Calathea Flowers: Everything You Need to Know

Calathea flowers are beautiful, but all the fame is taken by the foliage that is famous for the patterns in their leaves 

Let’s dive deeper into learning about Calathea flowers!

Do Calathea Flower Indoors?

Calathea plant blooms indoors, but for that to happen, you must emulate their natural conditions at home.

When the plant blooms, it does so during spring, summer, and sometimes fall when the conditions are met.

Also, Calathea blossoms last for two to three months.

The most important thing to remember about Calathea flowers is to keep water away from them when you spritz the leaves to produce humidity.

What do Calathea Flowers Look Like?

Let’s look at the general overview of the Calathea flower.

There are about 70 Calathea varieties, including Velvet Calathea, Peacock Calathea, Calathea Rufibarba, Calathea Orbifolia, Calathea Medallion and Calathea Zebrina. 

You must be fortunate to be able to see Calathea’s flower. Once they sprout, you don’t need to do anything extra to keep them intact.

Calathea bracts are usually more appealing than blooms. Calathea flower bracts come in various shapes, ranging from Listening Beehive to Rattlesnake Tail.

Bees and other insects are the primary pollinators of Calathea blooms. Hummingbirds consume the Calathea fruit and scatter the seeds across the forest.

Just resume your regular care and tend to the plant’s requirements, and the flower will live its lifespan. The bonus benefit this plant offers is that it is safe for pets.

You do not need to protect your pets from the plant’s flowers. You may need to protect your flower from pets. You wouldn’t want the pets to rip off the beautiful flowers.

There is another crucial thing about Calathea. The plant symbolizes ‘a new beginning’. So, you can gift the flower to someone special if they are starting something new.

What to do with Calathea Flowers?

If your lucky stars are shining, you might be able to witness your plant flower. The blooms will prove to be highly pleasing to the eyes.

But not every flower has a positive effect on the plant. Some flowers are the plant’s way of showing stress.

Another problem is that some plant enthusiasts do not want their plants to bloom as the blooms require nutrients, and they supposedly take the nutrients directed to the foliage.

But when it comes to Calathea, it is safe to let your plant flower. This plant blooms when it is healthy, not when it is stressed.

Whether you should or shouldn’t let this plant flower depends on the variety of your Calathea.

If you really want a Calathea with beautiful bloom, we suggest you go for Calathea crocata. This plant guarantees gorgeous flowers, but you may have to compromise on the foliage.

Note: If your calathea blooms inside, you can “deadhead” the blossoms as they fade for the same benefits as removing withered leaves.

Just like you would when pruning foliage, clip off the stem of each dead flower at the base.

It doesn’t hurt to let your plant bloom unless you are too hardy about sharing the nutrients and resources.

How to Make Your Calathea Flower?

If caring for a Calathea can be pretty irritating to you sometimes, growing a flower will for sure take a toll on you.

You need to fulfill specific care requirements to make your Calathea bloom. Let’s look at them.

• Calatheas are too sensitive about the quality of water they get. Always use lukewarm water for watering the plant.
• Avoid using tap water; use filtered or distilled water instead.
• Water only when the top two inches of the soil is dry. Calatheas prefer damp but not soggy soil.
• Invest in a moisture meter and humidifier. These instruments will keep you aware of the plant’s moisture needs and help you manage the moisture.

• Always try and keep the humidity above 60%. To create a humidity-sharing environment, you can group your Calathea plant with other plants. Or, you can keep a wet pebble tray around your plant.
• Check the plants properly before grouping them together. Sharing humidity is good, but sharing pests and diseases is a disaster.
• Light also plays a significant role in making your plant bloom. It would be best to focus on the light’s quality, quantity, and duration. Calathea prefers indirect but bright light.
• Soil is equally essential to make the plant bloom. Create a mixture of 40% coco coir, 40% perlite, and 20% potting soil for your plant.
• Keep the environment warm around the plant. A temperature ranging from 65°F to 80°F is ideal for making the plant bloom.
• You can use standard houseplant fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus. Phosphorus induces bloom in plants.
• Spraying your plant with fish-based emulsion encourages growth as well.

Also, watch the full video for more information.

Should I Cut off Calathea Flowers?

You have invested your time, done the hard work, and now you are rewarded with a beautiful bloom. Congratulations! But, now what?

This question lingers in most people’s minds. But take a back seat, take a chill pill, and you can let the bloom breathe for a while.

Or, you may want to cut the flowers off the plant. Cutting off the flowers in early spring may encourage the plant to bloom throughout summer.

If you choose to cut the flower off the plant, make sure you do it correctly.

• Morning is always the best time to cut the flowers. Flowers wake up fresh after cruising in the cool night air. Also, they are full of moisture.
• Use sharp cutting tools (knives, pruning shears) and sterilize them properly before diving into the cutting process.
• Gently grab the flower in your hand and cut it about an inch from the bottom of the main stem.
• Cut at an angle of 45° and make sure you do not harm the neighboring stems in the process.
• Do not cut the flower peduncles, as they are pivotal for the flower’s growth next year.

Calathea Flower Meanings & Uses

The Calathea plant symbolizes a new beginning; people gift Calathea if they do not want anyone to ignore them.

When Calathea turns over a new leaf, this meaning becomes relevant. So you can give a Calathea with flowers as a gift to someone who starting afresh.  

Calathea plant is important as a decor item and an air purifier. But the benefits do not end there as its flowers are essential too.

Let’s look at a few of the uses of Calathea flowers.

• A genus of Calathea Guinea Arrowroot or Calathea allouia has crispy sweet tubers that rival the taste of sweet corn.
• Certain varieties of Calathea have good aromatic qualities and are used in salads.
• Arrowroot plants like Calathea are said to cure disorders in the stomach.
• Some people keep the Calathea flower for its citrusy and pleasant fragrance.
• Calathea flowers are kept in homes for their beautiful and decorative look.