Goeppertia zebrina(akaCalathea zebrina)
You may have heard that zebra calathea is a slimly fussy plant to grow . I ’d care to convince you that the care involved is well worth it .
All it takes really is learning what this tropic species needs so you could successfully meet its requirement .
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G. zebrinain bloom. Photo by Raffi Kojian, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY_SA.
That ’s what we ’ll discuss in this clause – how to spring up and care for this houseplant , fromAto … well , Zebrina !
Here ’s what I ’ll cover :
What You’ll Learn
Cultivation and History
Zebra calathea is a character ofprayer plant , an evergreen herbaceous recurrent grown for its striking , stripey greenish foliage .
This tropical species has large elliptical leaves which maturate to be 18 inch long or more . These leaf have politic margins and are apply singly on foresightful stems .
The top sides of the leaf have a matte , velvety texture and are pale green with a wan light-green midvein , and wide , dark green stripes that are forked at the leaf leeway .
The undersides of the leaves are light green or sometimes purple .
Another characteristic of zebrina , and other orison plants , is that novel leaf emerge rolled up and slowly unfurl .
This metal money has a fountain - alike and spread out growth riding habit , growing to be up to three foot grandiloquent with a three - foot spread .
Although specimens prevent as houseplants rarely flower , zebrina produces large , low - growing flowering with blanched and majestic blossom .
One of the fun parts of keeping prayer plants like zebrina and its relativesred venose marantaandpeacock plantis that they exhibit a fascinating behavior called “ nyctinastic movement . ”
These species move their leaves in chemical reaction to nightfall and daybreak .
During the day , the zebra works holds its stalks out with the leaves held more or less horizontally .
But after the sun set , this mintage add its stalk in together , raising its leaves for the night .
In the morning time , after sunrise , it lour its leafage again .
If you have ever garden at night , you may have observed yourpea plantsexhibiting a standardized eccentric of motility in reaction to change daylight . ( Night gardening ? Ca n’t be any crazier thannaked gardening , can it ? )
Zebra calathea is sometimes put off with other houseplants that have interchangeable leaf patterns or portion out a common name . Here are some of the ordinarily confound lookalikes :
One very close lookalike from the same family isG. ecuadoriana , a species that is native to Ecuador .
This prayer plant has a very exchangeable leafage pattern but without the forked chevron . It also differs in that it has pinkish or purple stems , whileG. zebrinahas green stems .
Another houseplant easily confused with the guinea pig of this clause isAphelandra squarrosa . A. squarrosahas a similar appearance toG. zebrinaand , making matters more confusing , goes by the common name “ zebra plant . ”
This species has showy , bright icteric flowers . New leaves do n’t unfurl as do those of our calathea , and the leaves ofA. squarrosaare sour green and white rather than being short and sullen greenness .
One more houseplant usually called “ zebra plant ” isHaworthiopsis fasciata , a succulent species from South Africa .
This succulent , as lovely as it is , does not bear much of a resemblance to the subject of our article beyond its stripe .
And there may be other houseplant that have the same or a interchangeable common name as well .
So if your best friend calls and asks if you want the zebra plant they just inherited , find out which mintage they are referring to before you start decorate your plant life nursery specifically forG. zebrina !
In the wild , this species is aboriginal to Brazil , where it develop on the rainforest floor in humid tropic circumstance in full or mottled shadowiness .
Zebrina is a member of the Marantaceae or petition plant family , whose other members admit species in theMaranta , Stromanthe , andCtenanthegenera .
While the zebra industrial plant was formerly classified in theCalatheagenus , it and many other calatheas were go to a different genus in 2012 have a go at it asGoeppertia .
While now namedGoeppertia zebrinafor the design of taxonomy , this coinage is still usually refer to by its former name , Calathea zebrina . Some source also refer to its botanic name asMaranta zebrina .
Its metal money name , “ zebrina , ” as you may have already guessed , intend “ striped like a zebra . ”
usually , it ’s still called “ zebra calathea . ”
In 1993,G. zebrinawon the Royal Horticultural Society ’s Award of Garden Merit .
While many such honour are typically reserved for hybrids or cultivar that exist only because of the employment of plant breeders , the RHS frequently gives these honour to naturally occur species .
It ’s like they ’re giving out an accolade to nature , and I wholeheartedly concur with their judgement . direction to go , nature !
But in caseful you ’re starting to think zebra calathea would look just as courteous in your backyard as in your living elbow room , reserve on there . You ’ll need to grow this one indoors unless you live inUSDA Hardiness Zones10b or 11 .
Propagation
Calatheas are tricky to propagate from seed , and it ’s not often that these industrial plant flower as houseplant anyway . Your good option for circularise zebra calathea is to do so by divide a mature plant .
Zebrina grows from rhizomes – each rhizome sends up stem , and each base bears a leaf . Have a smell at your plant . If you see more than one clump of stems , that means it can be divided .
For best answer , ensure rhizome clumps have at least three leaves on them .
When you ’re ready to divide , gently separate one clump from the other . Then pot up each clump fit in to the instructions in the repotting section below .
It ’s good to do this cognitive process in spring when zebra calathea is in a period of dynamic growth .
How to Grow Calathea Zebrina
To keep this calathea glad and healthy , check that you make out how to provide it with the care it call for .
Unlikesnake flora , which seem to thrive on carelessness , zebrina will need pretty more frequent attending . Here ’s what you ’ll involve to know :
Choosing a Plant
startle off by select a healthy zebra calathea . appear for a specimen that is without yellow or brown leaves , that is pot in a container with drainage holes , and that is growing in peaty potting soil .
Also look for sign of disease or pest infestation – you ’ll memorise more about these later in the article .
When purchase these houseplants online , you wo n’t have the chance to audit the calathea prior to purchasing , so interpret reviews from other client to get a gumption of the vendor ’s repute .
Also , find out how the trafficker ships the plant – if you are shipping during cold conditions , you may require to request that the vendor commit a heat multitude with your order . In summer , an ice gang may be need to prevent overheating .
Light
The first matter you ’ll require to consider when deciding where to situate your zebra calathea within your plate is idle exposure .
Zebra calatheas prosper when provide with medium , indirect sun . They are alsoadaptable to low , collateral twinkle .
To achieve the idealistic degree of light exposure , position your zebra plant at least a few ft by from any windowpane .
If your main source of light is a south facing windowpane that lets in quite a bit of direct sunshine , move your calathea a few feet further from the windowpane .
A little unmediated sun in the morning hours is okay , but unmediated sun during the middle of the day or in the good afternoon , when the sun ’s rays are at their hot , should be avoided .
place your houseplant at least a few feet away from windows will aid guarantee that the flora is protect from too much light – as well as helping to fulfill its climatical needs . We ’ll get to those shortly .
Note that the useable sun photo will change throughout the year – summertime may bring in less lineal Christ Within through south facing window , while in winter you may see quite intense Sunday ray come through those same window .
This entail you may need to relocate your specimen more or less throughout the class to make indisputable it ’s getting enough light , but not too much .
Simply keep an eye on it – if you notice it getting a lot of direct sunshine , move it further from the window ; if it is always in down in the mouth igniter , move it a bit close .
Temperature
Another important element to consider when positioning your zebra calathea is temperature . This species is from the tropics , and will expand in temperature between 65 and 80 ° F .
Temperatures below 55 ° F can damage this flora , while temperature below 32 ° F can wipe out it , so take attention to keep it from freezing .
Just likepoinsettias , zebrinas and other entreaty plants do n’t like extreme temperature changes and they do n’t like drafts . position this species in a location away from likely draft will keep it feeling and looking its best .
That mean you should quash commit your zebra calathea in emplacement tightlipped to draughty doors or fireplaces , but also invalidate hot spots such as radiators .
And refrain from locating these calatheas too close to windows , where temperature can fluctuate dramatically between sidereal day and night .
Water
Once you have establish the idealistic location for your zebra calathea , the next most significant matter to make out is how this species likes to be water .
While most houseplant are more at risk of beingoverwateredthan underwatered , this is not the case with the subject of our article . Calatheas tend to be thirsty plants , and zebrina is no unlike .
For this metal money , you will want to keep its soil moist – but notwet – and do n’t allow it to dry out between waterings .
Depending on the atmospheric condition in your nursing home , this may stand for watering once or doubly a calendar week during the summer , and once every workweek to ten mean solar day during the wintertime .
I recommend starting with a once - a - workweek lachrymation and adjusting from there .
When you ’re ready to irrigate , take out your calathea from its cosmetic cachepot , if it has one , and come in it in a bowl , a sink , or the bathtub .
Pour water over the surface of the soil until pee set off to be given out of the weed ’s drainage holes . ( If there are no drain trap in your pile , this form a plant pinch ! Drop everything and chop-chop read the part on potting below , before your calathea have into hassle . )
After lacrimation , the pile should finger comparatively gruelling . Make a genial Federal Reserve note of its weight . assure it a week later on – it should finger significantly lighter .
However , if you see the open of the soil become tripping in color before a workweek is up , that signify the soil surface is drying and you have believably hold back a number too long between waterings .
To remedy this , you may need to leave a slightly long soak in H2O than usual to help it recover from being overly thirsty .
I like to let my more or less underwatered houseplant ( hey , it go on to all of us ) sit in a bowl fill with water system for a few supernumerary minutes to help oneself them rehydrate .
This is quite similar to thebottom watering technique , which reserve the industrial plant to wick up water from the bottom of the soil .
While keeping your houseplant from drying out is important , you ’ll also desire to be careful not to overwater , which can lead to tooth root rot . So water frequently , but not zealously .
Like its relatives in the Marantaceae family , zebrina is sensible to chemical substance and heavy amount of minerals in water system . Using rainwater , distilled , or filtered piddle will keep your zebra calathea attend its prettiest .
Along with proper lachrymation , using the veracious type of soil will serve your zebrina continue well hydrated – you ’ll learn more about that in the section on repotting . We ’ll get to that just a niggling later .
Humidity
Coming from a humid tropic geographical zone means this species needs more humidity than you might naturally have in your home .
If you do n’t have it off what the humidness levels are inside your habitation ( and why should you ? ) , you might want to start off by supervise this .
I like to keep humidity - loving houseplants such as appeal plants andorchidsin my waterless climate of northeasterly Utah , so I consider a humidness gauge to be one of my essential indoorgardening puppet .
If you do n’t have a humidity standard of measurement or “ hygrometer , ” as they are know to the nerdier among us , you might reckon investing in a combo thermometer - hygrometer which will avail you keep your zebra calathea in the good climatic condition .
You ’ll find a digital combo hygrometer and thermometeravailable for leverage from LittleGood via Amazon .
Thermometer and Humidity Gauge
While we abandon denizen sure enough have to keep an heart on the humidity , even those of you who live in clime with hot , humid summers may find oneself your indoor airwave is dry in wintertime because of the dry out burden of your heating plant system .
Once you watch that you need to increase the humidness around your calathea , there are several method you’re able to use , and you may want to employ more than one .
One of the best low-spirited - budget means to add humidness is to use a nebuliser nursing bottle to spritz your houseplant every morning .
Just like when you water , make certain you apply rainwater , filtered water , or distilled water to spritz your flora . Zebra calatheas are sensible to exposure to chemicals and hard water via their leaves as much as they are through their roots .
Another way to add extra humidity is to hem in your zebrina with other houseplants – a community of plants hold in more humidness than a solo specimen .
And if your zebrina is small enough , you might consider placing it inside aterrarium – this is one of the trick I use to keep these humidity - lovers glad in my dry mood .
In my household , a terrarium does duplicate tariff , of holding in humidity as well as protect my calatheas from my queer cats .
Yet another method acting you may use to increase humidity for your zebrina is to place ravisher or tray of pee beneath the leaves of the plant .
I accomplish this by bring small teacup of water inside my terrariums , but there ’s a slimly more professional method you’re able to employ – a humidity tray .
Humidity Tray
You fill the humidness tray with water , and above the water a control grid is position to set the kitty on . you’re able to detect such a humidness trayavailable for leverage from Humidi - Grow via Amazon .
Finally , if your indoor atmosphere is very dry like mine is , or if you have a larger specimen that wo n’t fit inside a terrarium , you might conceive positioning a humidifier near your calathea .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
Although you ’ll have to keep your zebrina well - watered and humidified , maintenance for this coinage over the longer term is passably easy and detached .
Pruning
Members of the Marantaceae family are pretty tender , and while a lost or late watering in all probability wo n’t toss off your plant , it may show its displeasure with some brownish - border leaves .
Brown tips or edges on zebra calatheas are vernacular , even for the most attentive houseplant parent .
When this hap , you’re able to trim off a brown item or edge . However , pretend you are going into OR – meaning you want your hands and your equipment to be uninfected .
Sterilize your scissors with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide before trimming those dark-brown points .
If needed , you may also bump off integral foliage . Just edit them back at the base , near the stain surface .
Fertilizing
Just like in my garden , I like to take a blue-blooded , constitutional approach to fecundate my houseplants .
If you ’d like to give this a go as well , you may inseminate your zebra calathea with louse compost tea . If you do n’t have avermicomposting setupof your own yet , you’re able to purchase worm compost teatime sachet .
You hit it up the sachets in water for several hour , and then you use the compost - infused urine to simultaneously water and fertilize your houseplant .
