How to Grow and Care Calathea Medallion

The green eye-soothing plant that you may have seen inside people’s homes is none other than calathea medallion. In this article you will learn all about Calathea, varieties, how to grow Calathea and how to care for Calathea in detail.

The broad patterned leaves and short height may make this plant a perfect in-house partner for beauty and decoration.

The plant grows in tropical climates, and its leaves slightly fold up in the evening. Its vibrant green color leaves a medallion shape that looks magnificent.

This is one of the prettiest plants grown in indoor spaces.

Though this is one of the prettiest species, it requires more perseverance and skills. Initially, the growing stage requires a shady place, and the soil has to be moderately moist. It also requires moderate fertilizers during the growth stage.

Not only this species, but basically all the big leaf plants want extra care. Check our guide on how to take care of big leaf plants.

And if you still getting yellow leaves, you should check out our guide to get rid of yellow leaves in plants.

If you want to grow this fascinating plant in your space, here’s the complete guide on growing and caring for Calathea medallion.

Let’s follow the guide and grow this plant successfully.

All About Calathea Medallion

Calathea

Calathea Medallion is a form of perennial species and belongs to the Marantaceae family. It has dark green medallion-like leaves that resemble the prayer plant.

The leaves of the plant slightly fold up. The entire leaves of the plant arise from one single stem. It grows up to the height of two to three feet.

This plant grows very slowly and easily propagates with the rhizomes (tuberous roots). Therefore, it can survive well in warm regions.

However, it cannot tolerate temperature fluctuations. So, it would be great to grow indoors.

You should also check out our complete guide to grow money plants if you love indoor plants.

Calathea Varieties

There are hundreds of varieties available of Calathea Medallion. Each of the plants has its characteristics.

However, some of the popular species of this plant are as follows:

1. Zebra Plant (Goeppertia Zebrine)

Zebra Plant features light green striped leaves with a dark green background. Unfortunately, the evergreen leaves don’t tolerate direct sunlight.

**2. Rose-painted Calathea (Goeppertia Roseopicta Syn.)**

As its name indicates, rose paint, this plant has slightly dark pink and purple leaves with spots of green color.

This grows best in humid environments and medium-light places.

**3. Pinstripe Calathea (*Goeppertia Ornate***)

This Calathea has veined leaves and flourishes well in high humidity and moisture conditions.

But it doesn’t survive under the sun’s light or direct heat. Usually, you can pour distilled water into the soil to keep them growing.

**4. Orbifolia Prayer Plant (*Calathea Orbifolia)***

The variety of Calathea is larger than others as it can reach a height of more than three feet. This plant has blowy and broad-style leaves.

However, they generally have pinstripe pattern leaves similar to the prayer-plants.

5. Rattlesnake Plant (Goeppertia Insignis Syn.)

The plant species resembles slightly to the rattlesnake because of its variegated leaves pattern and scaly leaves.

The leaves of the plant are narrow as compared to the other plants.

These are some of the Calathea Medallion varieties that you can grow in your home as per the conditions mentioned above.

Also Read: How to Propagate Prayer Plant

When to Plant Calathea Medallion

Calathea Medallion can be grown in indoor and outdoor spaces.

However, the ideal time to grow Calathea Medallion is spring and summer when they receive enough warmth from the sun.

If you live in a cold region, try to plant in indoor spaces. Make sure to maintain the ideal temperature between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to Grow Calathea Medallion

Growing Calathea Medallion can be trickier sometimes. But if you maintain the ideal growth condition, the plant can thrive properly in your indoor spaces.

The best way to propagate the plant is to cut the rhizomes and replant them into another pot with a potting mix.

Here are the steps you need to follow to grow Calathea Medallion successfully.

1. Prepare Soil Bed

Take a well-drained pot and fill it with potting mix. You can also fill with porous potting soils and mix peat moss and perlite. It helps to improve the drainage.

2. Divide Rhizomes

Now, pull out any existing plant of Calathea Medallion and cut the rhizome. Before cutting, make sure to remove all the dirt particles with a soft brush and water.

Next, use a sterilized knife to cut the rhizome. Take healthy tuberous roots with attached stems. Cut it off and keep it separate.

3. Plant The Divided Rhizome

Now, dig out a hole into the soil and place the rhizome. You can hold the stem in the upright direction and plant the stem in the soil.

Cover it with soil and add some amount of water. Now, keep the plant in an area where it receives bright light. Avoid keeping them under direct sunlight.

Where to Grow Calathea Medallion

Calathea Medallion is a tropical climate plant that can grow outdoors in US Hardiness Zones 9 and 11.

It grows well in Southern parts of the US, such as Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and many more. However, make sure that the weather is warm enough to support the plant’s growth.

The plant grows excellently in the temperature range between 65 to 85 degrees F. If the temperature drops lower than 55 degrees F, the plant may become dry and eventually die.

