So before anyone comes at me let me clarify😭
I bought this Calathea Freddie about 6 months ago with like 4 leaves. It has made sooo much new growth since I got it and it looks so amazing. I didn’t know what type of plant it was tbh until maybe like… 2 days ago? I just had it in front of my (south facing) window, and watered it weekly. I never had any problems with it, it didn’t lose any leaves (which i think is rlly interesting??) and the only plant that didn’t get infested with gnats, when almost all my other plants did. It currently also has some new leaves coming in and I couldn’t name any easier plant… Even my pothos was struggling during the infestation!
My point/question is; Am I just rlly lucky (I’m showing off a little ngl) or is the “Calatheas are evil” thing just a myth?
by ramenducks
34 Comments
I like how it fits onto that wooden box 😍 and nop I don’t think its got anything to do with evilness
Some calathea varieties are more resilient than others. From what I’ve read, the “white fusion” variety is very hard to keep looking good, while the rattlesnake calathea is fairly easygoing. I’m not sure about the variety you have, but maybe it’s a more resilient one. Besides that, my guess is some people have success because they live in naturally more humid places, which mimics the rainforest habitat they originate from. Water quality also seems to play a role, as some people have more luck using bottled or demineralised water instead of tapwater. So overall, I wouldn’t say it’s luck, it’s probably more to do with environmental factors and climate the plant is in.
No, they are evil, and you may be lucky. It takes a lot of things to help them thrive, moist soil, consistently humid environment, which is difficult for a lot of folks to achieve. That said, you should be showing off your diva!
I think (msyelf included) People saying ‘xyz plant is difficult’ highlights that they are having trouble taking care of a plant that does not typically thrive in their enviornmental zone. If you live in a dry area like arizona, of course orchids and lillys and high humidity plants are going to be difficult to keep alive. Same if you live up north and have succulents and tropicals that turn brown during the winter with less light and humidity/heat.
Not downplaying your amazing plant, but if you live in the deep south /coastal usa, like florida area, that is much closer to where these plants can grow naturlaly, so they are much easier to take care of. If you’re up in alaska or something then damn, big props to you!! lol
I love my Freddie too and she’s my desk plant 🥹 she was a 3 leaf queen and has been doing so well!
I’m also recovering a Network and she has started giving me a new leaf.
https://preview.redd.it/t2prbydwgrmf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7fcf4b50accc5586619e559a28a90c0ac6b71510
I live in Fl so they do well at my house! Me, not so much, always sweating 😅
Oh so we’re being mean on Reddit now okay then
You have a good, resilient one. We all have that plant that people complain about that we don’t have issues with 🤣 mine is my monstera. That baby is my healthiest plant and he live on my balcony, pretty neglected and keeps giving me these gorgeous, big, dark green fenestrated leaves. Meanwhile, I’m finally over my trauma enough to buy another rubber tree!
I had that opinion on alocasias until mine decided to have such an epic death out of nowhere 1.5 years in 😂😂 For the longest time I was like wow why do people hate this plant so much. Nvm. Figured it out. I’m not brave enough to even try calatheas.
I got 2 back in January for my birthday and they’ve both done brilliantly.
I’ve just divided them up and now have 4 plants that are all larger than the original 2.
If I hadn’t been part of this group I’d have no idea they were supposed to be so difficult.
I always find it interesting which plants people find easy or difficult! I’m in a similar-ish climate to you (UK) and definitely fall into the “Calatheas hate me” camp 😅 but I see people post about really struggling making peace lilies or orchids happy and I’m bemused because I barely have to do anything to have them thriving and flowering.
I think there is a certain amount of luck (getting a good, healthy plant that’s resilient), specific conditions in your home and a fair bit of awareness about what different plants like.
All plants are easy to grow if it matches the conditions of your home. Your home’s conditions just happen to match what calatheas want.
As for your other gnat infestation, it sounds like you are overwatering. Also Miracle Grow potting mix is notorious for this unless you buy their “indoor” specific one in case that’s what you’re using I would repot everything.
