Calathea are well known for their difficult nature, but what exactly is it that makes them difficult to manage?
Basically, they know what they like, and they won’t tolerate anything else.
If you provide them with an environment that suits them, they’ll thrive. If you don’t, they’ll produce sad, brown, curled leaves — the absolute opposite of the aesthetic you’re going for.
They can be a good plant for someone looking to get into houseplants as a hobby, but they’re not a great choice for someone after a low-effort decor piece. Unless your home just happens to suit Calathea.
You know those people who insist Calathea are the easiest plants ever? They’re not lying. They’re not sociopaths. Nor are they spending hours a day caring for their plants. They just have exactly the right conditions for Calathea to thrive.
Don’t worry if you don’t have those conditions — you can create them. Here’s everything that makes Calathea tricky, and the care setup that actually works.
Calathea care at a glance
If you’re a skimmer, here’s the short version.
| Care factor | What Calathea need |
| Light | Dappled, bright indirect, or medium light |
| Humidity | 60%+ — non-negotiable |
| Temperature | 18–27°C (65–80°F) |
| Water | Frequently — filtered or rainwater preferred |
| Fertiliser | Balanced (e.g. 15-15-15) monthly during growing season |
| Potting mix | Houseplant potting soil with perlite, or a standard aroid mix |
| Propagation | Division mostly — some Maranta can be propagated from cuttings |
| Common pests | Spider mites, aphids, scale |
| Toxic to pets? | No — but apparently delicious, so keep them out of reach |
Note: this covers the wider Marantaceae family — Calathea, Maranta, Stromanthe, and Ctenanthe all want broadly the same conditions.
So what is it that makes Calathea difficult to care for?
Mistakes show up on the leaves fast
Calathea come from climates with very stable conditions — light, temperature, and humidity barely change. That means they’re not great at adapting to change. Any of the following can show up on the leaves quickly:
- Overwatering or underwatering
- Lack of light, or too much light
- Misting
- High mineral content in the water
- Humidity that’s too low or too high
- Temperature that’s too cold or too hot
They know what they like, and they don’t like anything else.
They need consistently high humidity
High humidity is non-negotiable. Some varieties, like Calathea Lancifolia, are slightly more adaptable. Others, like Calathea White Fusion, turn into one big crispy tip at anything below 65%.
They also do NOT like getting wet on the leaves. In the wild they’re shielded from rain by the canopy above. Don’t mist them — misting and humidity are not the same thing. Pebble trays are also a non-starter; a humidifier is the only thing that reliably works, or keep them in a terrarium.
They can be fussy about water quality
This extends to the water in the air too, so use filtered water in your humidifier if you have one. Interestingly, there’s no universal rule on what water Calathea prefer — it varies by plant and even by location, so don’t be afraid to experiment with rainwater, filtered water, or a dechlorinator if tap water seems to be causing issues.
They don’t like to dry out
Calathea come from a consistently moist rainforest floor, so they’ve never had to deal with drought. They do have rhizomes, so they’re susceptible to rot if kept too wet — but they also don’t like drying out. If you’re a chronic underwaterer, a different plant (Aglaonema, for example) may suit you better.
Pests are persistent
Spider mites and Calathea are practically best mates — which is odd, since spider mites prefer hot, dry conditions and Calathea are the opposite. The best defence is keeping leaves dust-free: wipe them down with a microfibre cloth every week or so. Even if it doesn’t remove mites entirely, it disrupts their colony.
Aphids and scale can also show up. Full guide to getting rid of pests on Calathea →
They hate the cold and draughts
This can be a real issue in UK winters. Keep Calathea away from doors, windows, and anywhere draughts are common.
They burn easily in bright light
Calathea are one of the few plants worth creating dappled light for — try positioning them behind bigger plants so they get bright light filtered through foliage rather than direct sun.
They collect a lot of dust
Calathea have large leaves and don’t fold up as dramatically as Maranta, so dust accumulates. Dusty leaves create a drier microclimate, which is exactly what spider mites love. Dust them regularly.
What should you pot Calathea in?
A well-draining mix that still retains a bit of moisture. A solid starting point is two parts houseplant potting mix to one part orchid bark and one part perlite. Worm castings can be added as a slow-release nutrition boost.
Avoid terracotta where possible — it dries out faster than Calathea like. Plastic or glazed ceramic pots hold moisture more consistently.
Calathea aren’t fans of being repotted, so leave them in their nursery pots as long as reasonably possible, and only repot once they’re properly bursting out.
Common Calathea problems, answered
Almost always a humidity issue. If you can get humidity to 60%+, snip off the crispy bits and the plant should recover. A humidifier is the most reliable fix — pebble trays and misting won’t cut it.
Calathea are sensitive to nearly everything: draughts, heat, cold, overwatering, underwatering, too much darkness, too much light. If something was off, it’s worth checking each of these one at a time rather than assuming a single cause.
Usually a response to too much light or too high a temperature. Full guide to curled Calathea leaves →
Not all Calathea do this dramatically — it’s more associated with their close relative Maranta. It’s a light response: a joint between stem and leaf allows the leaf to open during the day and close at night, likely to stop rain pooling on the leaves and encouraging fungus in the wild.
Usually tied to water quality, underwatering, or low humidity. Full guide to brown spots on Calathea →
Yes — many people find Calathea actually does better in semi-hydro since it removes the guesswork around watering consistency. Full guide to Calathea in leca →
Yes, and it’s one of the easiest ways to keep them happy. A closed environment keeps humidity consistent and slightly elevated temperatures stable — both of which Calathea love. 10 reasons to keep Calathea in terrariums →
The bottom line
Calathea aren’t actually that time-consuming to care for once you’ve cracked their environment. They’re not as adaptable as something like Monstera, which will have a good go at growing just about anywhere — Calathea fit into a much narrower niche. But once you’ve got humidity, light, and water quality sorted, they’re genuinely rewarding: gorgeous, unusual, colourful leaves that not many other plants have.
If you’re serious about keeping Calathea long-term, a humidifier is worth the investment over pebble trays or misting — it removes nearly all the guesswork.
If you bought a Calathea because you fell in love with the pretty pink leaves and you’re panicking, don’t worry – houseplant is not that hard (promise). Download the guide below for 5 rules that will make everything seem a bit easier
Your plant is trying to tell you something. Grab my free Plant Survival Kit and find out what — 7 common symptoms decoded in plain English.
