Description

Calathea Rufibarba, also known as Furry Feather or Velvet Calathea, has a unique fuzzy fur-like texture from its little hairs. While its leaves, on the other hand, are long, thin, and green with wavy edges, and its underside is color maroon. Its stems are also long and can grow up to a meter high! This Calathea Rufibarba is surely a great addition to your Calathea collection!

• Plant height:
  • Small – 5 to 7 inches, minimum of 4 leaves
  • Medium – 5 to 7 inches, minimum 8 leaves
  • Large – 5 to 7 inches, minimum 12 leaves
• Pot diameter is 4 to 5 inches

This houseplant can fit well in our Good Pots collection!

History

This Calathea for sale in Manila is native to Southeastern Brazil, where they grow tropical rainforests under shady areas. With their place of origin in mind, they thrive and grow best in sunny yet shady areas with high levels of humidity! Calatheas or Maranta gets their nickname of ‘Prayer Plant’ because of the process called nyctinasty. During the day, their leaves open to get daylight, and around evening time overlay upwards, as though they are “praying”. There is a specific joint found in the stem of Calatheas that permits them to open and close for the duration of the day. Fun fact, they’re also non-toxic to animals and are considered air purifiers, making them one of the more popular choices for plant enthusiasts around the world.

Care guide

The Calathea Rufibarba thrives best near a window or in an open shaded area. It will have its optimum growth at any place it has access to bright indirect sunlight. Putting them in brutal direct sunlight may make them lose their color or scorch their leaves. One way to know that they’re receiving an excessive amount of sunlight is when their leaves curl up.

Meanwhile, watering can be done one to two times every week or when the top 2 to 3 inches of the soil has dried out. This indoor plant in Manila loves moist soil, however, do not let it sit in water. While it’s fine to utilize normal water, lukewarm downpour or refined water has great advantages for this plant too. Furthermore, this houseplant loves high humidity, so misting can be done in between waterings. Drooping Calathea Rufibarba may mean that it’s thirsty. Meanwhile, browning and yellowing in their leaves may be due to inconsistent watering. But always remember that an underwatered plant is easier to revive than an overwatered one.

Propagation

This Calathea in Manila can be propagated through the division method when repotting. Take out the plant from its soil and you’ll see that the roots are all tangled up together. Simply separate the stems carefully with your hands and plant them in separate pots. Make sure that the sections’ roots are still intact, and that they’re cared for as you would with a normal Calathea. Rooting should take place in about a month or so!

• Calathea Triostar
• Calathea Medallion
• Calathea Fishbone