Calathea Freddie, the zebra plant: characteristics and care

Have you ever heard of Calathea Freddie? As we have put in the title, it is called the zebra plant because of the colors of its leaves, but what else do you know about it?

If you want us to tell you more about this calathea, both physical and the care you need, you have come to the right place because here we leave you a guide so that you can get to know it in depth. Shall we start?

How is the Calathea Freddie

Calathea Freddie is also known as Calathea Concinna. It is native to Brazil where its natural habitat is usually that of the tropical forest. However, it has a peculiarity and that is that, although it is part of the Marantaceae family, and that makes it acquire the characteristics of moving its leaves, it is known that it does not do so as much as other Calatheas.

In other words, it moves, but very little and although there are variations, these are very small and sometimes imperceptible.

Physically, Calathea Freddie is a plant with oval leaves. (but elongated) and dark green. These are bordered with some stripes in a lighter green, with a pattern that is almost the same on all the leaves.

It reaches, as an indoor plant, a height that goes from 60 to 90 centimeters, while the width is between 10 and 18 centimeters.

As for flowering, although it is not very common to see it indoors, if you are lucky you will see that it has a long stem that grows from the center of the plant and from which white flowers will come out. Of course, these last very, very little, but they are beautiful when they come out, so pay attention to these because you are going to like them.

Calathea Freddie care

Now that you know a little more about Calathea Freddie, it’s time to give you a care guide so you can keep it at home for a long, long time. From now on we tell you that it is not difficult to take care of, but It does have some peculiarities that you should keep in mind so that nothing happens to it.

location and temperature

The Calathea Freddie is a plant that likes the sun, but not direct. It lives better if it gets the sun indirectly. Experts talk about placing it best near windows that face east, west, or north. But, in general, if you let the light hit it for six hours it will be more than enough.

If you notice that the leaves become more matte, or that they seem to lose color, this will indicate that it is receiving too much light, and therefore it is better to place it in semi-shade.

As for the temperature, the ideal would be between 18 and 23ºC. As with other Calatheas, it does not tolerate cold at all, much less frost. That’s why, When the temperature drops below 10ºC, it is normal for it to freeze and the plant to end up dying.

Being considered a plant that gives oxygen, you can have it perfectly in a bedroom, and sleep with it, since it will make you fall asleep better and provide you with much healthier air.

Substratum

As for the land to use, it is best to mix a substrate that can withstand moisture, such as worm humus, with a drainage such as perlite or even orchid soil (or a mixture of both).

In this way you will ensure that it does not retain so much water but it does remain humid, enough for the plant to be healthy.

Irrigation

Like many other Calatheas, this one also needs the soil to be always moist. This can be a problem if you don’t keep an eye on it, as the soil can easily rot. Therefore, it is convenient to have a moisture meter or simply touch the soil with your finger to see if it needs watering.

In general, watering in summer can be two or three times a week, while in winter it could be once a week or every ten days (depending on humidity).

If you go too far, you can end up with fungus and root rot, which would kill the plant completely.

Humidity

Another important care for Calathea Freddie is humidity. He adores her! In fact, it is necessary, for it to be well, provide a humidity of at least 70% so that the foliage remains healthy.

This can be achieved with a humidifier (would be best), grouping the plants or a tray with pebbles and water.

You may think that you can also spray it, but the truth is that it is not a good idea. It is not recommended that you water the leaves because they can end up getting sick from this.

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During the spring and summer months, it is a good idea to fertilize this plant, at least once a month, with a fertilizer that can be diluted in the irrigation water.

Of course, take less than the amount proposed by the manufacturer to avoid overnutrition. In fact, if you transplanted it in spring, we do not recommend fertilizing until October. or so, because you will already have what is necessary to get you through those first months.

pruning

The pruning of the Calathea Freddie is based solely on cutting the leaves that are ugly, they look old or are bad in appearance. In addition, the rest of the leaves should be cleaned often so that dust does not prevent them from doing photosynthesis well.

Plagues and diseases

As for pests and diseases, although they are resistant to them, there are some that can wreak havoc. Such as mealybugs, red mites or thrips.

Regarding diseases, all of them can be caused by an excess or lack of light or water. That is why you have to control these care very well so that none of that happens to him.

Multiplication

When it comes to propagating Calathea Freddie, the best way is through plant division. This calathea has difficulties to root by cutting in water, in fact, it is not the best because it will not succeed.

As you see, Calathea Freddie can be a good companion for your home. And here you have everything you need to take care of it as it should be. Have you ever seen this plant? Do you have it at home? We read you in comments.