Yea, some are easy, some are 💆🏻♀️🫣😶🌫️.
I have makoyana. Easy.
I HAD orbifolia 💆🏻♀️. It died.
I found them easy going until the thrips got to thriping, now mine look like they haven’t been loved a day in their life. Back to square one 🫠
I had this same opinion for 8 months after I bought mine. I thought, they really aren’t as difficult as people say, mine is thriving and growing! I have only been giving it distilled water and a little bit of plant food here and there, it sits in a pebble tray and it gets a good light level.
In the last month I have been cutting dead leaves off. I understand what people mean now. They are fine until they aren’t for no inexplicable reason.
Saying plants are “easy” or “hard” is usually an oversimplification. There are too many factors at play.
For some, the climate we live in will allow a plant to thrive and for others, it will be an uphill battle. We need to pick the appropriate plants.
I tend to pick plants that thrive in my home’s climate, with some help from grow lights and filtered water for some of them. I add a humidifier in the winter to combat the dry air from electric heat. Calatheas survive here, but in the winter, they don’t thrive. If mine doesn’t make it, I wouldn’t buy another, but not because they’re “hard plants” so much as my home doesn’t seem ideal for them.
Mine is thriving in my bedroom. It has a grow light and gets reverse osmosis rain water. It survived fungus gnats, and 3 cats that thought it was tasty.
calatheas aren’t difficult. they’re just prone to quickly being decimated by spider mites before people notice, and need consistently moist not soggy soil. some people just don’t know how to care for plants in general particularly ones that need to stay moister than others. 🤷🏻♀️
Yes, they are. I grow everything but those calathea are the bain of my existence
I had a Freddie that was doing terribly in my dark kitchen, so when the weather warmed up, I put it outdoors in deep shade, and it thrived. For the summer, at least. When I tried to bring it back in, it almost immediately died! So I think it comes down to light and humidity. Deep shade outdoors is brighter than direct sun indoors, so when you put yours in a south facing window, it was getting plenty of sun. You struck the right balance! I’ve seen calatheas sold as “low light tolerant,” but they are most definitely not.
I’ve also found them surprisingly easy, but I have very good tap water. So good I can even use it for my carnivorous plants.
I don’t think so either. My one and only issue with them is that they are prone to spider mites. As long as I don’t get those on my beautiful babies, they are doing just fine 👌☺️
They’re really easy until they aren’t 😉
I bought a calathea ornata about two weeks ago and she has been growing like crazy ever since. She will soon have doubled in size by leaf count. I have her in a very bright place next to a very large south facing window but without any direct light, in high humidity between 50% and 60% and water her only with creek water or rainwater.
https://preview.redd.it/1shbbfo71smf1.jpeg?width=1206&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b4e0f8f0b1a77a07060df6acdd91bf37c3b27286
Mine is currently flowering, but the foilage is much nicer
https://preview.redd.it/doto9j1x2smf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c3d62a2c0ebfdfc547eabf376785f0e56bb3371
Mine do fine from spring until fall and then get sad when I turn my heat on because I have forced air heat that makes my air very dry.
Man, I have so many plants. And they are all thriving. Even my fittonia and many nepenthes. African violets. All of em, I am told by everyone I know that I am a natural green thumb.
Bought a Calathea from Grocery Outlet like 2 months ago and I’m certain that all I’m doing is prolonging it’s death…its in a downward spiral and I cannot figure it out, as someone who obsesses over proper plant care because I am passionate about them. This one would be driving me bonkers if I bothered to let it. She’s not looking so hot.
I’ve killed three calatheas and I’m scared to try again. Yours looks beautiful!
You might be an overwaterer if you find them easier than pothos, congrats on the success though!
My Freddie is my fickle baby. I love him so much. He even flowered recently!
I think calatheas are just really sensitive to drafts or people are just under watering without realizing.
I have a great calathea that has thrived for or about 3 years—it still gets crunchy leaf ends often though. They like a humid environment, and it’s in no way humid where I live. Glad yours is treating you well.
I’ve had no luck with them or with ferns. Harumph.