So, it is better to grow them in indoor spaces, where they receive enough bright light.

Calathea Medallions are small size plants that only attain the height of one or two feet.

This requires an indoor environment that keeps them protected from harsh weather conditions.

Where to Keep Calathea Medallion Outdoor

Calathea Medallion doesn’t tolerate much temperature fluctuation. So, it would be better to keep it outside, only if the climate is favorable.

Still, try to avoid keeping the plants under the direct heat of the sun. Instead, choose shade places in your garden where the plant receives bright light.

The plant can grow easily under the foot of bigger trees. This indicates that they need shady places and cannot tolerate the sunlight.

In addition to this, you can also keep them in a direct environment where the temperature is favorable such as zone 9.

Make sure that the soil is porous and well-drained. It should hold moisture but doesn’t create an over-water condition. Strictly avid such conditions may invite diseases like root rot.

You can also add a small amount of fertilizer once every 3-4 months. Moreover, you can also perform mulching to keep the base warm enough to support its growth.

Where to Keep Calathea Medallion Indoor

The ideal location inside the house is where the Calathea Medallion can receive indirect sunlight throughout the day.

Additionally, you can place them in a room with having a south-facing window. Ensure the plant doesn’t receive direct sunlight as it may damage your plant. It may also cause sunburn.

At the same time, Calathea Medallion plants need humidity and warmth to flourish. So, you can keep them in your kitchen and other places with high humidity levels.

The plants usually do not survive in temperature fluctuation. So, keep it away from cold regions or those where plants receive direct air from the air conditioner or window.

How to Care for Calathea Medallion

Here is the complete care guide that helps to grow your plant successfully.

1. Light

Calathea Medallion can grow optimally under the indirect light of the sun. However, it requires partial shades to grow appropriately.

So, it is best to grow them in indoor spaces where they can receive plenty of bright light but not direct sunlight.

Direct sunlight may burn them, and the leaves start scorching and show browned edges.

The best way to put the plant is east to the west-facing window, where the plant doesn’t receive direct sunlight. Moreover, you can place them in north-facing rooms.

2. Temperature

Calathea Medallion is a tropical plant that grows best in the temperature range of 18 °C to 25 °C. The plant doesn’t tolerate frost.

The temperature drops below 13 °C, and then the plant shows stunted growth.

So, it would be great to grow them in indoor spaces. However, if you live in US Hardiness zones 9-11, you can easily keep them outside.

It is essential to maintain a constant temperature to protect your plant from stunted growth.

If possible, do not keep them under direct sunlight, keep them indoors or in shady places where they receive bright indirect sunlight.

3. Water

Calathea Medallion grows best in moist soil but doesn’t tolerate waterlogging conditions.

If you overwater them, it may create the problem of fungus growth such as root rot, fungus, and attracting pests. In general, it’s best to grow in dry to moist soil.

Use distilled water to add into the soil because regular water may contain harmful elements such as chlorine, damaging your plant.

Ensure that the pot is well-drained and moist enough to support the plant’s growth. This ensures that water will reach the roots properly.

4. Humidity

The plant survives best in hot and humid climates. The Calathea can grow optimally in a 50% humid condition which is generally present inside the home.

However, do ensure the humidity doesn’t exceed more than 70%. Then, you can use a humidifier to grow the plant optimally. It helps grow your plant even in winter when the plant doesn’t receive enough sunlight.

If the humidity level drops, the plant may start showing crisp leaves with brown color edges and stunted growth. If you notice such things, this may signify that plants need humidity.

So, here are some of the best methods to increase the humidity inside your home.

Place it in the Bathroom

The best way to enhance the humidity is to keep your plant in the dampest part of the room.

So, a bathroom would be the ideal place to keep your plant. Here, the plant receives enough light and grows appropriately.

Use Pebbles

Keeping a pebble tray beneath the Calathea plant can help to boost the moisture content and humidity level.

Group Your Plants

If you are growing multiple plants in winter zones, it may require moisture in the air. Therefore, you can group plants to enhance the humidity level within the room.

Misting

You can use a spray bottle to spray distilled water around the plant constantly.

5. Fertilizers

It can grow in low-quality soil. But for optimum growth, ensure to feed your plant with the proper nutrition.

Add essential fertilizers once in the month and during the beginning of the spring season. Use organic mineral-rich fertilizers such as compost and peat moss.

The ratio of the nutrient will be 10-10-10. This helps to grow plants properly. Make sure t0 avoid adding fertilizers in excess quantities.

Calathea is very sensitive to heavy minerals, so avoid such conditions.

6. Soil

Calathea Medallion grows well in the potting mix, which is well-drained and has a porous texture. Peat moss can be best suited to grow this plant successfully.

Moreover, you can also use the coco coir in the potting mix. Finally, it would be great to mix the soil with peat and compost to enhance the nutritional value of the plant.

