Calathea musaica Care Tips

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Calathea musaica (Calathea musaica ‘Network’). The leaf blade is white, almost transparent in color, streaked with bright green or yellow-green veins into small rectangles. When you look at the leaves of Calathea musaica, you get the impression that they are really made of mosaics.

Origin

The Calathea is originally from the dense tropics of South America. Since very little sunlight reaches the plant in this environment, it also prefers a relatively dark spot in your home. The perfect spot for the Calathea, which is also called “shadow plant”, is partial shade. This makes the Calathea very suitable for dark bedrooms or bathrooms, or simply for a dark corner in the living room.

Common Names

Calathea Network, Mosaic Calathea, Prayer Plant

Calathea musaica is an ornamental deciduous crop of the Marantaceae family, which is not so easy to grow at home. Because of the capriciousness and high requirements, this flower can only be grown by experienced flower growers.

calathea musaica

Calathea musaica, despite its tropical origin and increased need for light, does not tolerate direct sunlight.

In nature, they grow in thickets of other grasses, so at home, they need to create similar conditions — put a pot near the south window, but between the flower and the glass, there should be a light curtain or a white paper screen.

In the absence of such a barrier, the tips of the leaves dry at the calathea musaica, and brown dry spots form along their edge.

Calathea musaica care

To make the plant feel good and pleasing to the eye, it is necessary to create conditions close to the tropics, in which it lives in nature. Сalathea musaica feels good next to other flowers. The thicker the vegetation, the more moisture they provide.

Lighting calathea musaica

Bright sunlight can leave burns on the leaves of calathea musaica. Therefore, you should choose a slightly shaded place for the flower.

With an excess of light, the leaves are covered with spots and turn brown. If the lighting is not enough, the foliage fades and loses its decorative effect.

Finding light for Calathea musaica care in your home

Calathea musaica may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your city to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Calathea musaica in your home.

Temperature calathea musaica

For calathea musaica, the usual room temperature is suitable. It reacts very negatively to a cold snap. Protect the calathea musaica from cold and even small drafts.

Calatheas prefer warmer temperatures, temperatures above 10ºC are preferable, they will thrive between 18ºC and 25ºC.

calathea musaica

Watering and humidity calathea musaica

Likes well-moistened soil. In winter, watering should be slightly reduced.

Сalathea musaica needs high humidity. Spray it regularly. You can also make additional moisture by placing the pot with the plant in a tray with pebbles and water.

Soil for Calathea Musaica

Calathea musaica grows best in potting soil that has excellent drainage and holds some moisture.

To create an ideal potting mix, combine one part of regular houseplant soil, two parts peat moss, and two parts perlite. Alternatively, you can use any commercial potting mix as long as it is fast-draining and has plenty of organic content.

Network calathea musaica plants are not houseplants that survive drought.

Adding organic matter such as peat moss to the soil mix helps to hold enough moisture and provides essential nutrients to encourage healthy growth. Amending the soil with perlite improves drainage, helping excess water to flow freely through the soil.

calathea musaica network

Toxicity

Non-toxic to humans and animals.

Fertilizer calathea musaica

From April to August, calathea musaica is fed 1 time in 2 weeks. Any complex fertilizer for decorative and deciduous calathea musaica is suitable.

If you just got your calathea musaica and the stem is still small, the suggested amount of fertilizer (on the package) might be too strong and can burn the young calathea musaica plant.

You should dilute it at half strength to avoid over-fertilizing the calathea musaica plant.

Fertilization should be done during the period of growth which means during the warmer months, at the start of spring and summer. Two times a year is enough for a small calathea musaica plant.

Never fertilize on the dry soil, saturate the soil with water first and then fertilize. That way you won’t burn the roots and damage any new stems that might appear.

Transfer calathea musaica

Young calathea musaica plants need annual transplanting into a new pot. Adults are transplanted every 2-3 years.

Pots for calathea musaica

Calatheas are considered to be medium size plants.

Since Calatheas are growing in shrubs and can grow up to 20 inches high and wide, you should get a generous size pot.

This will allow to roots to grow and spread without any limitations.

If your plant is still small, you don’t have to worry about that at the start as you will probably have to repot it soon anyways.

Because of the previously mentioned humidity issues get a wide and deep tray for around the pot to fit enough pebbles and water.

Reproduction

Propagate calathea musaica by dividing the bush, cutting or seed method.

The division of the bush is carried out during the transplant.

calathea musaica

In order for the cuttings to take root, it is necessary to cut them so that there is always a growth point with 2-3 leaves.

During seed propagation, varietal features may be lost. But for those who like to breed their own new varieties, this method will definitely like it.

Diseases and pests

It can be affected by such a fungal disease. From insects, calathea musaica likes to eat the usual pests of most houseplants: scabies, spider mites, and thrips.

