Calathea Burle Marx Care Guide

Known for its unique foliage, the Calathea Burle Marx, also known as Fishbone Prayer Plant is quite the stunner. This foliage plant has bright and beautiful green leaves with color variegations that look like a fishbone hence the name. 

In addition to the pretty patterns on the top, the undersides of the leaves are purple and add a nice contrast to the appearance. On the whole, this plant makes a gorgeous addition to your house. Straight from the Brazilian rainforest, these lively plants do bear the slightly finicky personality that’s a signature of prayer plants. 

So, it does require intermediate care and it’s not a very beginner-friendly option. So, how can you keep your Calathea Burle Marx happy? Let’s find out.

[product=calathea-burle-marx-medium]                                                                  Buy this tropical beauty with air purifying properties. It has unique foliage that can brighten up your home. It does require intermediate care.

How to grow Calathea Burle Marx?

To grow Calathea Burle Marx:

• Use a pot with drainage holes. 
• Maintain a Calathea Burle Marx plant in a warm, consistent temperature of 18-32°C, with a humidity level of 50%-60% and regular watering when the soil feels dry.
• Use a well-draining, peat-based potting mix with added perlite and fertilize monthly during the growing season. 
• Prune dead or damaged leaves, propagate through division, and watch for pests and diseases. 

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Is Calathea Burle Marx easy to care for?

The Calathea Burle Marx is not the easiest to care for. Some prayer plants are known to be quite dramatic with their watering and lighting needs and this one is no different. But with a little love and some patience, you’ll soon understand the plant well enough to keep it happy.

How should you propagate Calathea Burle Marx? While propagating can be challenging, with proper care, the chances of success increase. Calathea Burle Marx can be propagated easily by dividing the mature plant. The plant has a rapidly growing root system and does well when repotted once in one or two years. When you remove the plant from its pot check if there are healthy sections you can take and propagate to yield individual plants.

How to Care for Calathea Burle Marx?

The following recommended maintenance steps to care for Calathea Burle Marx include:

1. Sunlight Needs:

How much sunlight does Calathea Burle Marx need? Give your Calathea Burle Marx moderate to bright indirect sunlight and the plant thrives. To some extent, the plant can also put up with low light conditions but direct light can quickly burn the leaves.

2. Temperature Maintenance:

Calathea Burle Marx plants thrive in warm temperatures between 18-32°C but are not fond of extreme lows or sudden temperature fluctuations.

3. Watering Routine:

How often should you water Calathea Burle Marx? Water your Calathea Burle Marx plant once or twice a week or even more frequently during summer. In winter you need to water it less often to ensure that the soil does not get too soggy.

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4. Proper Humidify:

Calathea Burle Marx is a humidity-loving plant and therefore to keep it happy, it’s important to consistently maintain moderate to high humidity levels. If you cannot do this when the humidity levels drop, remember to mist the plant regularly.

5. Growth Potential Knowledge: 

How big does Calathea Burle Marx get? A fully-grown Calathea Burle Marx plant can reach a height of about 1.5 feet. However, since the plant is a slow grower, this does take a lot of time.

6. Fertilization Timing:

Calathea Burle Marx needs a mild fertilizer on a monthly basis. But in winter the plant does not need to be fertilized.

7. Other Challenges and Troubleshooting:

Common challenges and troubleshooting for Calathea Burle Marx include yellowing leaves due to overwatering or root rot, drooping leaves due to underwatering, and dry leaf tips due to low humidity. To address these issues, adjust watering practices, ensure the plant is neither over- nor underwatered, and increase humidity by misting the plant.

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Conclusion

Calathea Burle Marx is a beautiful, finicky plant with bright green leaves and purple undersides, which looks great in any space. To keep it happy, follow the recommended maintenance steps (mentioned above).