Calathea Roseopicta, also famous as Rose Painted Calathea, has gorgeous patterned large oval-shaped leaves that illuminate any living place with its radiant beauty. The Calathea plants have a reputation for staying stuck to their home environment, and guess what; the Roseopicta is one of the pickiest, and even a slight change of the settings is not going to be suitable for the plant. Roseopicta has many cultivars such as;
Calathea Roseopicta Popular Varieties
Prominent Family Members: Calathea Vittata, Calathea Leopardina, Calathea Crocata, Calathea Picturata, Calathea Ornata, Calathea Orbifolia, Calathea Lutea
Essential Products:
How do you care for Calathea Roseopicta?
The Calathea Roseopicta belongs to the tropical rainforests of Brazil, and they are very picky about their environment. They grow happily only in the same climate as those in their homeland. Thus, you need to watch the plant’s light, temperature, soil, fertilizing, watering, and humidity demands.
Early Days Care for Calathea Roseopicta
Calathea Roseopicta, like other Calathea plants, can catch diseases and pests. Therefore, when you add a new Roseopicta to your houseplants collection, check the plant thoroughly for any symptoms of disease or infection at first.
We recommend keeping it away from all other plants for around two weeks. If there is any sign of any pest or disease, use a pesticide or fungicides for treatment, depending on the situation. Once the isolation period is over and you find the plant perfectly healthy, you can dig its roots in its permanent position.
Light requirement for Rose Painted Calathea
Rose Painted Calatheas are drifted from northwest Brazil’s tropical rainforests. Due to heavy rainfall, tropical rain forests consist of high, broadleaf perennial trees, and Calathea’s are dominantly found under the tree’s canopies.
Rose painted Calathea requires the same diffused light intensity as it has in the native land. Moreover, their leaves are modified to absorb diffused light; you should keep them indoors where indirect, bright light is present.
Place your rose plant 5 to 6 feet away from the west, east, or north-facing window. Please don’t keep it far away from the window as less light might affect its growth. However, if it is placed in a room with no access to natural sunlight, supply the plant with a lot of artificial bright light.
Humidity and Temperature for Calathea Roseopicta
Calathea plants love high humidity because they come from the rainforests of Brazil, which is a very humid environment. The Calathea Roseopicta is undoubtedly a beautiful houseplant and would go very well with other plants in your garden if kept in an environment similar to a tropical zone.
Signs of low humidity start from brown leaf edges, leaves becoming crisp and a weird look. Roseoptica cannot survive when the humidity is under 40%, and it will thrive in humidity over 60%.
There are many techniques to increase humidity indoors; however, a humidifier is at the top. A humidifier will effortlessly and effectively provide your plants with the required humidity levels.
You can also place the plant in a pebble tray filled with water to increase humidity around the plant. Many people do frequent misting to cater for low humidity issues. Excessive misting can be harmful to plant health; always ensure no droplets of water remain on the leaf’s surface for an extended period, or it can cause fungal infections.
The indoor temperature, which stays between 65 ºF to 75 ºF, is the most suitable for Calathea Roseopicta growth. Since Rosy Calatheas are used to growing in the warm environment of the tropical Brazilian rainforests, they will not thrive in low temperatures. The plant will suffer if the temperature drops below 60 ºF.
Furthermore, Roseopicta Calathea does not respond well to sudden temperature changes; therefore, always keep the plant away from the cold drafts from windows or A/Cs. Additionally, during winter, keep heaters away from your Rose painted Calathea.
How often should I water Calathea Roseopicta?
The Calathea Roseopicta requires a scheduled watering routine considering the soil moisture levels. Proper soil moisture is required for the plant to strive for its beauty.
Although watering is essential, overwatering is dangerous for Calathea Rosepicta and can result in root rot, a devastating condition for plants. Roseopicta has a rhizome structure, so it is vulnerable to roots to rot; therefore watering schedule requires special attention.
The most essential and common rule is to let the top one inch of the soil become dry before rewatering. Usually, although depending on climatic conditions and pot configuration, it will take at least one whole week before it will need to be watered again.
Lack of water and dehydration can cause the browning of leaves; if you notice any such symptom, water the plant deeply and revisit your watering frequency by continuously monitoring the soil dryness.
Always ensure to drain excess water through the pot drain hole after watering. If you are using an automatic method for watering, then check the soil thoroughly intermittently to make sure it is working without malfunctions.
Please reduce the water input in the non-growing season of winter. Always use water at room temperature to keep the plant stressless. The Roseopicta is sensitive to the salts or minerals in tap water; therefore, use rainwater or water which is dechlorinated and filtered/distilled for your pant’s needs.
The best soil for Calathea Roseopicta Illustris
The soil you use for Calathea Roseopicta is vital and makes a difference in how your plant grows. The soil must be able to drain enough of the water to prevent the soil from becoming soggy. It shall also absorb the moisture to keep the roots moist on the other end.
