Calathea warscewiczii is a beautiful plant for shady areas in a tropical themed garden. A prayer plant relative and a member of the Marantaceae family, this plant has a curious habit of folding up its leaves as if one puts two hands together during prayer when night falls.
This herbaceous plant is native to Costa Rica and Nicaragua and produces lanceoate leaves that have a dark green background and an attractive fishtail pattern on the upperside of the leaves. If conditions are optimal, the leaves that are covered with fine silvery hairs leaves, which make them furry to touch, can grow up to almost one foot long. The leaves have a maroon coloured underside.
Besides its attractive leaves, Calathea warscewiczii also produces showy cone-like inflorescences. The bracts that cover the cone are creamy white in colour when they first emerge and they gradually turn to yellow and take on a pinkish hue with time. They are spirally arranged around the cone and the rims of these bracts fold over the edge, which make the entire cone looks somewhat like a rose flower when viewed from the top!
Calathea warscewiczii is not an easy plant to grow though. I find that it is one fussy prayer plant to grow. It needs to be grown in an area with bright, filtered sunshine. Like most other sensitive calatheas, direct sunlight can burn the leaves of this plant. This plant likes to be grown in an area with high humidity and protected from winds.
It is also particularly picky over the medium that is it being grown in. It is best to grow Calathea warscewiczii inside a well-drained mix that is rich in organic matter. The fibrous roots need to be in contact with moist soil at all times and it should not be allowed to dry out completely. Mulch generously to help keep the roots moist and cool. Waterlogged conditions should also be avoided as roots can rot away.
When the plant is grown in an area that is too hot, dry or windy, its leaves will curl up into a roll and leaf edges will likely to turn brown as well. Unhappy plants tend to exhibit stunted growth. It is a challenging plant to grow in highrise apartments due to the dry and often windy conditions. One can try growing it below the parapet where it is shadier and sheltered from drying winds.