With improper care: over-drying of the soil and air, hypothermia, and drafts, the leaves of the calathea musaica can begin to dry out at the edges. Because of this, the attractiveness of the calathea musaica plant is lost.

Problems in growing calathea musaica, methods of their solution

Flower network calathea musaica, care at home requires daily, and any discrepancy with its needs can provoke negative consequences – so, with a decrease in air humidity, the leaves of the plant are damaged by thrips and spider mites, small black dots appear on them, and the space between them gradually turns yellow.

Damaged by pests, the plant rapidly loses its leaf plates, and may even die. Before resuscitating network calathea musaica, it is necessary to increase the humidity of the air and then wash the calathea musaica plant with a sponge soaked in a soap solution.

If the method does not work, it is recommended to resort to the use of insecticides allowed for use in the home, for example, to use Actellic.

calathea musaica

Plant network calathea musaica can also turn yellow if you take too much care – excessive watering and applying a large number of fertilizers, which leads to damage to the roots — rotting or chemical burns.

Moreover, young roots are most often affected, which supply the leaves with most of the nutrients. The plant can only be saved by transplanting network calathea musaica into fresh soil, followed by compliance with the standards of care for it at home.

If the edges of the leaves of the network calathea musaica dry, it can also be in the drying of the air. Pruning the damaged parts and increasing the frequency of spraying will help to save the plant.

Often drying of the tips and edges of the leaves in network calathea musaica is observed in winter.

To prevent this, you can install a number of bowls of water, spray the flower 2-3 times a day with soft water.

The appearance of dry round spots of brown or gray color on the leaves of calathea musaica indicates an incorrect spraying technique. If you make it from a spray gun with a large spray, water drops will play the role of lenses and provoke burns. If the leaves are badly damaged, it is better to prune them.

To avoid such a problem in the future, you can change the spraying technique — use the smallest spray so that the water comes out of the spray gun in the form of a cloud.

calathea musaica

If the network calathea musaica has curled leaves, most likely, it has suffered from a draft and insufficient humidification of the air.

To fix the situation is quite simple-put the flower away from the window and take care of daily spraying. Soon the leaves will return to normal.

For the network calathea musaica flower, home care may seem overly complicated and most novice flower growers will agree with this.

However, experienced lovers of decorative and deciduous crops assure that difficulties with the cultivation of this tropical guest arise only at the stage of acquaintance with it.

Briefly about calathea musaica care

General info

Suitable for indoor office decoration purposes.

They are popular for indoor purposes because they are generally easy to care for and they look great, offering bright green plants to liven up indoor spaces.

They are part of the family of plants known as Marantaceae, which is a species of flowering plants from tropical areas such as Africa.

They are famous for their wide and colorful leaves, which makes them popular for areas of low light.

calathea musaica network

Growth

I can grow as tall as 20 inches and I am a fairly speedy grower.

Light

I like a lot of diffused light, but direct sunlight will cause the leaves to fade and lose my precious markings.

Because I grow on the canopy floor, I can tolerate shade, but I grow much better with indirect light.

Water

I like my soil to be moist, but I am also susceptible to root rot, so don’t let me sit in water. Think little and often as a watering policy.

Temperature

I prefer warm to high temperatures, ideally between 18-23°C but can cope with as low as 15°C. Please keep me away from draughts!

Feeding

Apply a weak dose of a nitrogen-rich foliage fertilizer once or twice a month during the growing season.

Care calathea musaica

High humidity levels are a must. Stand on a wet pebble tray to improve humidity and mist frequently. Pop it in the shower from time to time to give an extra boost.

calathea musaica network

Why the leaves of my Calathea Musaica (Network) are turning yellow?

The leaves of the calathea network plant might be turning yellow due to over or under-watering.

You have to check the top layer of soil and water the plant.

If the soil is very dry then only you need to apply water.

Do not apply if it is moist.

Summary of network calathea musaica

The calathea network plant will love to have moist soil, which is not too soggy and oversaturated.

The calathea musaica Network is a real eye-catcher. Once you have a close look at the graphic, very detailed leaf pattern, it’s almost hard to believe it’s all mother nature’s work.

This unique leaf pattern is far from the Calathea Musaica Network’s only special feature.

calathea musaica network

For one, the calathea network has strong air-purifying properties.

This means that the plant not only produces extra oxygen but also filters harmful substances from the air.

Another special Calathea Rufibarba Elgergrass feature is the fact that its leaves move around.

A characteristic to which the plant owes its nickname “living plant”.

Its leaves spread open in the morning to catch the light, and in the evening they close by going upwards.

This opening and closing look a bit like praying hands, as a result of which the Calathea is also called “prayer plant”.

The movements the plant makes are so fast that you can actually hear the leaves rustle a bit!

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10 photos to Calathea musaica Care Tips

calathea musaica network