How to Keep your Calathea Musaica Happy - Absolute Gardener

How to Keep your Calathea Musaica Happy

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Calathea Musaica

The calathea musaica is a beautiful indoor plant that can be grown in any type of pot. It has been popularized ever since it was shown on the hit TV show, “Friends.” In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about calathea musaica care so that your plant thrives and stays healthy!

What is a Calathea Musaica?

The calathea musaica is a type of flowering plant that can be found in the tropics. It has large leaves and it’s small flowers grow on spikes off from its leaves.

It gets its name from calathea, which means “beautiful leaf” or “spotted” in Latin; and musaica, which means “like a Musa.”

Calathea calatheas are sold as house plants and can be found in the nursery section of many stores. They come in different colours such as white, cream or gold with green spots and leaves.

It is often grown for its beautiful calathea calatha leaves which can grow up to three feet long.

The calathea musaica plant is sometimes referred to as the banana calathea or the pancake calathea.

Calathea Musaica
Image: via Etsy

Origins of Calathea Musaica Plant

The calathea musaica plant is native to the tropical Americas and a few other places in the world, and have been cultivated as ornamental plants since at least 1696. The calathea musaica is also considered to be the most popular calatheas because of its beautiful leaves and blooms that come in colors of green, yellow, red, pink, brown, orange, or blue.

The calathea musaica plant has a broad, spreading habit of growth. They are sometimes called elephant feet because they have large leaves that grow from the base and can be up to 12 inches in diameter. It is also common for calathea musaicas to develop long shoots which give them an appearance reminiscent of spider webs or a bamboo forest.

Calathea Musaica Plant Care Guide

Calathea musaica care is not too difficult. Read on for the full care guide for this beauty.

Soil

For calathea musaica, the soil should be a mixture of peat moss and sand. If you don’t know what to get for your calathea musaica, try mixing equal parts of both materials together. It requires well-draining soil that stays moist. If your calathea musaica plant’s leaves develop yellow spots, chances are that it does not have a proper drainage system because they most likely need to be watered more often.

Light

Calathea musaica needs bright light to live. The plant does not need direct sunlight, but should be in a room with plenty of indirect sun and high-quality artificial lighting. If calathea musaica is located near the window or other source of natural light, it will do well because they are naturally found in the wild, on tropical rainforest trees.

If they are located near a window and it is not getting enough light or if calathea musaicas are placed too close to each other, they will grow tall with long stems that may fall over because of their weight. The leaves will also be yellow and will shrivel.

When calathea musaica is happy and located in the right environment, they are deep green with white stripes that provide a unique tropical look to any area of your home or office.

A calathea can be grown under fluorescent lights as long as they are given plenty of indirect light during the day such that it is still bright enough when the artificial lighting comes on in the evening, but not so much that it burns them or causes sunburn.

Remember, calathea musaica is a tropical plant and should only be exposed to low levels of sunlight if it isn’t getting enough light in its natural environment. If the calathea musaica is not getting enough light you will need to supplement it with artificial lights.

Watering

The calathea musaica needs to be watered sparingly. Too much water will cause the leaves to rot, so it is important that you only provide enough water for proper growth of calathea musaica. The soil should not feel too wet or dry when checking with your fingers.

You can also add a layer of pebbles to the calathea musaica pot, which will help it retain water. Water calathea musaica plants when the soil is dry to the touch.

Temperature

Temperature is one of the most important factors when it comes to calathea musaica care. Keeping calathea musaica in a room that is too hot or cold will cause problems with its growth and health. The ideal temperature for calatheas should be between 68°F-82°F degrees Fahrenheit (20°C-28°C).

Calathea musaica plants need to be placed where they can feel the warmth of the sun and should not be put in a location with too much humidity. The room calathea musaica is kept in should have an average temperature of about 65°F.

Humidity

Humidity is an important factor in calathea musaica care. If you are able to provide a humidity level of 60-70% it will be happier and grow faster than if the humidity is too low or high. The best way to achieve this is with a humidifier and water plant trays, which can hold water or pebbles and allow the calathea musaica to grow in it.

Fertiliser

In the wild calathea musaica is found in areas with low levels of sunlight. It has evolved to thrive in these conditions and as such does not need a lot of fertiliser, just enough for it to continue healthy growth. For this reason you should only add about half the recommended dose when feeding calathea musaica.

Periodically you’ll need to add even less fertiliser because calathea musaica will store any excess nutrients that are not required. The calathea needs to be fertilised and fed every two weeks with a liquid feed.

