A special houseplant is the osiera, which comes from the humid Neotropics and is often referred to by its botanical name, i.e. Calathea. Read how to plant and care for them here.
The wicker plant (Calathea) impresses with its eye-catching leaves and becomes an eye-catcher in every living room. Read with us who the tropical beauty is, how she feels comfortable in our latitudes and how to care for her properly.
Korbmarante: origin and characteristics
One of the most beautiful green plants you can have in the house is the wicker plant (Calathea). The exotic plant belongs to the arrowroot family (Marantaceae) and originally comes from the tropical parts of America, especially from the humid Neotropics. With us it can be cultivated as a houseplant - also in combination with other tropical plants.
The striking leaves of the perennial herbaceous plant usually adorn unusual patterns when young. The contrast between the succulent green leaves and the often white shades is typical. With age, the patterns fade and the leaves turn a uniform green. The underside of the leaf is purple in some varieties. The shape of the leaves varies depending on the variety and species. The foliage can be elongated, pointed, ovate or rounded.
up to 100 cm high, while the Calathea lancifolia 'Insigne' only grows to about 60 cm. Calathea species stop growing once their individual height is reached.
Another special feature of the basket marante is that its leaves curl up or stand up at night and unfold again in the morning at dawn. It thus adapts to the light conditions and regulates photosynthesis.
The mercury flowers only very rarely if kept as a houseplant. This is mainly due to the suboptimal climatic conditions. In its tropical home, it forms spikes of yellow flowers in January or February.
Plant Calathea
The osiera is a plant that is very sensitive to its location and environmental conditions. It is therefore important to orientate oneself to their natural habitat in the tropics.
The right location for the Calathea
The Coriander grows primarily in the shady soil of tropical forests and therefore prefers light, semi-shady locations indoors. Direct sunlight should be avoided as too much sun can cause damage to the leaves that looks like 'burns'. A high level of humidity, as in the tropics, is necessary for he althy growth, as otherwise brown necrosis, i.e. dying tissue on the edges or tips of the leaves, can occur. Cold drafts should also be avoided. The ideal temperature is 20 to 24 °C during vegetation in summer and around 18 °C in winter quarters. You should avoid temperatures below 15 °C, as the Korbmarante reacts sensitively to low temperatures.
Which soil is suitable for the calathea?
A high-quality, loose soil for green plants can be used for the basket. For example, our Plantura organic universal soil is well suited because it offers a suitable soil pH value and a generous supply of nutrients for the plants and protects the environment through its sustainable, peat-free production. In addition, about 30% expanded clay can be added to the soil to make it permanently looser. Since the Korbmarante reacts extremely sensitively to soil that is too wet, the soil should be well drained. A layer of expanded clay at the bottom of the pot is ideal for this - excess water can then simply drain away.
Tip: In order to lower the pH value, pine litter, bedrock dust or bark mulch can be added in small amounts - as a plant of the jungle, the Korbmarante loves acidic soil.
Planting calathea: step by step
Since the osiera has shallow roots, a shallow, wide pot is better than a tall one. This also has the positive effect that more water evaporates from the soil due to the larger pot surface and the humidity in the immediate vicinity of the plant is slightly higher. As an original tropical plant, the Korbmarante particularly appreciates this. When choosing a pot, it is important to use a pot with large holes to allow for good water drainage. Then the basket marante can be placed in the pot and covered with soil. However, the plant should not be covered with more soil than it isit was used to in the previous planter. After pressing the soil, it is important to water the plant well.
Caring for Calathea
Because of its tropical origin, the Korbmarante is a demanding plant for us. However, if the environmental conditions are adapted to their needs, they grow up he althy and strong. Caring for the basket marante also includes regularly wiping the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust. Care must be taken, however, as the leaves will not recover from snapping injuries.
Water Calathea
An even supply of water to the Korbmarante is crucial for its he althy growth - for this it should be watered once or twice a week from April to October. At the latest when the leaves become limp or curl up during the day, this is an indicator that there is a lack of water. Watering should be reduced during the hibernation from November to March to avoid root rot caused by too much moisture. Lime-free water, such as rainwater or mineral water, is best. The usually very calcareous tap water could influence the pH value of the soil. In addition to supplying the roots with water, it is also important for the basket marante to spray the leaves regularly. This corresponds more closely to the climate of their tropical origins and prevents the leaf tips from drying out.
