This cool Rose Painted Calathea, or you can call it Calathea Roseopicta, is a lovely plant with brilliant foliage that adds a pop of color anywhere you like. But, it’s super important to get what this plant needs to keep it looking great. We’ll go over everything you need to know about Calathea Roseopicta care, from watering and lighting to soil and fertilization, in this easy peasy guide. This guide will tell you all you need to keep your plant happy and healthy, whether you’re a seasoned plant owner or new to this.
About Calathea Roseopicta
Calathea roseopicta is a stunning tropic plant from Brazil. It’s also known as rose-painted calathea or red-leaf calathea. This plant has dark green leaves that are broadly oval in shape and have purple-brown markings on the top side. The undersides of the leaves are a deep maroon color. It can reach 2 feet high and wide. This plant loves a bit of shade and lots of moisture.
This Calathea, a member of the prayer plant family, has big leaves pointing up like in prayer. Calathea Roseopicta, shares the species’ rep for its unique leaf look.
Calatheas were first found in 1869, so we’ve seen loads of types created over time. One thing that makes this plant unique: the fluffy edge design is a standout feature of Calathea roseopicta hybrids, which also have unique leaf forms and colors.
Calathea Roseopicta Care Quick Overview
| Common Name | Rose Painted Calathea, Black Rose, Jungle rose |
| Botanical name | Calathea Roseopicta |
| Synonyms | Maranta roseopicta, Phyllodes roseopicta, Calathea illustris, Maranta illustris, Maranta wagneri |
| Family | Marantaceae |
| Genus | Calathea |
| Type | Lasting plant |
| Native Range | Western South America to Western Brazil |
| Mature Size | Height: 1-1.5 feet; Spread: 0.75-1 feet |
| Bloom Time | Seasonal bloomer |
| Common Cultivars | Concinna, Corona, Cynthia, Eclipse, Maria, Medallion, Roseapicta, Silhouette, Picta Royale |
| USDA Hardiness Zones | 11 to 12 |
| Foliage | Bright, Always green |
| Propagation methods | Division |
| Sun | Prefers low to no sunlight |
| Soil | Likes damp, rich soil |
| Toxicity | None |
Calathea Roseopicta care tips
Watering
Watering this Calathea is needed to make your plant happy and growing. Water your Calathea only when the soil is dry to 2 inches deep, which you can check by sticking your finger into the potting mix. Water thoroughly until water leaks out of the bottom of the pot.
Water with lukewarm water or filtered water since tap water has calcium and other minerals that can pile up in the soil over time. Watering with tepid water will also help you avoid leaf burn, which is a common problem for this type of plant.
Let your Calathea dry out a bit between waterings but avoid complete drying as this can cause serious harm to the plant. Watering your Calathea Roseopicta once a week or every other week is usually enough but it varies with the heat and moisture of your home.
When the top of the soil has dried throughout the grow time, consider watering a bit now and then. If you’re unsure of the soil’s moisture level, check it out before watering randomly.
You can cut down how often you water throughout the winter when the plant’s not growing much. Never let the soil dry out totally, but let half of it too. During this time, you typically only water once a week or less.
Keep an eye on how your plant looks and if leaves start to droop, water more often. If you’re ever in doubt, check the soil before watering, and be sure not to overwater as this leads to root rot.
When caring for a Calathea Roseopicta, it’s important to remember that how you water matters for keeping this beautiful houseplant healthy and lively. Watering too much or too little can both be bad for the plant, so make sure you keep a careful eye on the soil moisture levels and use lukewarm water to avoid any possible root problems.
Ideal Humidity
Beautiful tropical houseplant Calathea roseopicta has lush green leaves that are accented with striking stripes and rich purple splotches. Despite its exotic look, this plant is picky about its surroundings. Your Calathea needs the right amount of humidity to grow and live.
For a Calathea roseopicta, humidity should be from 50 to 70%. By misting the leaves of your plant daily or running a humidifier close to it, you can increase the moisture in the area around it if your home feels dry. You can also arrange your plants together to together make the area more humid, or you can set a pebble tray filled with water nearby to add extra moisture to the air.
