The drooping IS from a lack of water, but not in the sense that the plant was too dry - it was too wet, which inhibited root function which rendered the plant unable to maintain turgidity, so it wilted - dying of thirst in a sea of plenty. That it didn't perk up right away after watering is a good sign that the issue isn't from under-watering. You should hope it's a result of recent over-watering or not enough O2 in the root zone for roots to function. If not that, it is probably the result of prolonged over-watering prior to your taking it home and a root system compromised by rot - a more serious state of affairs. It also looks like the plant might be planted too deep, but if you decide to follow the following suggestion, you can correct that right away. I think the first order of business is to check the roots & see what's there. The roots should all be tan or white & plump, not dark, slimy, hollow and easily broken, or sour smelling ..... they should smell like fresh earth. If you find roots that aren't as they should be, trim them back to sound tissue - even if you have to bare root the plant entirely to do it. Then repot into whatever you have on hand for potting soil, but make sure the soil is no wetter than a well wrung out sponge - DAMP is what you want, not WET. The key is to get some air into the soil asap. Uptake of water and nutrients isn't a passive or energy-free process; it requires energy, and an adequate supply of O2 (aeration) - a key ingredient without which the root system cannot carry on transpiration, which is the energy-driven process the uptake of water/nutrients depends on. If you're just getting started, I think if you're willing to put just a little effort into gaining an understanding of the basics, you will save yourself a lot of unnecessary heartache that comes from learning by trial and error. I'll leave you a link to look over if you want to. It's a basic overview that covers a lot of things you won't find in check-out stand plant books. If you find value in it, or you're interested in taking another step forward, let me know, and I'll link you to a thread about soils. Your soil choice is going to be pivotal in determining how hard you have to work at coaxing good vitality out of your plants, but lets save this one before we worry about the ones you don't even have yet. ;-) Best luck! Al Here is a link that might be useful: An overview for you to think about ....

Sorry, but I just don't have the time to read through ALL OF THAT MATERIAL to try to help you. Pls. do calm down, tho' you say you have -- panic never solved anything, tho' I can understand being upset to lose a plant. First & most important get it out of the glass container, into a normal pot W/ A DRAINAGE HOLE. That is a MUST, not negotiable. You were told untruths, this is NOT an easy plant, this is a moisture loving tropical, requiring high humidity levels, not so easily gotten in most homes. Where in the World are you located? The names of plants you posted sound foreign, like some where in Asia (maybe) or Africa. You need an easy starter plant w/ lower light requirements, maybe a Pothos, Sansevieria (Snake plant) or Aspidistra (Cast Iron plant) but all 3 are pointy, so your superstitious Aunt will not want them either. This is not a beginner plant, the pot must have a hole, the soil you have is unlikely to be the right kind for that plant. The rocks on top aren't helping anything (tho' I understand that maybe you like them). The soil is staying wet since there's no drainage hole by which to drain. Watering in small sips is usually bad for plants. I'm sorry, I regret that this sounds mean & severe, but you were taken advantage of. Vendors have financial motivation to mislead you & that's just what seems to have happened here. Pls. search online for easy, starter plants for a beginning gardener to start w/ & go from there. To research trying to fix this plant, since you know it's called a Calathea; Marantas are related & take similar care. I'd read up on them some more.

The link will take you to a holistic Overview of Good Growing Practices, which has a strong emphasis on grow media why a grower's choice of a growing medium can have so much influence on how rewarding the growing experience turns out. Also, I wouldn't be too concerned about mold as it relates to the plant's well-being. Plants live in perfect harmony with thousands of species of fungi with only a few capable of causing infections with potential to jeopardize the plant's viability. Al

Could somebody please help me diagnose my Calathea leaves (Photos attached). I am beginner plant parent and have just started growing house plants. I live on the sea side. The water from the tap has a small amount of clorine, so I keep the water for one or two days before watering my plants. Not sure what is happening. I would be happy if some one helped me with this