Calathea Freddie

You might have seen the Mile Marker boards that parents create for their children – they highlight things like the height, weight, likes, and dislikes of their child at various stages of life. We at Nick’s Garden Center think Plant Parents should have something like this for their Plant Babies as well! Our Plant Parent Chalkboard Photos and blogs will provide you with an overview of what each plant needs in order to “grow up” happy and healthy!

The Calathea family is vast and contains around 300 different kinds of Calathea! This blog will cover Calathea Freddie, or Calathea Concinna. Freddie’s foliage is the same general shape and size of other Calathea plants. Freddie’s foliage coloring starts with bright green and is overlaid with darker green zebra-like stripes and edging in the same shade. One thing that helps Freddie to stand out from other Calathea plants is its lack of reddish-purple undersides. When other Calathea plants fold up their leaves at night, they show off that rosey underleaf. Freddie is also more likely than other Calathea plants to develop flowers when grown indoors.

Caring for Calathea Freddie is similar to caring for other Calathea plants. Their water requirements are somewhat needy, so they require a bit more attention than some houseplants. Water Freddie when the soil is dry one to two inches down. Watering too soon can cause root rot, or encourage the growth of pests in the soil (if you see little black gnats flying around your  home, water your houseplants less often). Make sure Freddie is in a pot with soil that will remain evenly moist. It’s also important that your pot has good drainage. Use the Drench and Drain method – soak the soil and allow the excess water to flow out of the bottom of the pot. If your pot does not have good drainage, use a moisture meter to check the very bottom levels of the soil for moisture. If you over-water, gently tip the pot to the side and allow some water to trickle out without letting the soil or the plant dislodge from the pot.

Calathea Freddie enjoys indirect bright light and high levels of humidity (higher levels than most Calathea). With the right conditions, Freddie can grow to be 2-3 feet tall, making it a great floor plant. If you live in a place without much humidity, you can add a humidifier to Freddie’s space and mist its leaves. Freddie would be very happy in a bright bathroom, as well.

Make sure Freddie’s home is at a comfortable temperature of between 65 and 75 degrees fahrenheit, and keep Freddie away from drafts and vents. Calathea Freddie, like most Calathea plants, is said to be safe for pets and people, but we always recommend checking with veterinarians and doctors to be sure! Calathea is also known to be air cleaning, so it can help keep your space fresh. Because Calathea plants do require a bit more care than other plants, we recommend them for Plant Parents who have some experience.

Don’t forget to save our Plant Parent Chalkboard image for Calthea Freddie for future quick-reference!

Happy Plant Parenting!