No matter what tricks you use, make sure to regularly check the moisture level around your Calathea roseopicta. Cut back on misting and get more air moving if the levels rise too high. Make sure to adjust the moisture levels as needed because too little humidity will cause leaves to quickly turn brown and shrivel up. Your Calathea roseopicta will flourish and add a bit of tropical beauty to your house with the right care.
Ideal light
The Calathea Roseopicta is a knockout houseplant that does best in medium to bright indirect light. The best spots for the plant would be somewhere near a window that faces east or west, where it can catch some morning and afternoon sun.
You shouldn’t put the Calathea in direct sun as this can burn the leaves. When kept in the right conditions, this plant will really show off with its amazing pink and green leaves.
In winter when the light decreases, you should move your Calathea to a sunny windowsill. Think about putting them closer to a window or using fake lights.
If it gets too much sun, its leaves will burn and turn brown at the edges. You’ll notice slower growth or floppy stems, and it might even stop growing altogether, if there isn’t enough light.
To make sure the Calathea Roseopicta is getting enough light, it should get around 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight each day. Also, fluorescent or LED lights can make up for the lack of sunshine on days when your Calathea isn’t getting enough natural light.
Required temperature
The best temperature for Calathea Roseopicta is around 64-75°F (18-24°C). To create the perfect environment for your plant, try to keep the temperature between these two ranges.
If it gets too hot, the leaves of the Calathea Roseopicta can burn, and if it’s too cold, they can go limp and droopy. So, it’s important to keep a steady temperature to help the plant do well.
If it gets too cold for a long time, your Calathea Roseopicta may be at risk of dying. In low temperatures, you may see a lot of yellow leaves.
To help keep the best temperature, consider getting a thermometer and placing it near the plant’s pot. Also, make sure to keep the plant away from any drafts or direct sunlight which may cause the temperature to change a lot.
Avoid drafts by keeping the plant a bit away from cold windows in winter and A/C units. Keep a safe distance away from heaters because the air around them will be too dry.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is an important part of caring for Calathea Roseopicta. Giving the plant fertilizer once a month during its growing season (spring and summer) will help keep the plant healthy and help it grow. Fertilizing in the fall or winter may cause a harmful buildup in the soil from the unused stuff.
Fertilizers usually have three main nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which your Calathea needs to grow new leaves.
Fertilizers come in both organic and man-made forms, so you can choose one to best suit your needs.
Fertilizing is important for keeping the soil healthy and giving your Calathea the nutrients it needs to do well.
Fertilizing your plant every other month should be enough for most Calatheas, but if you notice signs of lack of nutrients, like yellowing or pale leaves, then it’s best to fertilize more often.
Remember that too much fertilizer can hurt your Calathea, so be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging when putting fertilizer in.
Here are a few things to remember when fertilizing your Calathea Roseopicta:
- It’s best to use an even mix of fertilizer with the same amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for the best growth.
- Always dilute the fertilizer before you put it in to avoid possible burning of the leaves.
- Fertilizer should be put right into the soil around the base of the plant every four weeks for the best results.
- Fertilizing can help improve leaf color, encourage new growth, and promote the overall health of your Calathea Roseopicta plant.
- Make sure to always read and follow the instructions on the fertilizer packaging to make sure you use it the right way.
Soil
To grow well, Calathea Roseopicta needs soil that drains well. The soil should be full of natural stuff and be a bit acidic, around 6.5–6.8.
Soil mixes made specially for houseplants are perfect for these plants because they have the right mix of drainage and stuff to help the roots grow. A good potting mix should have equal parts of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite to make sure there’s enough air and drainage.
You can fix the soil with a slow-release fertilizer to make sure the plant gets enough food for the best growth. It’s also good to add some bark chips or compost on top of the soil to make it look nice. Making sure the soil is balanced and drains well will help your Calathea Roseopicta stay healthy and grow well.
If you find out your soil isn’t draining fast enough, you can fix it with more perlite or coarse sand to help with air and drainage. Soil that’s too dense or wet will make the roots rot, so be careful to make sure your soil mix is light and drains well.
Also, don’t forget not to overwater your plant because that can also make the roots rot and cause other problems with your Calathea Roseopicta. The soil should only be watered when it starts to feel dry, and all the extra moisture should be fully taken out. The soil shouldn’t stay soaking wet.
Giving your Calathea Roseopicta the right soil conditions is key to helping the roots grow and the whole plant grow well.
Insect
Bugs can be a real pain for Calathea Roseopicta, as they can eat the plant’s leaves and cause damage. Bug problems usually happen because of not enough care or not enough upkeep of the plant.
Common bugs are aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and mites.
Mealybugs are one of the most common bugs for Calathea Roseopicta. They look like tiny white fluffy spots on the plant’s leaves and stems and feed on plant sap.
Spider mites are another common bug, and even though they’re small, you can see their webs near the underside of the leaves. They eat plant cell sap and can cause color changes, weird leaves, or silver spots on the leaves.
Thrips are little bugs that can cause color changes and weird leaves as well as damage to flower petals.
All bugs should be identified and treated with the right ways to stop the spread of bugs. Here are some quick tips for getting rid of bugs:
- Wipe off any bugs with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol and treat the plant with a bug spray made specially for Calathea Roseopicta.
- Bugs can be picked off by hand.
- You can use bug-killing soap or chemical sprays to treat them.
- Bugs can also be wiped off manually with a cotton swab soaked by wiping down leaves with a wet cloth.
- Get rid of really bug-filled leaves by putting them in a plastic bag and tossing them out.
- To get rid of Mealybugs, mix Neem oil with water misting for your plant.
To stop a bug problem, it’s important to keep the plant area clean and free from junk and use a monthly bug spray. It’s recommended to regularly check the plant for signs of bugs so you can take ways to stop it as soon as possible.
Also, keep the plant in a sunny spot away from drafts and too much wetness. Bug problems can be treated with a bug spray specially made for Calathea Roseopicta, but remember to read and follow all the directions on the bug spray label before using it on the plant.
Pruning
Trimming up is a crucial part of taking care of Calathea Roseopicta. Regular snips keeps your plant healthy and growing right. Pruning helps control the shape and size and reduces chances of diseases and bugs.
When you cut branches or stems, always make the cut at a 45-degree angle, just above where a leaf grows. You should trim during late spring or early summer when the plant is growing strong. Get rid of any cut stuff right away because it can attract pests and diseases.
Pruning also helps make Calathea Roseopicta plants grow bushier. Cut off any dead or sickly leaves and stems to encourage new growth. You can also prune to remove extra leaves or growth you don’t want.
Always use sharp, clean tools for the best results when pruning. With regular trims, Calathea Roseopicta plants will stay healthy and good-looking for many years.
Remember:
- Always throw away any pruned stuff far from the plant to avoid spreading disease or bugs.
- Never prune when the plant is flowering. Pruning can also help encourage a bushier shape and fuller leaves in Roseopicta plants.
- Don’t put any pruned stuff in compost, because it might have spores or bug eggs that could spread to other plants.
- Don’t prune too much, because too much pruning can hurt the plant and cause it to not grow right.
- Don’t put any pruned stuff near an open flame or direct sunlight to avoid burning it.
Propagation
Propagating Calathea Roseopicta is pretty easy. You propagate this plant by dividing the root system and planting each part in its own pot.
Here are the steps for dividing:
- Carefully take the plant out of its current pot and gently divide it into two or smaller plants.
- Replant each small section in a new pot with fresh soil, and water them lightly afterward to settle the soil.
- To make sure roots grow faster, you could dip the cut end in root-growing hormone before planting.
- After planting, water the new plant parts thoroughly and put them in a warm place with bright but indirect light.
- Keep the soil a little moist and spray water around the plants often to keep the humidity high.
Propagation is best done during the spring or summer when the plant is growing strong. It should take 10-12 weeks for the plant parts to root successfully and the new plants should be ready for full sun by then. Taking proper care of newly propagated Calathea Roseopicta will make sure the propagation is successful.
