🌿 Baby Calathea Care Guide
(Prayer Plants — Orbifolia, Medallion, Freddie, White Fusion & More)
Calathea are breathtaking tropical foliage plants loved for their bold patterns, rich colours, and gentle leaf movement. Often called Prayer Plants, their leaves may rise and fold slightly at night.
Baby Calatheas can be sensitive, but with consistent moisture, warmth, and humidity, they thrive beautifully indoors.
🌞 Light
Prefers bright, indirect light
Tolerates medium light, but colours may fade
Avoid direct sunlight, which can scorch and curl leaves
Low light may slow growth
✨ Tip: Soft filtered light is ideal — like a rainforest understory.
💧 Watering
Keep soil evenly moist, but never soggy
Water when the top 1–2 cm begins to dry
Do not allow the plant to dry out completely
Use room-temperature water
⚠️ Calatheas are sensitive to hard water — filtered, distilled, or rainwater is best.
🌱 Soil
Use a moisture-retentive but airy mix, such as:
Premium potting soil
Coco coir or peat for moisture
Perlite for drainage and airflow
Optional: a small amount of orchid bark
Calatheas enjoy consistently damp soil without waterlogging.
🪴 Pot Size
Babies do best in a small pot with drainage holes
Avoid overpotting, as excess soil stays wet too long
Repot only when roots begin filling the pot
Calatheas prefer being slightly snug.
🌡 Temperature & Humidity
Ideal temperature: 18–27°C
Protect from cold drafts and temperatures below 15°C
Require high humidity (60–80%) for best growth
A humidifier or enclosed space is highly beneficial
✨ Tip: Brown crispy edges usually indicate low humidity or inconsistent watering.
🌿 Fertilizer
Feed lightly during spring and summer
Use a balanced liquid fertilizer at ½ strength
Fertilize every 4–6 weeks
Pause feeding in autumn and winter
Calatheas are gentle feeders — less is more.
🍃 Leaf Movement & Sensitivity
Calatheas may respond quickly to environmental changes.
Curling leaves, spotting, or browning edges often relate to:
Low humidity
Dry soil
Harsh water
Temperature stress
Consistency is key.
✂️ General Maintenance
Wipe leaves gently to remove dust
Remove yellowing leaves with clean scissors
Rotate occasionally for even growth
Avoid placing near heaters or air-conditioning vents
🐛 Pests to Watch For
Calatheas may occasionally attract:
Spider mites (common in dry air)
Mealybugs
Thrips
Inspect regularly and treat early if needed.
⚠️ Pet Safety
Calatheas are generally considered pet-friendly, making them a wonderful choice for animal-loving homes.
📦 Postage & Shipping Information
All plants are carefully prepared and packaged to ensure they arrive safely and in excellent condition.
Orders are lovingly packed and dispatched on Mondays only, to help ensure they arrive before the following weekend, as our shop is closed on Tuesdays.
To ensure same-week dispatch, orders must be placed by midnight Sunday.
If Monday falls on a public holiday, dispatch will not take place until the following Monday. While we always do our best to send orders promptly, should any unexpected lengthy delays occur, we’ll be in touch to let you know.
Shipping Options
Bare Root Shipping (Most Economical Option):
Soil is mostly removed to reduce weight, and roots are wrapped in either sphagnum moss or damp shredded paper.
Potted Shipping (Where Possible):
Plants may be sent in their original nursery pots with soil intact. Shipping is calculated by weight, making this option more expensive, however plants will arrive less stressed with no need to pot them up on arrival.
Simply select your preferred shipping method at checkout.
Please note: Due to plant import restrictions, we are only able to ship to WA, NT, or TAS if prior arrangements have been made.
🌿 Pick Up Available
Pick up is also available from:
DESERT JUNGLE PLANT CO
2/34 Wollongong Street
Fyshwick ACT
Opening Hours:
Wednesday–Friday: 10am–5pm
Saturday: 10am–4pm
🌿 Disclaimer
Please note: All images are for reference only. We try to provide an image for each product that shows what a mature specimen may look like, as well as examples of the plants you will receive.
The plant you receive will be a healthy specimen selected from the best available stock at the time of picking. As each plant is unique, size, shape, and colour may vary slightly from the reference photos shown.