The peacock plant is, as you’d imagine, a big show-off. Its leaves look like they’ve been painted with big strokes of green, while the underside is tinged with red. It’s the perfect companion for any of our other calatheas. They all like lots of light and humid conditions.
This plant is native to Brazil, where you’ll find it growing in the shade of big trees in tropical rainforests. Like almost all other calathea, its leaves curl up at night, then unfurl in the morning to catch all the rays they can. One of its nicknames is prayer plant, because the curled leaves look like praying hands.
If you consider where it’s from it’s easy to remember how to keep it happy. It’s used to dappled light, so doesn’t like direct sun. Too much sun will make its leaf pattern fade. It also needs lots of rainforest-like moisture. You can either put it in a humid room, like a bathroom, or mist it regularly. It will also benefit from a feed with liquid fertiliser once per month in spring and summer. Meet those demands and it will be happy as can be.
Did you know?
This plant is also known by the name cathedral windows because its leaves look a bit like stained glass when the light shines through them.
Medium light
He loves a bright spot, but away from direct sun (it burns his leaves). He’ll manage in light shade.
Light watering
He likes his soil moist, but not soggy. You only need to water him when the top two inches of soil feel dry.
Humidity
Keep his leaves free of crispy edges by giving him a mist every couple of days. He loves moist air.