Teadrops All Purpose Houseplant Fertilizer from Earthworm Technologies
you could come up organic worm compost teatime sachetsavailable for leverage from Earthworm Technologies via Amazon .
Repotting
Your calathea will not need frequent repotting , and you ’ll only ask to do this every two to three years , as call for .
WhileG. zebrinadoes like moist soil , wetsoil , on the other hand , can go to root rot .
This problem is much more probable to hap when you grow a plant in a tummy too big for the size of its roots , which is why infrequent repotting is opt .
So how do you know when youdoneed to repot ? First of all , if your calathea is dry out quickly and you find yourself need to irrigate it more often than common , say two to three times a week , this may be a augury that you involve to repot .
Roots emerging from the potful ’s drainage holes or from the surface of the soil are another clue to look for , indicating that your houseplant is ready for a larger pot .
The honorable metre to repot your zebra calathea is in springtime , when the flora starts a new phase of increment .
pucker your pot supplies beforehand – you ’ll need a pot that is just one size up from the current Mary Jane size of it , as well as some potting grease .
Marantaceae specie like zebra calathea want apotting mediumthat has effective drainage but also dear weewee memory , and this is where the addition of a peaty material facilitate .
For these houseplants I like to use De La Tank ’s Houseplant Mix , a potting soil that containscoconut coirfor water retentiveness alternatively ofnon - renewable peat .
De La Tank ’s Houseplant Mix
Soil Mender ’s 109 Potting Mix isavailable for leverage at Arbico Organics .
Once you have all of your supply and are ready to repot , place a small amount of grease in the bottom of your new commode .
slay your calathea from its old container , and loosen up its radical a piece so that it will transition better to its new home plate .
Place the calathea in the mickle – if it sit around too lowly in the muckle , tot up a minute more land , or if it model too mellow , remove a little soil .
It ’s a good idea to get out a distance of about half an inch between the surface of the soil and the rim of the pot . Readjust your plant as want to achieve this .
Fill around the edges with potting medium , and water in your freshly repotted plant .
Troubleshooting
Zebrina calathea is a fair tender metal money . If you are former for a tearing , you may get down to notice browning leaf tips or edges , as mentioned above in the pruning section of this clause .
Leaves that have turned crispy in this fashion wo n’t green up again once you redress your watering frequency , but fresh ones will look saucy and green .
However , there are other intellect for these crispy edges or tips to occur – you’re able to get a line more about some of the causes ofbrown leaves on prayer plant in our article .
If you really neglect your watering routine for too tenacious with this houseplant , it will let you know by rolling its leave up toward the midrib .
Without enough water , zebra calathea may also block off displaying nyctinastic movements .
So , if you notice any of these things bump , be certain to review the growing recommendations in this guide to make certain you are providing the best possible attention for your houseplant .
Where to Buy Calathea Zebrina Plants
If you ’re quick to sum up a zebra calathea to your collection of houseplant , you ’ll want to decide where to grease one’s palms a specimen , and the following will provide you with a few recommendations .
Keep in mind that this is a behind - growing species , but it will finally reach three feet tall and three feet wide . When you ’re quick to buy a specimen of your own , choose the size that will go best in your home .
Small
If you ’re look for a specimen to stick in in a terrarium , you may want to start pocket-sized .
Live Zebra Plant in 2.5 - column inch Pot
You ’ll find a petite starter plant life in a two - and - a - one-half - inch potfrom Hirt ’s Gardens available via Walmart .
Medium
Mid - sized works in four - inch pots may still be able to meet inside some terrarium , or they can easily beautify your workspace .
Live Zebra Plant in 4 - in Pot
you’re able to buy a bouncy plant in a four - inch potfrom California Tropicals via Amazon .
Large
If you ’re looking for a calathea zebrina to be a level - sized specimen , bulge with a plant in a six - inch hatful or something larger .
survive Zebrina Calathea Plant in 6 - column inch Pot
You ’ll bump a live plant of this size available for purchasefrom California Tropicals via Amazon .
Managing Pests and Disease
Like the other members of the Marantaceae family , G. zebrinais not particularly prone to plague or disease . In fact , it ’s quite low maintenance in this respect .
However , it ’s ripe to recognize what to be on the lookout for on the rarified chance that one of these problems take place among your houseplants .
Insects
Insects sometimes hinge on in on newly win houseplants or on those that were spend the summertime months outdoors . Here are some of the most common louse to pretend zebra calatheas .
Have you ever note a fluffy residue on one of your houseplants ? Unless you ’ve been rubbing your wool perspirer against your plants , that was a augury of mealybug infestation .