Remember: Don’t try to propagate from stem or leaf cuttings because it’s not recommended for this species. Only propagate by dividing the root system. The time it takes to propagate can vary depending on the growing conditions and how healthy the roots of the plant are. Propagate in a clean place to avoid any fungus or bacteria from hurting the new plants.
Common problems & questions of Calathea Roseopicta
Common problems
Root Rot
When you give your plant too much water, root rot happens. This is caused by too much humidity, watering too much, poor drainage, or extreme rainfall. While yellow leaves and slow growth can look like other problems, root rot mainly hits the bottom part of the plant first.
Don’t just stick to your regular watering routine; instead, always check your plant’s soil to see if it needs a drink or not.
Fungi and Bacteria
Calathea droopy due to lack of water, hot weather, and low humidity are the main reasons for drooping leaves. Watering too much is especially bad for Calathea plant. To set things right, try giving it less water and move it to a warmer place with better air circulation and less sunlight.
Drooping Leaves
Calathea Droopy due to lack of water, hot weather, and low humidity are the main reasons for drooping leaves. Watering too much is especially bad for Calathea plant. To set things right, try giving it less water and move it to a warmer place with better air circulation and less sunlight.
Brown Leaf Edges
If your Calathea leaves have a few brown spots on them, the plant might be getting too much sun or not enough moisture from its surroundings.
If you see this happening, you should move it somewhere with less sun. Places with high humidity are perfect for Calathea plant, and your humidifier or spray bottle can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Size Can Calathea Roseopicta Grow To?
Calathea Roseopicta is a perennial that forms clumps. At its tallest, it can reach up to 1.5 feet. And when fully grown, it spreads to about one foot.
Why Are the Leaves on My Calathea Roseopicta Turning Yellow?
If the leaves start to yellow, this might mean that the plant is getting too much direct sun. Lastly, making the air more humid can help to keep the leaves plump and glossy; spraying the leaves or placing a humidifier nearby can help to boost humidity levels.
The other reason for yellow leaves is watering too much. Before watering again, let the top half inch to completely dry. Taking care of Calathea plant often involves watering too much.
How often should I water my Calathea Roseopicta?
One of the most common questions about Calathea Roseopicta is how often to water it. I usually water indoor plants once every week or two, and that seems to be enough.
But be careful not to give it too much water as this can cause problems like root rot. Feel the soil to see if your plant needs water. If the surface feels dry to the touch, it’s time to water.
Why Are Calathea Roseopicta suffer from leaf scorch?
This plant suffers from leaf scorch because there are not enough nutrients in the soil. You should feed the plant every two weeks with a liquid feed made especially for indoor plants to prevent this from happening.
Looking after a Calathea Roseopicta isn’t too tough, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are some tips:
- Remember, if your Calathea roseopicta is planted too close to a heat source or gets hit by warm air, its precious leaves will quickly dry up.
- Every few days, check your plant to see if it needs watering. Don’t try to stick to a weekly watering schedule since it will probably go horribly wrong. Often check the soil before watering.
- Now and then, dust or wash the leaves to keep them clean.This is a great chance to check the plant’s health and look for bugs.
- Even when the humidity levels are okay, grouping tropical plants can help boost them.
- If you see burned tips or leaf patches, think about where your water comes from. Water that’s full of minerals or contains other chemicals can affect Calathea roseopicta care, and using clean water might be better.
- Calathea Roseopicta likes bright, not direct light, and can’t stand direct sunlight; place the plant in front of a window that gets a lot of sunlight but away from direct sunlight.
In the end, Calathea Roseopicta is a beautiful and rewarding plant that can be a great addition to any home. With proper care, it will give its owner lush foliage for years to come.
I really hope that this FamiPlants article will help you maintain beautiful and healthy plants! Your Calathea roseopicta will continue to make your home more beautiful for many years if you give it the care it needs!
Don’t hesitate to reach out or leave a comment if you’re having problems with your Calathea roseopicta care that are not covered here. We’re more than happy to help figure out your plant’s problem. Thanks for reading!
Learn more about Other Calathea care resources:
