Description

A variant of the Calathea rufibarba (the velvet calathea), the Calathea rufibarba ‘Tropistar’ is one of the popular prayer plant (also known as the never-never plant) family. The difference between the ‘Topistar’ and the classic Calathea rufibarba is the colouring. The ‘Topistar’ sports the long, sword-like leaves on long red stems, and these leaves are purple on the underside. These leaves are just as soft as the classic Calathea rufibarba. The ‘Tropistar’ has the traditional prayer plant habit of curling its leaves at the end of the day before opening them again in the morning. This curling up of the leaves is where the prayer plant family gets its nickname, since their leaves resemble praying hands.

The Calathea rufibarba loves…

• Bright indirect light, but will manage in a slightly shadier spot - direct sunlight will cause the leaves to fade

• Its soil to be moist but not wet - water when the top few cm of soil are feeling dry

• A bit of humidity to stop its leaves drying - giving it a regular mist or placing it in a humid room like a bathroom or kitchen works well

• Being fed once a month during spring and summer

Non-toxic to pets or humans if ingested

Tip

• If you can, use captured rainwater to water your plants. Some houseplants can be sensitive to the chlorine found in tap water.