Large Calathea Setosa

The Setosa is also called various nicknames such as Never Never Plant, Compact Star Plant, and Zebra Plant. The red stems give way to beautifully glossy, silver and green striped leaves, and like other Calatheas, the Setosa will fold up its leaves at night, and then "bloom" open to greet the sunshine, giving it the nickname “prayer plant.” 

CALATHEA SETOSA CARE

LIGHT

In nature, Calatheas live under the canopy of the large rainforest trees and can only get some indirect light. These plants can be finicky, so you might experiment with different spots until you can make your Calathea happy. The Setosa is happier with less light than too much, so if you see brown spots or crispy edges to the leaves, move it to a place with less light.

WATER

These plants like moist soil, so water when you feel that the top inch or so of the soil is dry. They love humidity, so if you do not have a humidifier, you can put pebbles in a tray and place the pot on top. Any excess water in the soil will drain into the tray and keep the roots humid without adding too much moisture to the soil.

GROWTH HABITS

Indoors, this plant will wind up closer to 1 foot tall. Their growth rate is moderate, and the plant will go through a period of dormancy in winter. Propagation can be done through root division or by separating new shoots from the original pot.