Homeowners, especially indoor plant collectors, love Calathea Freddie due to their unique leaf movements.
If taken care of properly, these neotropical herbaceous perennial plants will continue to look great all year-round.
What Is Calathea Freddie?
Calathea Freddie is a plant of the Calathea family. This appearance explains other common names – ‘Zebra Plant,’ or Calathea Concinna.
A grown Freddie can be up to 2-3 feet in height on a broad scale, while its mature leaves are about 4-7 inches in length.
Not only are they magnificent, but they’re also fragrant! These white flowers bloom on a long stalk-like inflorescence that flourishes from the center of the plant.
One of the best things about Calathea Freddie is that it contains no toxins, making it a nice pet-friendly for your home.
Of course, this friendliness doesn’t mean you can let down your guard. Always keep an eye on your kid and pets; don’t let them mingle with your Calathea houseplant.
Calathea Freddie Care
Soil
It is best to grow your Freddie Calathea in a pot of well-draining soil with large particles. To get that desired level of drainage, you can either do:
- ⅔ peat moss and ