Calatheas need filtered light, fast-draining soil, high indoor humidity and daily misting. Uniquely variegated foliage is the reason why indoor gardeners choose one of the many Calatheas when they want beautiful houseplants. Their spiral-shaped leaves unfurl to reveal feathered brushstrokes in shades of green.
Commonly called prayer plants or peacock plants, as houseplants, Calatheas are beautiful enough to justify the more demanding care they need: filtered light to maintain their variegation; fast-draining soil to prevent overwatering; but also high indoor humidity and daily misting to keep leaves healthy.
Robin Carlson / Chicago Botanic Garden
Calathea dresserli 'Helen Kennedy' was named in honor of the scientist who was responsible for introducing new Calathea varieties to commercial production. First discovered in Brazil, 'Helen Kennedy' has large glossy leaves on plants that grow 3 to 4 feet tall.
While ice and snow are normal challenges of winter, how we deal with them can prevent problems for salt-sensitive landscape plants and even turf grass. With a lot of winter still ahead of us, see if you are using snow-management practices that protect people from injury and plants from long-term damage.
••Construct barriers to keep salty spray from coating salt-sensitive plants, and use salt-tolerant plants in unprotected areas.
••Have snow shovels ready, and use them to remove as much snow as safely possible before using any chemical deicing products.
••Consider using sand instead of chemical deicers. If a deicer is necessary, use products made calcium chloride. Rock salt and other products made with sodium chloride can cause damage to plants that might not be visible until spring or summer.
••Always follow label instructions to make sure deicing products are used effectively and in the smallest amounts possible.
••Avoid, if possible, piling treated snow on the root zones of long-lived trees or shrubs, or on any salt-sensitive plants.
••Flush well-drained soils during periods of thaw and again in spring to dilute salt concentrations in soil.
Although days are getting longer again, the lower levels natural sunlight can cause some houseplants to become stressed and more susceptible to disease and insect problems.
Small houseplants and herbs growing on windowsills often benefit from spending a few months under artificial lights. Incandescent lights are not a good choice because they do not provide a full spectrum of light and produce too much heat. This means plants must be placed too far away for the bulbs to be effective.
Fluorescent lights are a better choice for plants. Homeowners can build a light table using two 40-watt fluorescent bulbs, one cool and one warm, for each table. Hanging light fixtures on long chains with hooks makes it easy to control how far above the table they are placed.
Group plants of similar height together and position the lights 6 to 12 inches above them. Most plants will benefit from having the lights turned on 14 to 16 hours a day.
Denise Corkery is a horticultural writer at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.
