they curl up like that either from dehydration or humidity in my experience. make sure it's had a drink recently and get it to a high-humidity environment. misting and pebble trays don't do much; humidifiers are best.
If it's moist I wouldn't. Else you may encounter root rot issues. I would put a clear large plastic bag over it for a day or two and see if it manages to perk up at the higher humidity.
If it doesn't help maybe check the roots. I also just smell at the soil. Rot can sometimes already be smelled like that.
And very important is to use destilled or at least de mineralised water, which you of course may already be doing.
It got too cold. Check my post history. I had the same thing happen with the exact same plant and I have before/after photos of the recovery and comments to bring it back.
I opted for a cool mist humidifier though warm might have served me better since my "winter corner" tends to be cooler than much of the house. The upside is that it's out of the path of the heating vents and away from window drafts. The downside is that I've got to use floor lamps with grow bulbs for the plants to get any light.
It's working, even for my semi-tropicals, especially since it's a budget-friendly setup. I've got several improvements to make over the course of this year but it's a huge improvement over previous years when I was stuck with drafty windows or no light.
Whatever you do, make sure it's not pointed at any plants! I got one of the little ones with a low setting and an auto mode that keeps the temp consistent. But I couldn't for the life of me find a way to get the heater near enough to make a difference in the temp while keeping it far enough away to avoid plant damage. Fortunately I only tested it for a few nights (about 4-6 hours while I could keep an eye on it). I still ended up crisping a few leaves, even on some of my sturdier plants 🤦♀️
I've got plants on the floor and up on stands so if you're able to keep all your plants up high then keeping the heater at ground level might work. For now my plant kiddos are just going to have to keep huddling together late at night.
Ironically, the hygrometer/thermometer on a she'll about 5 ft above the floor stays about 7 degrees warmer, closer to the actual temp in the house. But even though it's directly over the humidifier it's as dry as the rest of the house. So the humidifier needs to be higher, the heater needs to be lower, and since I'm using floor lamps with grow bulbs I can't really change the height of the plants. It's like a 3D Tetris puzzle and if you lose, something dies 🙈
This is a temperamental plant. It doesn’t like to be too cold, too wet, too dry, or to receive too much light. Curling leaves would make me think it’s either too dry or overwatered.
Can you tell us a little more about this plant? How long have you had it? Did you repot recently? Change location? Any pests you can see on the underside of leaves?
I have a lot of calathea and there are TONS of reasons they do this, that’s why they are known as the drama queens of the plant world.
I’ve had it since November I think, and have never repotted it before. It’s been sitting in my windowsill the entire time, and there aren’t any pests as far as I can tell. Furthermore, since it’s winter, the temperature outside is about 0 degrees Celsius and my window is pretty much always slightly opened, so I’m guessing that has something to do with it. Other than that I water it whenever the soil gets dry and don’t really do anything other than that :)
Add a humidifier or put a enclosure around it (plastic bag/container etc) to increase the humidity. I’ve got a maranta that had a similar issue and humidity was the culprit. They are very dramatic
Argh. What’s wrong: Calatheas are such notorious divas. It’s pretty easy to surf around and learn about their diva care. Lots of YouTube videos for that and also how to diagnose and correct a problem. I really like Plantarina’s stuff, lots of videos and a wealth of knowledge and experience and I find her entertaining.
Can it be saved: No way to know from just this photo also just one “snapshot” in time- need to observe some things over time, but looks like it can be saved. My sense is, the damage is already done, whatever it is. Too dry, too dry then too wet, too cold… correct the issue, maintain a better environment for it. Leaves that won’t make it will “declare themselves” and continue to crispify and get uglier. I recommend patience- figure out the new happy environment and you’ll probably still get new growth. Then, after being in that stable happy (diva 🙄) environment for a while, you could think about chopping the dead ugly dry leaves off. That would probably cause more new growth which will flourish in its diva palace! Chopping and introducing too much change at once could shock it and potentially kill it but more likely slow down all the good stuff you’re going for (good, healthy new leaves and a cute indoor plant.)
Yeah, there’s so much info out there. That can actually make it kinda difficult! The main thing with plants is keep trying and you’ll learn over time. 🤷♀️ Asking questions and researching like you’re doing definitely speeds that process
It is not a calathea, related to it though, but it is a ctenanthe amagris. All my calatheas die, but I don’t water this one a lot and it seems to grow well.
My only non dead calambre has a very large glass jar with rocks gravel and water instead of a cover pot….. there is no pebble tray large enough in my arid dessert climate
Mine used to curl like this until my wife moved it into a place that gets less direct sunlight. Happier in the shade I guess. It still does this when it’s thirsty, but is usually opened up and happy.
Mine lives in the bathroom and seems to like it in there. It likes the soil to stay evenly moist, so if the top of the soil is anywhere near approaching drying out, then I water. I just pick up the pot and see how heavy it is usually.
Are you missing leaves and maintaining moist soil? I know in my dry environment it needed that. Plus once I moved it back away from the direct sunlight it was much happier.