Roseopicta soil shall be able to supply oxygen to the roots at all times. When you water the plant, the water should soak into the soil within barely seconds, and if it gets stuck at the surface, it is very likely that the soil is too dense and cannot drain well.
We recommend adding perlite and peat to the soil mixture. These two ingredients will boost the soil’s draining, moisture-retaining, and aeration capability.
Rose Painted Calathea prefers slightly acidic soil, and the ideal PH level for this plant is around 6.5.
Fertilizer for Rose Painted Calathea
If you want your Calathea Roseopicta to have some of the gorgeous leaves in your garden, providing it with optimum nutrition is the option on the list. Moderately fertilize the plant during the growing season at a frequency of once per month.
Roseopicta is a delicate plant and cannot survive excessive fertilization. Therefore, not fertilizing the plant is better than overdoing it. If you have nutrient-rich soil with organic matter, you do not have to fertilize the pant. However, if you plan to fertilize the plant, use nitrogen-based houseplant fertilizer and dilute it to one-quarter strength by mixing water.
Excessive fertilization will cause leaves tips to burn and turn brown; in such scenarios, remove the extra minerals from soil by flushing the soil.
Repotting Calathea Roseopicta Rosy
Calathea Roseopicta’s care includes repotting. As the plant grows, the roots require more space in the pot. Moreover, less space will not let roots absorb water and nutrients for plant nourishment.
On the other hand, repotting too frequently can cause a lot of things to go wrong as the Rose Painted Caathea do not like roots to be disturbed.
We recommend repotting the plant every two years. Repotting in the spring will give enough time to adapt to the changes during the growing season. It also ensures that the stress of repotting is eradicated.
Increase the pot size by one or two sizes. It is crucial to evade repotting into a too big pot for the plant to handle. The excess amount of soil will make it more prone to overwatering, over-fertilizing, or even root rot, which can endanger the plant.
Roseopicta Dottie Grooming and Pruning
It is essential to prune and trim away dead leaves or those leaves which are infected by pests or diseases. Eventually, this will help your plant to grow well. In addition, if any section of the plant is damaged, all energy will be transmitted to the infected leaf for battling the infection, and growth will halt. Pruning gives you a chance to save your plant in times of danger.
We recommend cleaning the leaves of Roseopicta plant with a damp cloth after two to three weeks. It will restore the vigor of the plant by removing the dust. Furthermore, you will also eliminate the chances of developing pests colonies by removing them promptly during the cleaning process.
Do Calathea Roseopicta Flower?
The Roseopicta’s prominent feature is its contrasting gorgeous foliage; however, the plant also produces tiny white and purple blooms. It is scarce to find a Roseopicta blooming indoors. Therefore, you do not need to stress if your Rose Painted Calathea is not blooming as the foliage is the most attractive part of the plant.
How do you Propagate Rose Painted Calathea?
The propagation of Calathea Roseopicta through seeds and cuttings has not been much successful. The effective and quick method to propagate this plant is through roots division.
Propagation shall be carried out during the spring season, and always plan to do it along with the repotting of the plant. Propagate your plant when you see small baby plants rise in the pot along with other stems.
Follow these steps to propagate your plant without damaging its roots.
Is Calathea Roseopicta safe for pets?
Yes, Calathea Roseopicta is not toxic for your family members or pets. The plant has some beautiful color schemes, and it takes no time to catch the attention of children and pets. However, you shall not worry about the kids or pets playing around the plant.
Pests, Diseases, Common Problems and Queries
Pests
Mealybugs, spider mites, scales, and aphids can affect Calathea Roseopicta. Therefore, keep checking your plant regularly beneath the leaves and stem joints for the development of any pests. It’s better to control infestation in the beginning.
If there is an attack from infestation, give relief to your plant by applying neem oils or using insecticidal soaps on the affected part of the plant. Furthermore, if pest attacks persist, use the pesticide spray and repeat the process every week to get completely rid of pests.
Diseases
Commonly the Roseopicta plant is affected by bacterial and fungal diseases. These are usually happening due to overwatering and retention of water drops on the leaves. Water droplets provide favorable conditions for bacteria to develop, and they appear in the form of small spots on the leaves. Leaves fungal diseases can be easily controlled by reducing misting and keeping the leaves dry by wiping.
Are Calathea Roseopicta easy to care for?
Calathea Roseopicta is not an easy plant to take care of. The plant is very particular about its climatic conditions and watering requirements. However, if you follow or guide care, you will have a gorgeous Calathea Roseopicta with radiant foliage in your home.
Is Calathea Roseopicta a Prayer Plant?
Calathea Roseopicta is not an actual prayer plant. Red Vein Maranta is the real prayer-plant due to its leave movement during the evening resembling praying hands. Calathes also belong to the same family of prayer-plants, and their leaves also change positions with respect to day and night. However, their movement does not mimic praying hands, but many people mistakenly also call Calatheas the prayer-plants.
How big does a Calathea Roseopicta get?
Calathea Roseopicta grows up to the size of 15 – 25 inches. Roseopicta has a medium growth rate, and it can reach its maximum size in 1 to 2 years.