Calathea Majestica White Star, commonly known as Calathea White Star, is an absolute gem of beauty from the Calathea family. The glorious foliage of White Star has white stripes and pink contrasting with dark green color and light purple undersides. Adding to the vigor is the pink shade leaves display depending upon the light and age of the plant. If you are looking for a plant that will stand out in your houseplant collection, and mesmerize you daily with its’ beauty, go no further than Calathea White Star.
Prominent Family Members: Calathea Makoyana, Calathea Leopardina, Calathea Fasciata, Calathea Roseopicta, Calathea Flamestar, Calathea Lutea
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How do you take care of a White Star Calathea?
White Star Calathea hails from a warm and humid climate; therefore, it has particular requirements for temperature and humidity. Moreover, the plant requires moist soil to grow in exposure to bright and indirect sunlight. Let us dive deeply into the specific requirements of the plant and all the issues and problems other plant parents have experienced with the plant.
Adding Calathea White Star to your Home
Pests like mealybugs and spider mites occasionally attack Calathea genus plants, and they tend to hide under the dense and thick foliage of Calathea White Stare. Therefore, when you bring a new Calathea Majestica to your home, carry out a close inspection and particularly check under the leaves for any pests.
Stunning foliage of Calathea White Star
Even if you do not notice any abnormality keep the new plant away from other houseplants for two weeks to eliminate the chances of spreading any underlying disease. Once the two weeks are over and the plant is in healthy condition, place it with other houseplants.
Additionally, during the initial days, you might find the plant leaves are drooping. Check the moisture level of the plant in such a scenario. If there is no observation of dryness, do not worry, as the plant is getting accustomed to the new environment.
Light Requirements for Calathea White Star
Calathea species are native to Amazon rainforests and predominantly grow under the canopies of large forests trees. Therefore, direct sunlight cannot reach the plants growing under these trees. The light requirement for the Calathea White Star is bright, indirect sunlight in a shaded area same as the native land.
The foliage will start turning yellow, or the plant will wilt if White Star Calathea does not get enough light exposure. On the contrary, the foliage color will fade, and leaves may burn due to direct sunlight or intense light exposure. So, the trick is to find the right balance of light for your Calathea Majestica White Star plant.
Where should Calathea be placed in the house?
Indirect sunlight not only enhances its foliage pattern but also protects fading leaves and freshens the color too. The perfect place is to keep it in front of an east or west-facing window with blinds or curtains. Please don’t put them in dark areas as the plant will stop growing, and yellowing of the leaves will occur.
Humidity and Temperature
To mimic its native land humidity level, you need to put Calathea White Star in an atmosphere with humidity of around 60%. Moreover, they flourish extraordinarily in a humid rich environment, whereas the leaves become crispy and the edges of leaves become brown when placed in a dry environment.
In winter, due to heaters, indoor surroundings become dry. To overcome this problem, group all plants together, which will result in transpiration, increasing the humidity level in the air. Use a hygrometer to monitor the humidity level indoors.
Furthermore, use a plant humidifier to maintain humidity around your Calathea White Star or make a manual humidifier by making pebbles tray with water. Put your Calathea on the pebbles and let it thrive tremendously.
Like humidity, a perfect temperature is also required to flourish your plant. Please maintain the indoor temperature between 65°F to 80°F. The plant starts wilting below 60°F. In winter, protect your plant from cold drift by keeping it in a warm place but not too close to the heater.
How often do you water Calathea White Star?
Calathea Majestica White Star can’t stand dry soil, as they are native to the tropical rainforest with plenty of rainfall, and the plants are habitual of moist soil all the time. To keep your Calathea White Star happy and thriving, keep the soil moist all the time in summer and winter.
In summer, as it is the growing season, Calathea White Star will usually require water two times a week. However, check pot soil dryness with fingers before watering the plant. Please do not water the plant more than required as it hates to live in waterlogged or soggy soil.
Overwatering is harmful to plants’ health as waterlogged soil will invite fungal attacks and may result in the rotting of roots.
Furthermore, Calathea Fasciata plants are impacted by the high amount of minerals. Therefore, if your tap water is high in minerals, use rainwater or distilled/filtered water to meet the plant’s watering needs.
Soil Requirement for Calathea Majestica
Soils play an important role in plants’ health. A pot filled with good drainage nutrient-rich soil will boost plants’ health and growth, while bad drainage or less fertile soil will lead to stunted growth and root rot.
If you make your soil mixture, add garden soil, orchid bark, and perlite, which will provide enough nutrition and drainage quality mixture. If you are looking for more moisture-retaining capability, feel free to add a small amount of peat moss or coco coir, which will help the soil absorb more moisture.
Ready-mix soil is also available at the gardening store for specific plants; you can consult your seller for the best suitable soil for Calathea White Star. You may use commercially available soil for African Violet as it is compatible with Calathea’s requirements.
