Please help me ith my Calathea Ornata (had it 1 week and its dying)

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I got sent this plant as a birthday present and after the first day of taking it out of the box it was delivered in it started declining.At first I was worried because it wasn't opening and closing for day and night so I moved it around a bit to see if the sunlight was too much or too little. Then it started drooping so I was worried it was too cold and dry.Now I've wrapped the pot in a scarf and bubbled wrap and moved it to the bathroom.I've only watered it once since it arrived, but the soil has been moist the whole time. I watered it a bit more today by putting it in some shallow water and it didnt take any of it so I dont think it's an under watering problem.Now the leaves have started to curl up and the edges are going crispy. Can anyone help?(Pictures in comments)

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Phoebe Rodway
Original Author
3 years ago
Phoebe Rodway
Original Author
3 years ago
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I have to disagree with jean001 a little. New potting soil (looks like yours has some perlite as well) will not compact and/or dry out such that it pulls away from the edge of the pot, and water runs right through without wetting it. Given the size of your pot, and the amount you're watering, I'd say it's been too wet. Avocados like well-drained soil, on the slightly dry side. A new tree, with few roots to absorb and transpire water, doesn't require much. As it grows and water needs increase, it can use more, but easy does it. As jean001 suggested, growing in a pot is MUCH different than in the ground. Care must be taken to maintain the correct soil moisture. There are perhaps a few avocado varieties that will produce in a container, but it would have to be a very large container. Also, you'll get few, if any, fruits, without cross-pollination. If you maintain a drier pot, and keep an eye on moisture levels further down in the mix before watering, it's possible your tree will come back. The way it's looking at the moment, I'd give it about a 30-40% chance. Also, small avocados are prone to sunburn -- don't keep it in direct sun all day. Shade it slightly, and/or paint the trunk. -Bruce
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Morning Sovery, As I mentioned above, your Cal needs acclimating since it was summered outdoors. Think about it. When plants are outside, they get fresh, circulating air, and 'depending where one lives,' humidity. Then comes fall..plants are moved in a stuffy, dry house. Plants should be brought inside before heat is turned on. Especially, tropicals. Did I mention, Calathea picta types are very difficult? I have two..one is in a terrarium, the second is on its own. Yours is a picta..sorry don't know which variety. Some Cals are fussier than others. For instance, my C. Snake has brown tips; C. Peacock doesn't. When outdoors, they sat side by side..hauled indoors the same day. Same light, etc. Indirect-bright light is perfect. During summer, west/south windows are way too harsh. This time of year, 'at least here in IL,' s/w exposure wouldn't matter....won't burn leaves. Your east window sounds okay, as long as your Cal isn't 10' away. lol If you're worried about light, why not add artificial? You can do so inexpensively. Hygrometers..lol..Buy a second to compare. lol. We have three. Two are the same type..purchased years ago..accurate temps and humidity. The third was bought 7-yrs ago..it reads inside, outside and green house temp. Every fall I place all 3 side-by-side to compare readings. One may be a degree higher...but I consider 1 degree good enough. :) 55% humidity is great. What about temp? Is the room warm/hot? Cals do not like too much heat. My Cals are in a fairly unheated room. In fact, during cold months, the room gets pretty cold. Sometimes, too cold. Fresh air is important. Do you have a ceiling or rotating fan? If so, can you run it an hour or two a day? As long as air isn't directed on your plants for more than a few seconds at a time. Wish I could be more help...Toni
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@rina_Ontario,Canada 5a This is what my plant should look like and had looked like a while ago. I don't think I over watered/ under watered it multiple times because I got one of those plant moisture meters to know when to water it. I put fertilizer in both re potted plants as kind of a good luck thing, I don't even know if it does anything but I though it couldn't hurt. I only put a very small amount. I did think that the soil might have been to "Normal looking" in the sense that it was like normal potting soil but I got this bag exactly and it's what i have used ever since I got them. I had previously put in pebbles just to help the soil drain even better (as well as some sand the first time but that was to much to deal with) the pebbles are like smaller than my thumbnail. I tried putting the light above the plants but because this is the only lamp I have it has this clip so that you can attach it to a surface and I have to use it because the bulb sticks out so I can't leave it facing downward on the bulb. Luckily there are no bugs! I think because of the quality of the picture it looks like the darker bits at the end of the leaves are bugs but there not. In the picture I had just desperately flung water droplets onto the plant so that it could get some water back into it so that's why there is dark spots in the soil. Unfortunately the leaves and stem are getting dryer and dryer..... I was hoping that they would start to perk up or at least only part of the stem would dry up and fall off but everything seems very hard and dry. D:
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Phoenix Rising (Zone 7a/b, NJ)
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
What a coincidence, I just heard about this plant on one of Nick Pileggi's YouTube videos (this was on his top ten list of most hated houseplants, due its temperamental nature). I have not grown this one specifically, but do love the Maranta and Calathea genera, having had good luck with the common Prayer plant varieties and at least one of the Calatheas (a variety of Peacock plant), and I just bought a C. zebrina. It seems that there some species in this genus that are relatively robust as indoor plants in the North and some that are beyond snowflakes. So, give yourself a break, some plants just don't want to live with us at all.

P.S., I disagree with what Nick has to say about Ficus lyrata, I have had one for years without problems. Love it! Having said that, I really don't understand their cult status, but think this is on the wane

Nick Pileggi on Calathea ornata :(
Phoebe Rodway thanked Phoenix Rising (Zone 7a/b, NJ)
tropicbreezent
3 years ago
In my experience Calathea ornata is one of the tougher Calatheas. Award for toughest I give to Calathea metallica. You received your plant in winter, do you know whether it might have experienced very cold temperatures in transit? Wrapping a scarf, etc., around the pot won't do much. Unlike people plants don't generate their own heat. If temperature of the air is lower than the pot then the pot will lose heat and scarf might only slow it a little. Do you know the temperatures the plant is being exposed to in the house? Soil moisture and drainage are very important. Cold and a bit dry can set the plant back but it usually comes back well. If cold and wet the plant rots and you lose it.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
your plant is stressed.. from shipping ... lets try not to love it to death ...

where are you big city name.. there might be some cold damage during shipping ... nothing you can do about it ...

water a plant when it needs water .. less is better than too much .. insert finger and find out.. the wilting leaves are not due to a water issue... based on what you say ...

it does not need a scarf .. unless you are walking around the house in a parka .. lol ...

humidity is not an issue ...

fert is not a response .. its stressed.. not hungry ...

i would inform the sender about the damage.. and see what they say .. i dont mean the gift giver .. i mean the florist or grower ..

it doesnt need to go potty.. so i dont know why the bathroom would help ... and i wonder what useful light there would in there ...

do not harm it further by putting it in direct sun in a window.. but do insure its getting good light ...

just water it properly.. and give it a month to settle down and drestress .. and stop trying to fix it ... in the same said month.. you destress .. lol ...

ken

ps: on review of the pix.. that cracked leaf looks like shipping damage .. but.. if we lose a few leaves.. dont worry about it ... if it settles down ... it will start putting out new leaves to replace such ...

Please help me ith my Calathea Ornata (had it 1 week and its dying)

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Phoebe Rodway
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Phoebe Rodway
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Phoenix Rising (Zone 7a/b, NJ)

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Please help me ith my Calathea Ornata (had it 1 week and its dying)

Comments (5)

Phoebe RodwayOriginal Author

Phoebe RodwayOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Phoenix Rising (Zone 7a/b, NJ)

tropicbreezent

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Phoebe Rodway
Original Author

Phoebe Rodway
Original Author