Calathea warscewiczii, Korbmarante: Care from A-Z

Calathea warscewiczii, a basket marante that originally comes from Costa Rica, is a houseplant in the local latitudes that is unfortunately not that easy to care for. However, with the care tips in this article, it will develop its decorative bloom.

sowing

Sowing the Calathea warscewiczii is very difficult because the flowers are inseminated with a brush must so that seeds develop in the capsule fruits at all, which are used for sowing could. Ready-made plants are also available in stores, which you can later divide yourself for further propagation.

Flowering and flowering period

Even if the basket marante is primarily an evergreen decorative leaf plant, which by its colored, large leaves, the flower is also an eye-catcher, which appears on the perennial in summer for up to two months remain:

• Flowering time in June and July
• white flowers
• tubular
• sit on grapes
• turn pink or cream in color as they wilt
• capsule fruits develop from flowers
• However, semen collection does not succeed

Soil condition and location

As the name suggests, the Costa Rica basket marante is originally from Costa Rica. Here it grows in the tropics and therefore also gets along well in partially shaded locations:

• better sunny than partial shade
• too little light makes the drawing fade
• An east or west window / balcony door is ideal
• a bright winter garden
• like to go outside on warm days in summer
• high humidity is desirable
• therefore always a bowl of water next to a bucket
• needs a lot of space on the sides
• Substrate can consist of houseplant soil
• Mix in sand for better permeability

Note: At the selected location, you should always make sure that the plant is not exposed to any drafts, because the basket margin does not tolerate this.

Fertilizing and watering

The basket marante likes it moist, both in the ground and in the air. Because it originally comes from the tropics, the plant is used to a damp environment. However, waterlogging must be avoided at all costs:

• only use water with little lime
• stale tap water
• or captured rainwater
• Let the root ball soak
• Pour off the remaining water
• Spray leaves from time to time
• Use lime-free water at room temperature
• fertilize regularly from March to October
• use organic liquid fertilizer from the trade
• once a month at most

Tip: In both watering and fertilizing, less is more. So high humidity is more important than direct watering and when Calathea warscewiczii regularly If you receive too much fertilizer, the leaves may turn yellow from an overdose of nutrients come.

Diseases and pests

As a rule, neither diseases nor pests are known. Nevertheless, the plants can be attacked by pests in winter due to mistakes in care and especially if the wrong location is chosen:

• Red spider mites and aphids
• first aid: shower plants vigorously
• possibly predators like Ladybug larvae insert
• Leaves wither if the humidity is too low
• immediately increase the humidity in the air
• Spray leaves
• Remove dried leaves
• strong and direct sunlight burns the leaves
• The result is unsightly yellow spots
• Move the Calathea to a bright place (without direct sunlight!)

plants

For the Calathea warscewiczii, a wide bucket is more important than a very deep one due to the fact that the roots spread in width but not in depth. Drainage must be laid over the drainage hole so that no waterlogging can occur:

• Pottery shards or balls as drainage
• Distribute over drainage hole
• Place plant fleece over it
• Pour in half of the soil
• Briefly water the root ball
• Insert the plant
• fill up the rest of the soil
• do not cover any deeper than in the old container
• then water well
• Drain excess water from plate

Note: The wider you choose the container for the basket margin, the easier it is for the irrigation water to rise up from the earth and evaporate into the environment. In this way, the plant also gets the desired humidity in the immediate vicinity at the same time.

Cut

As a rule, no incision is necessary for the care of the Calathea warscewiczii. However, for reasons of decoration and for a better look, the perennial can easily be cut:

• remove any dried leaves
• likewise those with yellow spots
• otherwise dry up on their own after a while
• Remove dead flowers
• Fruits do not form seeds and cannot be used
• cut shoots that are too long
• directly in spring after budding
• make all cuts directly at the base
• helps the plant to look better

Overwinter

It never gets really cold in the tropics, from which the Korbmarante comes, not even in the winter months. The perennial therefore does not tolerate cool temperatures and should be protected from a temperature of 12 ° Celsius. However, the temperature in winter should not fall below 18 ° Celsius for a longer period of time:

• can overwinter at an existing location
• not near the heating
• Air is too dry here
• continue to water sufficiently
• fertilizing can be stopped over the winter months
• No fertilizer is needed in November, December and January
• for better flowering in summer turn a little darker in winter
• The location should provide total darkness for over 12 hours a day
• Space that is not used from early evening until late morning

Note: Often, however, it is recommended to fertilize lightly over the winter. However, you should not give the usual liquid fertilizer used as often as during the vegetation phase, but rather restrict it significantly.

Repot

The basket margin grows very quickly in the root area due to the rhizomes that form and should therefore repotted in a larger bucket every spring after hibernation and before the new budding will. However, the larger pot is only needed if the plant is not also being propagated at the same time:

• Choose a pot one size larger
• Prepare as under “Plants”
• Take the Calathea warscewiczii from the old vessel
• be careful not to damage the roots
• carefully remove old soil
• Briefly dip the root ball in water
• let soak up
• insert in a new container
• Fill in the rest of the soil

Tip: After the root ball before plantinghas been watered, only a little watering is required after insertion.

Multiply

If the Calathea warscewiczii is to be repotted in the spring after hibernation, then it can also be propagated at the same time by dividing the roots. A tool is not required for this:

• Carefully pull the root ball apart with your hands
• parts of it result automatically
• Do not damage the roots in the process
• Put all cuts in their own pots
• also here proceed as under "Plants"
• the warmer it is, the better the plants develop
• therefore look for a suitable bright and warm location

Tip: Since the Calathea warscewiczii usually does not bloom in the first year after division, you should not divide it every year, but always wait a few years.

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