Fertilize Calathea properly
The nutrient requirements of the Korbmarante are low compared to other green plants. It is sufficient to fertilize the plant with a liquid fertilizer every three to four weeks during the growing season and in this way to refresh the nutrient reserves of the soil. Above all, a gift via the irrigation water offers the advantage that the nutrients quickly pass into the soil solution and thus reach all parts of the plant very quickly in order to be able to take care of them. A fertilizer such as our Plantura organic indoor and green plant fertilizer is particularly suitable for this purpose, as it also contains microorganisms that can support the root growth of the basketweed. You should not fertilize the Korbmarante during the hibernation from November to March.
Cutting Calathea
When pruning the Korbmarante it is sufficient to regularly cut off old, dry or diseased leaves. The plant can also be checked for pest infestation at the same time. Another cut is not necessary.
At a glance: Common care mistakes in the basket marante
- Water too much: soil is too wet; can lead to root rot and fungus, often reflected in wilted foliage.
- Watering too little: leaves begin to curl up (attention, risk of confusion: Calathea raises or curls up its leaves at night - this is normal and does not indicate a lack of water), can lead to the plant drying out.
- Wrong location: Plant gets too little light; leaf pattern fades, plant grows little.
- Wrong location: plant is in direct sun; brown leaf damage ("burns") occurs.
- Wrong location: too cold; Plant hardly grows, no new leaves are formed, yellowing of leaves occurs.
- Humidity too low: Plant develops brown leaf tips and edges.
Repot Calathea
After two years at the latest, the Korbmarante should be repotted because the old pot is too small. Spring is the best time to do this, before the growing season starts again. The new pot should not be too big, otherwise the unrooted soil will get too wet and rot can occur. Once the plant has been removed from the old pot and the old soil gently tapped off, the roots should be inspected for brown and rotten spots. If necessary, you should cut them out immediately to prevent further spread.
Wintering of Calathea
The Korbmarante can easily be overwintered. Bright, cool rooms that are not heated much in winter but do not cool down are suitable for this. For example, the study or guest room or a bright stairwell are suitable. The ideal temperature is around 18 °C, but should not fall below 15 °C. During the hibernation, the Korbmarante should continue to be watered little, the root ball must not dry out. The finger test helps to check the moisture. Fertilization is not necessary in winter. When the vegetation begins in April, you can then move the basket marant back to its old location.
Propagating Calathea
The Korbmarante can be propagated by dividing the mother plant. The best time for this is also spring, when the plants are repotted. To gain a cutting, you should pot up the mother plants and free them from the old soil. The bulbous roots should then be divided in such a way that two to seven leaves form onenew plant are summarized. It is important that all new plants have enough roots to grow again. The plant pots can then be filled with soil and the basket marants pressed lightly. A green plant soil is suitable here again - such as our Plantura organic universal soil, to create ideal growth conditions for the young plants. Finally, the plants should be watered well and brought into a bright, warm room. This promotes root formation.
Cultivation from seeds is also possible with the Korbmarante, but it is more complex. For this, a small pot should be filled with potting soil. You can use our Plantura organic herb and seed soil for this, for example. Then the osiera seeds can be placed on the substrate and covered with soil about 2 mm thick. A moist germination climate is created by generous watering. Finally, to create a warm, humid environment, the pot can be placed in a mini greenhouse, ziplock bag, or something similar and set in a warm place, such as on the windowsill. Occasional ventilation of the greenhouse prevents mold growth.
Is the basket marante poisonous?
The basket marante is not poisonous. The leaves are used to transport food across much of Brazil and Colombia. The leaf stalks can be used to weave baskets - this is also the origin of the name of the basket marants. Eating the leaves can cause pets to vomit, but luckily there are no other known dangers.
Common calathea diseases and pests
If the location of the basket marant is too dry, an infestation with spider mites (Tetranychidae) can occur. However, this can be prevented by regularly spraying the plants with water, since the spider mites do not like high humidity. In addition to spider mites, scale insects (Coccoidae) can also damage the plant. The undersides of the leaves should be checked regularly, as this is where they particularly like to hide. In the tropical homeland, caterpillars of the owl butterfly (Caligo eurilochus) can also become a problem, but not in our latitudes.
In addition to pests, it is also possible that the basket marant will be attacked by fungal diseases. These spread mainly when the root ball has been too wet for too long. It can be caused by waterloggingroot rot can also occur, which weakens and damages the plant. Both can be prevented by good drainage and well-controlled watering.
Do you have a bright spot in your home for a wicker basket? Here is a list of the most beautiful Calathea species and varieties.