Ideally prefer to have that soil that helps maintain optimum moisture and creates a striking balance between the nutrient and moisture.

Keep this in mind, when you add water into the soil, over time, it becomes compact. So, try to add a potting mix that helps to maintain the drainage.

7. Pruning

Pruning of the Calathea is essential to maintain the ideal growth. You can use a sterilized knife to remove old twigs, leaves, and parts infected with the fungus.

Keep a check on the pest attack to prevent the plant from being damaged. Do not use any glossy foliage because the plant shines itself.

Using such kind of material can block the pores and block the breathing pathway of the leaves. Use water to remove the dust from the leaves once a week.

How to Propagate Calathea Medallion

You can quickly propagate the Calathea Medallion through rhizomes and plants. With this method, you can create a clone of the plant.

Moreover, it helps to grow your plant disease-free, and you will be able to recover a healthy plant from a diseased one.

However, the ideal time for the propagation of the Calathea is summer and spring.

You can also propagate the Calathea Medallion with leaf cuttings. Here’s how you can do this.

Expose the plant’s roots by gently pulling them out of the pot.

Now, check for the rhizomes that are larger enough and are brown. Likewise, you can also check the small tubers at least one or half inches long.

Finally, you can use a sterilized knife to cut the rhizome, ensuring that one leaf remains attached.

If you’re unable to locate the rhizome, use the division method to propagate the plant.

Check the stem that is separating at the soil level. Pull them out gently and ensure that roots remain intact.

You can place this stem into the potting mix and in a well-drained pot.

Add some amount of water. An inch of water would be enough.

Keep your plant inside the room where it receives bright light—however, avoid keeping them under direct sunlight unless it starts sprouting

Check one more guide on how to propagate pothos

How to Know Calathea Medallion Plant is in Trouble

Like other plants, Calathea Medallion also experiences many pest attacks, environmental problems, etc. Some of the problems include.

1. Tips or Edge Burn on the Leaves

Edges of the leaves get burned due to overexposure to sunlight. However, this may also happen due to chlorine-rich water.

The best way to cure the plant of this condition is to keep it in shady places and supply distilled water.

2. Browning of the Leaves Tips

If the plant leaves turn brown, it may signify that your plant is undernourished. As a result, it may need some fertilizers and vital nutrients.

3. Leaves Discoloration/ Variegation

Leave discoloration occurs when plants receive excessive sunlight. If the leaves of the Calathea show a faded green color, then immediately shift your plant to shady places.

4. Leaves Curling and Permanent Dropping

Leaf curling occurs when your plant is drying and suffering from a shortage of water resources. Adding some water can help to recover moisture and keep your plant healthy.

Check other reasons for the leaves to go yellow and the solutions that we have provided.

Pests and Other Problems

Calathea Medallion is one of the best plants that can resist plant diseases. However, it may get attacked by some of the potential microorganisms, especially fungus.

The problem happens due to an over-water problem. So, here are some of the common problems associated with Calathea Medallion and how to get rid of it.

1. Root Rotting

Root rot is one of the common problems due to fungus attacks. If you notice symptoms like yellowing leaves, stunted growth, discoloration, and dead twigs.

This may signify that your plant is affected by root rot. For the survival of your plant, you can remove parts infected with root rot.

The strategy helps to recover a healthy plant. However, if the root ball is mushy and black completely, there is no cure. The plant will die soon.

If the plant is partially damaged, you can recover the healthy plant by trimming or cutting the infected parts.

2. Over Watering Issues

If the humidity level decreases, it may cause the problem of drying leaf edges. This can also happen due to low humidity and access to harsh chemicals.

70% humidity is essential for growth. But if humidity decreases or increases, your plant will not survive. To avoid such conditions, you can use rainwater or distilled water to feed your plant.

3. Spider Mites and Thrips

Spider mites and Thrips are the most common pests that may attack the Calathea.

Therefore, it is vital to check the white dot, tiny dots, and webbing beneath the leaves. If you notice any spider mites, immediately isolate your plant and use insecticide spray.

Alternatively, you can wipe out the leaves with isopropyl alcohol mixed in water. Apply this solution once in 4-7 days.

Then, repeat the process and if you notice thrips, follow the same process as you did for spider mites. You can also use neem oil and apply it to the plant’s leaves.

Grow Beautiful Calathea Medallion

Here you go; now you can grow the Calathea Medallion successfully in your place. In addition, ensure to make the optimum temperature slightly above 55 degrees F for optimum growth.

The plant is easier to grow, but make sure you follow all the guidelines. Avoid keeping them under the sun’s direct heat during the growing time.

Keep a check on the pest and diseases to support the plant’s growth. Do not overwater the plant and prune unnecessarily without need.

When growing the plant, do not forget to follow any of the tips mentioned above. In addition to this, do ensure to follow the care tips for better growth and optimum results.