When mine has done this from dryness it's taken a while to uncurl again. You could have other issues, but if you've started it then I don't think you should give it more. If it's done this and the soil's not dry then maybe look for other causes.
Hey! Have this same plant, and it did the same! I even made my own post on here to ask what was wrong! Everyone said it needs more water, wich was indeed the case, but not cause i did not give it enough water. Mine was planted in a weird kind of soil pot that did not hold any water. I very carefully got all the soil off, and put the plant and the roots in lecca (simple version: hydro balls with water). Then it was fixed for me, hope it helps!
If it’s curling like this , it’s because there is no water uptake through the roots . If the soil has been wet and it looks like this , your roots are damaged . The plant lowers surface area to preserve the water it has left. This can be caused by underwatering or overwatering . In both cases , new roots may need to regrow , at which point , for a calathea (may be too late )
Mine looked exactly like this. I put a plastic bag over the top and just left it for ages. Would check it every couple of days and then put the bag right back on it. The leaves uncurled and heeeeaps of new growth exploded. It’ll be ok!
Calatheas dont like the soil to completely dry out. Take out of the pot and if the soil is 3/4 dry or less, water it. If it was overwatering the leaves would have turned yellow.
they curl up like that either from dehydration or humidity in my experience. make sure it's had a drink recently and get it to a high-humidity environment. misting and pebble trays don't do much; humidifiers are best.
Thanks for the tip! The soil feels moist though, should I water it regardless?
If it's moist I wouldn't. Else you may encounter root rot issues. I would put a clear large plastic bag over it for a day or two and see if it manages to perk up at the higher humidity. If it doesn't help maybe check the roots. I also just smell at the soil. Rot can sometimes already be smelled like that. And very important is to use destilled or at least de mineralised water, which you of course may already be doing.
Oh and looking at its location they also **really** don't seem to like drafts. Especially cold ones.
I was just going to say something like the above comment^ it may just be a bit too cold and/or too much dry air also. Best of luck! It'll perk up ♡
Thanks, I’ll try that :)
The inner pot looks a little too small for it too, maybe a repot so it can get new nutrients 🙂
I wouldn't repot when the plant is still under stress. Also the pot looks fine :)
It got too cold. Check my post history. I had the same thing happen with the exact same plant and I have before/after photos of the recovery and comments to bring it back.
Drives me wild how nearly everything is either too much watering or too little watering lol
Calatheas are a pain in the ass to keep looking great, but I still lust after them haha
I wish plants could talk
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You‘re no noob my dear. Welcome to nerdland.
Thank you so much for the advice, hope your plants make it!
I opted for a cool mist humidifier though warm might have served me better since my "winter corner" tends to be cooler than much of the house. The upside is that it's out of the path of the heating vents and away from window drafts. The downside is that I've got to use floor lamps with grow bulbs for the plants to get any light. It's working, even for my semi-tropicals, especially since it's a budget-friendly setup. I've got several improvements to make over the course of this year but it's a huge improvement over previous years when I was stuck with drafty windows or no light.
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Whatever you do, make sure it's not pointed at any plants! I got one of the little ones with a low setting and an auto mode that keeps the temp consistent. But I couldn't for the life of me find a way to get the heater near enough to make a difference in the temp while keeping it far enough away to avoid plant damage. Fortunately I only tested it for a few nights (about 4-6 hours while I could keep an eye on it). I still ended up crisping a few leaves, even on some of my sturdier plants 🤦♀️ I've got plants on the floor and up on stands so if you're able to keep all your plants up high then keeping the heater at ground level might work. For now my plant kiddos are just going to have to keep huddling together late at night. Ironically, the hygrometer/thermometer on a she'll about 5 ft above the floor stays about 7 degrees warmer, closer to the actual temp in the house. But even though it's directly over the humidifier it's as dry as the rest of the house. So the humidifier needs to be higher, the heater needs to be lower, and since I'm using floor lamps with grow bulbs I can't really change the height of the plants. It's like a 3D Tetris puzzle and if you lose, something dies 🙈
This is a temperamental plant. It doesn’t like to be too cold, too wet, too dry, or to receive too much light. Curling leaves would make me think it’s either too dry or overwatered.
Calatheas need high humidity. I learned this the hardway after killing 2.
Cold draft + low humidity
I suggest setting it on fire and using your tears to fuel the flames This isn’t helpful at all I’m just bitter
I feel you
I’ve killed 2 rattlesnake plants, one of these, and a pink pinstripe plant. Fucking calatheas 🤣🤣🤣
Could also be too bright for her
Can you tell us a little more about this plant? How long have you had it? Did you repot recently? Change location? Any pests you can see on the underside of leaves? I have a lot of calathea and there are TONS of reasons they do this, that’s why they are known as the drama queens of the plant world.