Toxicity

Toxicity is a major concern with calathea musaica and should always be taken into account before being planted. The leaves produce cyanide when they are damaged, so it’s crucial to keep calathea musaica out of reach from children or pets who might damage the plant. Toxicity can also occur if you get sap on your skin, so it’s important to wash calathea musaica leaves thoroughly before use.

A major concern with calathea musaica is toxicity. When the plant becomes damaged, the leaves produce cyanide that can cause a hazard for children and pets. If the sap gets on your skin or clothes, be sure to clean calathea musaica thoroughly.

Pruning

Pruning calathea musaica is important to keep their shape, and also because it will help them grow more. They can be pruned at any time of the year. The most common times are spring or autumn when you should cut out dead leaves so they don’t rot in the soil.

Propagation and Growth

Calathea musaica propagation is relatively easy. Seeds, calathea musaica division and calathea musaica air layering techniques are some of the propagation methods used to generate more plants in a shorter period. Propagation is done to allow calathea musaica plants more space for growth.

– Seeds: Calathea Musaica seeds are usually collected from old calathea musaica leaves, and these need to be cleaned before they can be planted in containers or pots.

– Division: This involves dividing the calatheas into smaller calatheas.

– Air layering: This is the process whereby calathea musaica plants are grown off of a piece of underground calathea musaica stem, called a “corm.”

Calathea Musaica growers should ensure that they provide their calatheas with enough water and nutrients to keep calathea musaica plants happy and healthy.

Repotting

It is recommended to repot calathea musaica as they grow, at least every third year. During the winter months in cold climates, it is a good idea to put calathea musaica outside for six hours per day or less. This will help calathea musasic plants get a bit of sun and warm weather.

If calathea musaica plants are in a pot, it is important to use some sort of organic material as the growing medium. This may be either bark chips or coconut husk pieces that can easily break down when wetted by water from calathea musaica plant roots.

Plant Disease

The calathea musaica plant is not resistant to all diseases. One of the most common problems with calathea musaica plants is that they are prone to root rot, which can be caused by a number of things such as overwatering or poor drainage. If your calathea musaica develops roots rot, you will notice that the calathea musaica leaves start to wilt and eventually turn brown.

If you’ve noticed these symptoms developing in your calathea musaica, chances are it has root rot. To try and prevent this from happening again, make sure to add a layer of gravel around the calatheas roots so that the calatheas plants can’t stay in standing water.

Calathea Musaica
Image: via Plants Bank

Calathea Musaica vs Network

Calathea musaica and calathea network plant are not the same, calathea network is calathea erythroneura.

Calathea Musaica originates from Central America and Caribbean countries. Network was imported to Hawaii in 1884 as a house plant for railroad workers who had malaria. In 1925 it became an invasive weed in sugar cane fields and rice paddies.

Calathea Network is a calathea that grows to about 12 inches tall with leaves up to 24 inches long, it has yellow flowers in the summer and red berries in autumn. It does not have the distinctive calathea flora markings as calathea musaica plants do. They both share similar care requirements.

Calathea Musaica Variegated

The calathea musaica variegated is one of the more common types in cultivation. The calatheas are a genus of plants that belong to the botanical family Marantaceae. They were originally found in Central and South America, but have been introduced into other parts of the world as well.

Common Issues with Calathea Musaica

The calathea plant is a tropical houseplant that grows as an evergreen and depending on the variety of calathea, it can produce flowers. Calatheas are popular because they thrive in low light conditions – which makes them perfect for people who work from home or want to grow plants indoors during wintertime.

Some calathea plants such as calathea musaica have a natural tendency to develop brown patches on the leaves.

Brown patches can be caused by too much light, which is why calathea typically thrive in low light conditions.

Calatheas are sensitive to being moved from one location of your home (or office) to another. This is because calathea have a shallow root system and are not used to the change in temperature or humidity, for example when you bring them back indoors after being outside during summertime

Calathea plants can also be sensitive to how they’re watered. They prefer watering by hand rather than under a water faucet.

If you notice your calathea is drooping, it may be due to dry soil. Make sure that the calathea’s pot has plenty of water in it at all times and make sure there are no other factors contributing to its droopiness: not enough sun or too much light; not enough humidity; lack of nutrients.

Calathea plants should be transplanted into a pot with fresh soil every two years. This is because calatheas have shallow roots and need to root in new, fresh soil regularly so the plant can continue growing strong. The calathea will also produce more flowers during this time which may include white, pink or purple calathea flowers.

A calathea plant’s blooms will last around four weeks, so it is important to know when your calatheas are in bloom and enjoy them for the duration of their life cycle.

Calatheas need a well draining soil because they have shallow roots that cannot tolerate being buried under standing water or wet soil.

Finally, calathea plants are sensitive to being moved from one location of your home (or office) to another. This is because calatheas have a shallow root system and are not used to the change in temperature or humidity, for example when you bring them back indoors after being outside during summertime.

Calathea Musaica
Image: via SmartGarden

Tips for Keeping Calathea Musaica Happy

There are many methods for keeping calathea musaica happy and healthy. One way is to provide plenty of light, especially in winter when calatheas get less sunlight than other plants do. To make your calathea happy, you should also water the plant deeply once every few weeks or whenever it needs a drink but not enough to make the plant rot.

The calatheas need to be kept in a location with plenty of humidity, so a humidifier is recommended if you have dry winters like I do. People also use large water containers that sit on top of their calathea plants to create humidity over time.

Calathea care can seem daunting at first, but it is worth the effort to get calatheas in your home. Calathea care is especially important for calathea musaica because they are poisonous and can cause rashes or an allergic reaction if not cared for properly.

Calathea Musaica Frequently Asked Questions

How do you care for Calathea Musaica?

Calathea Musaica is an exotic plant that needs bright, indirect light. It prefers temperatures of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher with a relative humidity of 50% or more.

Water calatheas when the top inch of soil feels dry to your finger and provide them plenty of water during their growing season (spring through fall).

Is Calathea Musaica a prayer plant?

Calathea musaica is not a prayer plant, but calathea plants do have many similarities to the prayer plant. It’s easy to see why there might be some confusion on calathea plants and their relation to calenda or calanda plants – they are both in the same family (the Marantaceae), calathea plants are found in the tropics, calenda or calanda plants both have a similar shape.

Can you propagate Calathea Musaica?

Yes, calathea musaica can be propagated in two ways. The first is by dividing the plant into sections that have roots while it’s still alive and potting them up individually. This should work with calathea musaica if you allow a few weeks for each rooted section to establish itself before separating them from one another.

The second way calathea musaica can be propagated is by taking cuttings from the leaves, which have to be planted in soil and kept moist until they form roots themselves.

When can I repot calathea network?

Repot calathea network when its old pot is cracked and has developed a root system.

To repot calathea musaica, use fresh soil with good drainage so that water can seep out easily. Potting mix should contain sphagnum moss or other organic material to provide extra nutrients for the plant during its growing period.

Should you mist a Calathea?

It is necessary to mist calathea plants sparingly, as they are sensitive to over-watering. Misting calatheas should be done with a spray bottle and only once or twice a week in addition to the water that it gets from its potting soil. The plant can be sprayed on both sides of the leaves.

Calathea plants should be misted to keep them moist as well as to control pests and fungal diseases that can thrive when calatheas are dry. Misting calathea is a good way of watering the plant without getting water on its leaves, which may lead to leaf spotting or leaf scorch in calathea plants.

Calatheas can also be watered by placing their pot in a shallow dish of water, but it is best to remove calathea from the dish when no longer needed. This method will keep calathea moist for up to three days before another watering session is necessary.

In addition to misting calathea plants, it is also recommended to use a water dropper periodically. This will ensure that calathea’s soil stays moist and avoid any unwanted dryness or root rot.

Can Calathea grow in low light?

Yes calathea musaica can grow in low light, but it is more likely to wither and turn yellow if placed under low light for too long. Usually calathea musaicas like indirect or bright indirect lighting which usually comes from a skylight or other similar window type.

Calathea Musaica
Image: via Indoor Garden Nook

Conclusion

The calathea musaica plant is an interesting houseplant that has many benefits for just about any household. It doesn’t have many problems, but it does need care to keep it healthy. If you’re interested in calathea musaica plant then this post is for you. This article will teach you calathea musaica history and some tips on how to keep your calathea pleased with its environment.

In general, the calathea musaica plant does not have many problems, but it is important to understand that calathea plants do need care. They can survive in a variety of environments and be potted or live indoors as long as they are given the right amount of light and water. Calathea flowers bloom during late winter through early springtime and usually last for about three months.

If you’re looking to plant calathea musaica seeds, check out calathea musaica for sale here.

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