and produce a good amount of fresh oxygen and humidity, keeping the air clean and healthy, which is ideal for office environments where the air is often stagnant and dry.
Calathea roseopicta Size
Height: 50-60cm / 20-24in / 1.64-1.96ft
Spread: 50-60cm / 20-24in / 1.64-1.96ft
Calathea roseopicta Care
Soil: Your Calathea roseopicta likes fertile, organic potting soil, with a once-weekly watering when the first inch of soil feels dry. The potting mix should be moist but you should never let your plant sit in wet, saturated soil, as it may develop root rot.
Humidity: To give it the humidity levels it wants, you can use a humidifier, mist the plant and surrounding area regularly, or stand the pot in a tray of pebbles and water.
Feeding: It can be fed with an organic fertilizer every couple of weeks during summer, but you should skip feeding during autumn and winter, only to restart again with a light feed during spring. If the plant stops sprouting new growth during late summer this helps you to know when to stop feeding.
Temperature: Room temperature is typically fine, but 18-24°C / 64-75°F is the ideal range that will keep your plant happy and sprouting new, healthy leaves.
Ailments: The most common ailments include burning / brown leaves, which suggests that the plant needs more humidity, and the loss of its signature leaf patterns, which suggests that the plant needs a little less light.
Further Care: To help your plant thrive, read our full guide detailing everything your plant needs to grow into an impressive part of your collection, see our full care guide to the Calathea roseopicta.
Where To Buy Calathea roseopicta Online
- Ebay (UK) / (USA)
- Etsy
- Bloombox Club (UK) / (USA)
- Local Facebook Groups
Finding the perfect rose-painted calathea online is not too difficult as this is not an incredibly rare plant, but you should still look out for reputable sellers and make sure that reviews are positive and reliable.
On marketplaces (ebay / etsy etc) always closely inspect photos and request more feedback from sellers if you are unsure of the condition of the plant.
If you do purchase online, check your plant for pests and diseases and promptly complain and return it if you are not happy. Never settle for a plant that does not meet your needs and never introduce a diseased or infested plant to the rest of your (houseplant) family.
FAQ
Is the Calathea roseopicta toxic to animals or humans?
No, this plant is not known to be toxic to any animals or humans. So, if your pet does happen to have a nibble, they should be OK (but your plant may be a little unhappy).
How much humidity does it need?
50-60% humidity is required for this plant to thrive, but it can often do well in climates below these levels. If your plant does show signs of stress, such as through curling leaves, increasing the humidity may help.
Does it flower?
Yes, this plant will produce some flowers if properly taken care of. These flowers aren’t particularly showy, as this plant is better known for the quality of its foliage.