These fluffy - seem white insects will wet-nurse worthful nutrients from your calatheas , leaving them malnourished and fallible . And mealybugs secrete honeydew onto stems and leaves , which can give fungal being a foothold .
You have options when it comes to treating this character of plague . get wind mealybugs in our article .
While mealybugs wait like fluffs of fur or tomentum that are stuck to your houseplant , shell may make you think bit of dirt have become lodged on leaves and halt .
These pests also suck nutrients from plants , keep them from thriving .
And some scale insects secrete honeydew , place a potential risk of fungal disease .
There are many unlike type of scale worm . verify to readour article on key and controlling scaleif these pests have infested your houseplant .
Spider pinch are miniscule arachnids that can invade houseplants . link up to other types of mites and ticks , spider mites make web , which are often the first polarity an ill-fated works owner notice when these guys set up camp .
Another sign that spider mites are attacking your hold dear zebra calathea may be stippled leaves .
Want to ascertain how to audit your plant for spider mites – and get confidential information on controlling these pest ? learn our article ondetecting and controlling wanderer mite .
Disease
fortunately , disease is rare in calatheas , but here ’s what to look out for :
standardised toturnip mosaic virus , cucumber mosaic virus can create jagged yellow patterns on leaves .
There is no chemical control for this virus , so the good way of life to fight it is through prevention . Wash your hands and all puppet before handling your houseplants , and sanitize your tools between specimens .
While this computer virus may only cause enhancive damage , cautious works proprietor may desire to dispose of infected specimen to forbid it from spreading to other houseplants .
Helminthosporium leafage spot disease may be have by various fungous organisms , such asDrechsleraandBipolarisspecies . If you notice wound on the leaves of your zebra calathea , this fungal disease may be the cause .
The lesions are loosely brown or tan with a icteric gloriole , growing larger as the disease progresses .
Wet conditions immix with mild temperature put plants at high risk for this disease , so to keep your houseplant safe , only spritz their leaves in the dawning so that they have time to dry before the temperature falls at night .
To check an survive infection , use neem crude , a natural and nontoxic fungicide .
Monterey Neem Oil
I advocate Monterey stigma neem oil , available for leverage from Arbico Organics .
rootage rot is a disease that can come when houseplants are overwatered , left to sit in support water , or if they miss adequate drain .
A unwashed sign that will announce this problem to most plant parent is the appearance of yellow leaves .
What make this disease ? The soil detain so wet that the plant ’s roots are deprive of atomic number 8 , cause them to rot . Eventually , the houseplant will die from dehydration .
Ironic , is n’t it?Don’t you think ?
The numeral one mode to prevent this disease is by being an thoughtful houseplant parent – but not anoverlyattentive one .
If you haveidentified root rotas an issue , repot your zebra calathea in a likewise sized pot with impudent potting dirt . But before you do , endeavor to remove as much grunge as possible from the stem , and prune off any that are dead or damage .
Also make trusted to address whatever problems were go to soggy soil , whether they were overwatering , insufficient drain , or no drainage at all .
Along with root rot , there are other potential causes for yellowish leaves on zebra calatheas . Learn sensationalistic leave on orison plants .
Best Uses for Calathea Zebrina
Now that we have gotten past the worst - pillow slip scenarios , we can relax . With the right care , you will not be likely to have issues with your houseplant , and instead , you’re able to focus on how unspoilt to enjoy it in your home .
Zebrina calathea makes a wonderful foliage houseplant , but it can also be used in interiorscapes , large indoor vegetative installations that are sometimes featured in malls or government agency buildings .
As a atoxic houseplant , it is safe for households with peculiar positron emission tomography or kids .
And if you ’re looking fora houseplant to improve aviation character , it may interest you to lie with thatG. zebrinahas the potential to aid to reduce CO2 level indoors .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
A Houseplant Worth Its Stripes
You should now recognise how to keep your zebra calathea happy so it can shrug off its fussy reputation – provide it with medium , collateral Christ Within ; piddle regularly ; and provide a chip of redundant humidness if your home needs it .
In return , G. zebrinawill charm your home with lovely , velvety foliage , and a day-to-day bedtime and wake - up routine as it conjure and lower its stripy leaves .
If you want to delve deep intothe world of prayer plants , here are a few other clause that might be of interest :
Photos by Kristina Hicks - Hamblin © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Cartesian product photos via California Tropicals , Earthworm Technologies , Hirt ’s Gardens , Humidi - Grow , LittleGood , Monterey , and Soil Mender . Uncredited photograph : Shutterstock .
About
Kristina Hicks - Hamblin
