The stand-out white stripes and the burgundy stripes of the calathea medallion render it a favorite indoor décor plant. The leaves of the calathea medallion are more an emerald colour, when compared to the jade green colour of its counterparts like the calathea white fusion.
To convince you further to make this beautiful plant a part of your leafy repertoire, read on!
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Calathea Medallion Plant Details
The Goeppertia veitchiana, Calathea veitchiana and medallion are the same plant, ’veitchiana’ being its official name. The title of ‘medallion’ is derived from the appearance of its leaves in that they look like medallions.
The calathea medallion is also a favourite with gardeners, because much like the rest of the calathea family, it too is a prayer plant.
This means that according to the day-night circadian rhythm and as part of the Marantaceae family, the leaves of the plant fold inward as if in prayer! What’s more is that it serves as an air purifier for indoor spaces in your house.
How to Grow Calathea Medallion
The Calathea medallion can be easily grown in many temperatures given that it requires tropical and greenhouse climates.
Even if you want to grow the plant in a colder part of the world, you can easily imitate the environmental factors it needs to grow and thrive.
Calathea Medallion Propagation
If you already have your hands on a calathea medallion plant, you can set about propagation. Growing from seeds is a labour-intensive and often unsuccessful endeavour, so you should definitely look at propagation as a viable option.
Calathea medallion propagation is best accomplished by division in the spring or summer. Keep in mind that dividing the plant will alter the overall aesthetic you've worked so hard to achieve.
If your plant grows large enough, it will spread and form clusters on the sides, which may be plucked and grown out. To correctly propagate calathea veitchiana:
- Water the plant a few days before dividing and repotting it.
- Remove the plant from its container with care.
- Separate the roots to isolate new growth zones.
- If required, use a sharp, clean cut to divide the plant at the root system.
- Check that each clump includes a portion of the root system and that each leaf is connected to a stem.
- Repot into a suitable container and keep the soil damp.
- Avoid overwatering and prevent the soil from getting wet.
- Keep the parent and new plant out of the sun, but don’t put them in complete shade either.
- Place the two plants at temperatures ranging from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (16-21 C.).
Light and Temperature Requirements
Because humidity is essential for these plants, use a pebble tray, a humidifier (see our reviews on the best humidifiers here), or misting to create those environmental conditions. Organic nitrogen fertilizers promote the plant’s development and maintain well-patterned foliage.
To achieve the fullest vibrancy of the calathea medallion, apply a small amount of fertilizer-water mixture to the plant. Do this periodically because too many chemicals on younger plants can damage them irreversibly.
Calathea veitchiana prefer indirect, medium sunlight, and so you should keep the plant towards angled windows with blinds and curtains. Direct sunlight leads to scorching and damages the leaf cells by burning them, so avoid leaving the plant in direct sunshine at all costs.
Calathea medallion will thrive in any well-lit space indoors, hence making it an admirably well-adapted house plant. The light will maintain the vibrancy of the marks and patterns, which can also be lost if the plant is kept in shadow for too long.
Calathea medallion thrives at temperatures ranging from 65° to 80° Fahrenheit. It is important to note that calathea veitchiana are temperature sensitive. Chilly gusts, hot air, or too much rain can lead to noticeable wilt in their leaves.
Any temperatures below 60 degrees F aren’t well-suited for your goeppertia veitchiana. The only downside to having the calathea plant indoors is that you have to be extremely careful about temperature fluctuations.
The plant can sicken and wilt from the slightest of atmospheric changes, so avoid keeping it near doors and windows. You should ensure that the humidity levels are always optimal. The slightest bit of a dry spell causes the plant’s foliage to shrivel and dry.
Calathe Medallion Soil Conditions
If the soil is waterlogged, much like other plants, the calathea medallion will be deprived of essential nutrients it needs for survival. Secondly, waterlogging and mulchy soil is a breeding ground for all kinds of pests, diseases and can cause irreversible root rot to the medallion plant.
