The very impressive Jungle Velvet plant is a great feature for your household. Its common name comes from the soft fuzzy leaves that are so beautiful. With its dramatic green patterns on top of the leaves to the purple bottoms, this one is a must have. They do well inside because they prefer indirect and low light conditions. They do however like tropical conditions so bathrooms are always a good choice. Also, humidifiers will help keep these sorts of plants thriving and looking their best. Outdoors, given the low light preference, they will do best at the bottom of your garden under some other plant foliage. Foliage from plants such as tree ferns, palms, bamboo, banana and other medium height vegetation. The Calathea Warscewiczii can be tough to start out with but once it is established, it is low maintenance. Calathea plants tend to burn under direct sunlight and can look as though they are dead, don’t fret, the roots are still intact and given some water and more time they will revitalize.
| Common Name | Jungle Velvet |
| Scientific Name | Calathea Warscewiczii |
| Sunlight | Indirect, Low to Medium |
| Soil | Well-draining |
| Soil Ph | 5.5 -6.5 |
| Max Height | 1-2 ft or 30-60 cm |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Flowering Time | Spring, Summer |
| Flower Color | White with Pink Accents |
| Climate | Tropical, Zones 10-11 |
| Native Country | Nicaragua, Costa Rica |
| Toxicity | Non-Toxic |
| Maintenance | Low – Moderate, Protect from Direct Sunlight |
| Lifespan | Perennial, 2-4 years |
| Common Pests | Aphids, Spider Mites, Mealybugs |
| Propagation | Division |
Light
The Calathea family are quite sensitive to direct sunlight. Give them shade with indirect light and they will thrive.
Water
The watering schedule will depend on your soil. Only water once the top layer of soil is dry to deter bugs and pests as well as root rot.
Soil
Like other tropical plants, Calatheas like to have well-drained soil. Achieved through aerating components such as perlite, vermiculite, mulch, coconut coir or husk. A good mix for tropical plant soil is 50% soil, 25% perlite or vermiculite and 25% mulch or peat moss.
Max Height
These plants only get to about 1-2 ft or 30-60 cm tall. Outdoors they tend to grow in little clusters tending to be wider than they are tall.
Growth Rate
Once they find their feet so to speak, they tend to grow at a medium pace. With proper nutrients during the growing season they will develop even faster.
Flowers
They bloom these white flowers which can have hints of pink on them during the spring and summer months. Unfortunately they do not have any fragrance to them.
Climate
Calatheas like an environment with 50% or more humidity. They do best with a temperature between 65ºF-85ºF or 18ºC-30ºC. Humidity can be accomplished through a humidifier if your climate is not suited.
Toxicity
The Calathea Warscewiczii plant is non-toxic for animals and humans.
Maintenance
At a medium difficulty in terms of maintenance, they will require a bit of attention and help. Make sure that it receives indirect sunlight and is watered according to the dryness of the well-drained soil. If you have a green thumb, it is a good idea to have a thermometer in your room that will read the humidity as well.
Common Pests
The prominent bugs that show up on these types of plants can usually be deterred using diatomaceous earth. For application, just sprinkle a small amount over the surface of the soil.
Propagation
Calathea plants can be propagated using the division method. To do so, dig up the plant with a shovel or spade and divide it carefully, ideally having a root system and stem/leaves on both sections.