Calathea Freddie Care Guide
Family: Marantaceae
Genus: Calathaea
Botanical Name: Calathea concinna
Difficulty: Easy once you figure them out
If you love the painted look of the Peacock Calathea but want something that’s a little less demanding to care for, you’re going to love the Calathea Freddie! If you can find a good spot in your home for them to stay, they won’t need much else from you! These bushy beauties are a great choice for the new Calathea parent. Let’s talk about what all your Calathea Freddie needs from you!
Light
Calathea Freddie are not fans of direct sunlight, but they thrive in areas where they receive indirect light. They aren’t as colorful as some Calatheas, so they don’t need as much bright light. In fact, they do very well as low light plants! If you notice them starting to lean towards the sunlight, rotate them to help balance them back out. You can avoid this all together by rotating your plant once a week or every two weeks because it’s best not to wait for them to lean!
Water
When you water your Calathea Freddie, make sure the water is reaching the entire root system. Let the topsoil dry before watering them, because they do like for the soil to stay a little damp. Once your plant begins to fill out more, it can be very tempting to water from one side or just the center. Don’t do this unless you can see the water reaching all of the soil! One thing you can do is give them a shower. Just place them in the bottom of your shower, turn the water on for a minute or two, and them let them drain any excess water before placing them back in their spot.
Climate
The climate in the immediate area of your Calathea Freddie is kind of a big deal to them. They thrive in a humid and warm environment. If you’re worried about not providing them with enough humidity, place a pebble tray under their pot and fill it with water that just covers the pebbles. Just keep adding water as you notice less water! They love temperatures above 65°F, so the average household temperatures are perfect. Just keep them out of those super drafty areas.
Soil
Because Calathea Freddie prefer their soil a little on the damp side, it’s important that the soil can still provide them with proper drainage while retaining that moisture. An ideal soil contains 50% regular potting soil mixed with orchid bark, charcoal, and perlite. Orchid bark and perlite are perfect for adding a little extra drainage to any potting soil!
Pests & Diseases
You really only have to worry about a few things with your Freddie Calathea: overwatering, and fungus gnats. You can bring your plant back from under watering much easier than over watering. Over watering leads to fungus gnats and root rot, which are both very annoying to deal with. If your plant really gets in a rough spot, you may have to deal with spider mites.
Tips
Calathea Freddie are sensitive to chemicals that may be in tap water, so let it sit out overnight before watering them!
Poorly filtered (or contaminated) water = do not give your Calathea a shower!
Keep your Calathea Freddie in a nursery pot to make watering easier! This way, you can switch up the pot without re-potting your plant.
Keep those leaves clean by wiping them off with a damp cloth.
Signs your plant isn’t happy
Leaves curling upward: needs water
Droopy stems: needs water
Browning tips: humidity levels are too low
Yellow leaves: too much water or poor water quality
Spotted leaves: contaminated water/fungal infection.
Propagation
Calathea Freddie are easy to propagate by division when repotting. Gently loosen the roots by shaking them to separate them. You want each section of roots to have healthy offsets. Prepare a pot for each offset with rich, well-draining potting mix that you have pre-watered. Now, you can place them in a shady, warm area. Check to make sure the soil is damp, and wait for your plant to establish new growth!
Fun Facts
Calathea Freddie are one of the few Calatheas that thrive in low light conditions.
They are native to Brazil!
They are among the “prayer plant” calatheas.
They’re nicknames the “zebra plant” for their dark green stripes!
Hardiness Zones
As with any houseplant, you should make sure they can survive in your areas climate before moving them outside. It really saves you a lot of grief in the end! If you live in Tennessee, check out the hardiness map below to see what zone your area is!
The USDA Hardiness Zones for Calathea Freddie are 10-11.
