Mostly grown in gardens for the handsomely patterned foliage. Calathea prefers moist, shady, jungle-like conditions in a garden and is also often grown as potted specimens. When it is used as a house plant, the leaves should be sprayed with water several times a week. Propagation is by root division. Water with soft water. Keep uniform high humidity and temperature.
Some of the Calathea species have been reclassified as species of the Ischnosiphon, Maranta and Goeppertia genera.
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