Pruning and Maintenance of Calathea Majestica
The Calathea Majestica White Star does not have specific maintenance requirements other than the occasional pruning of sick or dead leaves. The timely pruning of diseased leaves will help control the disease and promote new growth.
Therefore, cut them away if you observe any dying leaves on the plant. Always ensure to use the tools that have been sterilized.
You can also wipe clean the fabulous leaves of White Star every two to three weeks with a damp cloth for removing the dust and making them further illuminating. Please do not use any shine product on the leaves as Calathea White Star leaves have tiny pores for aspiration, and shine products may block the pores. Blockage of pores will have a drastic effect on plant health.
Fertilizing Calathea White Star
Fertilizing the Calathea White Star occasionally during spring and summer will promote plant health and enhance the spectacular foliage. However, be cautious while fertilizing the White Star, as overdoing it is more detrimental to plant health than avoiding it.
Fertilize the Calathea White Star at three to four weeks frequency during the spring and summer growing seasons.
Moreover, do not fertilize the plant in winter as White Star is dormant during the season. Adding fertilizer will only accumulate minerals in the soil and negatively affect health.
While fertilizing, always follow the packaging instructions. If you use a nitrogen-based common liquid houseplant fertilizer, dilute it to one-quarter strength.
Repotting Calathea Majestica White Star
Repotting is necessary for the plant’s continual growth if it becomes root-bound. A root-bound plant will have stunted growth and eventually develop roots issues and diseases.
Therefore, if you notice your Calathea White Star roots coming out of the pot drain hole or emerging from the soil surface, it is time to shift the plant to a bigger pot. Calathea White Star, under normal growing conditions, will require repotting every two years or so.
Spring is the ideal time to repot the Calathea Majestica as it is the start of the growing season. For repotting the White Star follow the following steps.
Propagation of Calathea White Star
Propagation is increasing the number of plants from a single mother plant. The most successful way to propagate Calathea White Star is by splitting from the roots. If you have a healthy Calathea White Star plant and see several stems emerging from the soil, you can easily divide it into two or more plants depending upon the size of the mother plant.
Propagation
The ideal time to propagate Calathea White Star is in spring. We recommend carrying out the propagation and repotting activity as the plant is already out of the pot.
Please follow our guide below to propagate the Calathea Majestica successfully.
Are Calathea White Star pet friendly?
Calathea White Star plant is non-toxic and completely safe for pets and humans.
You shall not be concerned for your pets or small kids playing around the plant. Pets can chew on the adorable leaves of the plant; therefore, keep a close eye because ingestion of leaves in large quantities can be harmful to plants and pets despite its non-toxic nature.
Pests, diseases, and FAQs
What pests should you look out for?
Perfect humidity levels around the surrounding can avoid the pests of Calathea White Star. If spider mites, aphids, mealybugs infect your plant, it indicates a dry environment around the plant.
Pests infected leaf
If your plant looks unhealthy, check its leaf’s lower side as pests make colonies under the leaves and feed on cell saps.
Minor Pest infections can easily be controlled by applying Neem oil on the leaf surface with a clean, soft cloth or spraying the diluted alcohol on the infected leaves.
If the infection is prolonged and is still spreading after applying Neem oil and the alcoholic spray, wash the leaves with the pesticide soap, easily available in pesticide stores. Repeat this process every fourth day.
Keeping your plant clean and bathing them with room temperature water will also flush away the pests from the plant. But after the cleaning, don’t forget to drain out all excess water from the potting soil.
Regular checkups of the leaves and neem oil application will save your plant from pest attacks.
Calathea species are affected by fungal diseases if the plant stays in soggy soil. The soil-born fungus attacks the plant’s roots, and root rot occurs. Furthermore, soggy soil provides a favorable condition for pathogen growth and is extended from the roots to the stem. The pathogen growth destroys the plant’s transport system and doesn’t let water and minerals reach up to the leaves, causing the plants to start wilting.
Diseases
In case of root rot, bring out the plant gently from the roots and check the roots thoroughly. Cut out the infected parts and then replant the healthy roots in moist soil. You may use a new clean pot or wash the old pot with fungicide soap.
Moreover, the plant leaves may show spots caused by Alternaria fungus. These spots occur at the locations where water droplets remain for a long period after misting. Fungicide spray or soap is good for fungal infection treatment and always make sure to wipe away the water from leaves after misting.
How big does a Calathea White Star get?
The normal mature height of Calathea White Star is around 2 feet; however, with proper care and the right pot size, the plant can grow up to four to five feet.
Is White Star Calathea rare?
Calathea White Star is one of the rare Calatheas and is difficult to find compared to other family members. Particularly, the pink shaded leaves are extremely gorgeous and rare to find.
How do you keep Calathea White Star pink?
You shall always keep the soil moist, provide humidity above 60% and place the plant in bright indirect light to produce the gorgeous pink color of the leaves.