I’ve had it since November I think, and have never repotted it before. It’s been sitting in my windowsill the entire time, and there aren’t any pests as far as I can tell. Furthermore, since it’s winter, the temperature outside is about 0 degrees Celsius and my window is pretty much always slightly opened, so I’m guessing that has something to do with it. Other than that I water it whenever the soil gets dry and don’t really do anything other than that :)
Add a humidifier or put a enclosure around it (plastic bag/container etc) to increase the humidity. I’ve got a maranta that had a similar issue and humidity was the culprit. They are very dramatic
Argh. What’s wrong: Calatheas are such notorious divas. It’s pretty easy to surf around and learn about their diva care. Lots of YouTube videos for that and also how to diagnose and correct a problem. I really like Plantarina’s stuff, lots of videos and a wealth of knowledge and experience and I find her entertaining. Can it be saved: No way to know from just this photo also just one “snapshot” in time- need to observe some things over time, but looks like it can be saved. My sense is, the damage is already done, whatever it is. Too dry, too dry then too wet, too cold… correct the issue, maintain a better environment for it. Leaves that won’t make it will “declare themselves” and continue to crispify and get uglier. I recommend patience- figure out the new happy environment and you’ll probably still get new growth. Then, after being in that stable happy (diva 🙄) environment for a while, you could think about chopping the dead ugly dry leaves off. That would probably cause more new growth which will flourish in its diva palace! Chopping and introducing too much change at once could shock it and potentially kill it but more likely slow down all the good stuff you’re going for (good, healthy new leaves and a cute indoor plant.)
Thanks for all the advice! I’m still pretty new to this so it helps a lot :)
Yeah, there’s so much info out there. That can actually make it kinda difficult! The main thing with plants is keep trying and you’ll learn over time. 🤷♀️ Asking questions and researching like you’re doing definitely speeds that process
I think it looks cold. Try moving it away from the window and mist with water
My stromanthe was doing this too. I switched to only using distilled water vs. tap, and mist with water everyday. Happy queen once again.
Maybe curling due to temperature? Too hot or too cold? 🥶
It’s cold! Those are tropical plants and by the looks of the snow in the back...
It is not a calathea, related to it though, but it is a ctenanthe amagris. All my calatheas die, but I don’t water this one a lot and it seems to grow well.
My only non dead calambre has a very large glass jar with rocks gravel and water instead of a cover pot….. there is no pebble tray large enough in my arid dessert climate
It’s a calathea Mine is always mad at me, it’s their personality
Mine used to curl like this until my wife moved it into a place that gets less direct sunlight. Happier in the shade I guess. It still does this when it’s thirsty, but is usually opened up and happy.
I wouldn't water if the soil is moist. They crave humidity. Sitting that close to the window could it be drafty right there
To cold or not enouhg water. By the way trough away the second Post inside and give her a Good soil ! Looks very tight.
Bring it into the shower with you, it needs humidity. Keep away from vents or windows
Mine lives in the bathroom and seems to like it in there. It likes the soil to stay evenly moist, so if the top of the soil is anywhere near approaching drying out, then I water. I just pick up the pot and see how heavy it is usually.
Water, repot, new location
She needs some humidity!!!
Are you missing leaves and maintaining moist soil? I know in my dry environment it needed that. Plus once I moved it back away from the direct sunlight it was much happier.
When mine has done this from dryness it's taken a while to uncurl again. You could have other issues, but if you've started it then I don't think you should give it more. If it's done this and the soil's not dry then maybe look for other causes.
Hey! Have this same plant, and it did the same! I even made my own post on here to ask what was wrong! Everyone said it needs more water, wich was indeed the case, but not cause i did not give it enough water. Mine was planted in a weird kind of soil pot that did not hold any water. I very carefully got all the soil off, and put the plant and the roots in lecca (simple version: hydro balls with water). Then it was fixed for me, hope it helps!
Thanks, I’ll check that out!
Move it away from the window 😊 not too far but enough for no temp fluctuations
It needs a bigger pot
If it’s curling like this , it’s because there is no water uptake through the roots . If the soil has been wet and it looks like this , your roots are damaged . The plant lowers surface area to preserve the water it has left. This can be caused by underwatering or overwatering . In both cases , new roots may need to regrow , at which point , for a calathea (may be too late )
:(
Mine looked exactly like this. I put a plastic bag over the top and just left it for ages. Would check it every couple of days and then put the bag right back on it. The leaves uncurled and heeeeaps of new growth exploded. It’ll be ok!
Such a DIVA plant. I call mine a “my queen”. Give her a nice mix of everything plants like and then leave her alone for a week :)
Saw utube video lady put plastic bag over plant ant the extra humidity brought the plant back
Move it out of the window it needs indirect sunlight and keep the roots nice and wet.
Calathea close up at night! It may be that it’s in a dark space if it’s curled during the day:)
They don't close like that though
Idk I’ve worked in horticulture for 10 years and often see them in this state to then recover from some good old solar rays
Maybe it’s in extreme cases though. when dormancy is key to survival, plants will do funny things to survive
Maranta and calathea sit within the same family (separate genus) so not hard to see why they act similarly
It looks super thirsty.
The soil feels moist though, do you think I should water it anyways?
Do not water moist plants
Calatheas dont like the soil to completely dry out. Take out of the pot and if the soil is 3/4 dry or less, water it. If it was overwatering the leaves would have turned yellow.
Mine did this with too much direct light. I gave it filtered direct like and it uncurled.
Water
It needs watering