Use a soil mix that drains water effectively. You can also choose to solve the issue of standing water in the pot or container by purchasing a pot with a drainage system to let the water seep out.
Calathea Medallion Care Guide
Watering Calathea Medallion
When the top 1′′ of soil is dry, that’s the primary indication that you need to water the calathea medallion plant. When watering, ensure that any surplus water drains out the bottom, to prevent waterlogging and ensure that the plant absorbs the needed nutrients.
The calathea is very particular about the kind of water it needs, so instead of tap water which may contain chlorine, salt and other minerals that may damage the plant, use distilled water. Rainfall can also keep the goeppertia veitchiana happy and hydrated.
Fertilizing the Calathea Veitchiana
The calathea medallion’s vibrancy is best visible when its thriving on organic plant food. Use any nitrogen-rich plant food, and fertilize your plant twice a month during the spring and the summer.
If you want to maintain year-round feeding schedules for your white medallion, use a low-potency, balanced fertilizer. You can also use a foliar feed that is created specifically to meet the nutrient requirements of the calathea medallion.
Pruning Goeppertia Veitchiana
Removing Older Leaves
It is usual for parts of the outer leaves to yellow or brown as plants develop and leaves age. Regularly removing yellowed or browned outer leaves improves the look of your calathea plant. Use sharp scissors to cut leaves at the base where the leaf joins the main stem.
Trimming Leaf Edges
Calathea leaves frequently have brown margins, which can be caused by either feeding when the soil is dry or uneven watering. Overwatering or underwatering your plants might cause browning of the leaf margins.
Using scissors or pruning shears (get the best pruning shears here), remove the brown leaf edges by following the natural curve of the leaf. The entire leaf does not need to be removed because it will continue to grow even after pruning.
Deadheading
Pruning or deadheading old or fading blossoms enhances the beauty of your calathea and directs its energy toward the production of new leaves and blooms.
Even if the calathea blossoms are frequently hazy and scarcely discernible, deadheading your plant on a regular basis offers it additional strength.
Common Calathea Veitchiana Pests and Diseases
The calathea medallion doesn’t come without its flurry of tiny, pesky visitors that may damage it. However, there are very simple ways to identify calathea pests and get rid of them.
Fungus gnats
Fungus gnats are little black insects that feed on your calathea medallion plants. Feeding damage can predispose plants to disease, and it is common to see these gnats in close proximity to diseased plants or cuttings.
Where feasible, reduce the amount of water used in each pot to avoid algae growth. Control the larva using soil drenches or soil-surface sprays.
Commercially available nematodes can manage these pests without harming the host plants. Most chemicals are extremely toxic to adults, so be careful when you are handling these pesticides.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are white, cottony masses that can be found in leaf axils, on the undersides of leaves, and on the roots. Honeydew and sooty mould are common, and affected plants grow stunted, with severe infestations causing whole plant sections to die.
Use insecticide drenches in the soil to control the population of root mealybugs. When pesticides are sprayed to the soil, it is critical for you to ensure that the pots have enough drainage or phytotoxicity may occur.
(Learn more on how to get rid of mealybugs here.)
Mites
Mites are extremely tiny and go overlooked until plants are seriously harmed. Early indicators of deterioration include water-soaked lesions or a necrotic line paralleling the leaf's border. Severe infestations will result in the plant's death.
The best control strategy is to reduce the probability of mites being introduced into the growing region on infected plant materials. The presence of this mite should be checked on all plant material, including material acquired from tissue culture facilities.
If you are a fan of Calatheas, you will love our list of growing guides below:
Wrapping Up Our Calathea Medallion Growing Guide
There you have it- a complete analysis of the pleasant smells, vibrant outlook and air purifying benefits the calathea medallion brings to your plant spaces!
While issues such as maintaining a constantly suitable temperature for the plant and avoiding pest breakouts may be hard work, this plant thriving in your space offers a prospect of a good reward!
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