Brighter Blooms Calathea Makoyana House & Patio

Award-Winning, Showy Peacock Plant

The Calathea Makoyana, or Peacock Plant, features gorgeous, dramatic foliage that’s as showy and vibrant as a peacock’s feathers. It won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 2018, and it’s easy to see why.

This tabletop plant grows in an upright form to about 24 inches tall, with large impressive leaves—making it a stunning living focal point inside your home.

Calathea Makoyana boasts pale green foliage with prominent dark green markings in a feathered effect ,from the middle of the leaf to the outer edges. And as a Prayer Plant, the leaves move to track the light, folding straight up at night to reveal their pinkish-red undersides.

This plant does well in containers, and you can typically expect new growth from the middle of the plant during March through October. Plus, it’s non-toxic and pet-friendly making it a safe choice for any room in your home.

Planting & Care

1. Planting: Calatheas do well with indirect bright light. Place your plant in front of a bright window but be sure to keep it away from drafty areas. When you’re repotting or planting your plant, select a container that’s twice the width of the shipped container and one that has drainage holes. Use a well-draining container potting mix then place your plant and water to settle the roots. If your potting mix needs more drainage we recommend mixing in perlite to help.

2. Watering: Calatheas can be quite finicky when it comes to watering. It’s best to be consistent and only water when around 75% of the soil is dry. You can test this by putting your finger in the soil to check its level of moisture. Too little or too much water will result in brown and yellowing leaves.

In addition to watering, keep the environment humid (over 40% is ideal) by using a cool misting humidifier or mist the plant a couple times a week.

FGT Tip: If your leaves are still yellowing and browning and you have ruled out too little or too much water try using filtered water next time you water your plants.

3. Fertilizing: The prime growing season of Calathea is during March-October. You will want to fertilize during these months with a balanced houseplant fertilizer. Follow product instructions for more specifics.

4. Pruning: Little pruning is needed but occasionally you will need to prune any dead or damaged leaves. Simply trim the leaf at the base with a sharp pair of pruners.