Calathea orbifolia
Common name: Orbifolia prayer plant · Round-leaf calathea
Calathea orbifolia is a species of flowering plant in the Marantaceae family, native to the tropical forests of Bolivia. It is prized as a houseplant for its very large, almost round leaves marked with striking silver-white stripes. Like other members of the prayer-plant family, its leaves fold upward at night. It is grown almost exclusively for its foliage, as it rarely flowers indoors.
Care summary
Sun
Bright indirect light; no direct sun
Water
Keep evenly moist; use filtered or rainwater
Soil
Rich, moist but well-draining, slightly acidic
Hardiness
Zones 11–12
Mature height
About 60–90 cm (2–3 ft)
Pet safe
Yes, non-toxic to cats and dogs
Difficulty
Fussy
Propagation
Propagated by division when repotting in spring. Carefully pull the root ball apart into clumps with several leaves and roots each, pot them into fresh moist mix, and keep warm, humid, and out of direct light until established. It does not root from leaf or stem cuttings.
Fun facts
- Its silvery-striped leaves can reach 20–30 cm across, among the largest of any commonly grown calathea.
- It performs nyctinasty: the leaves rise at night and lower by day, driven by a swelling joint at the leaf base.
- It is sensitive to chlorine and fluoride in tap water, which causes brown leaf tips.
- Some botanists reclassify it as Goeppertia orbifolia, though Calathea remains the name used in the horticultural trade.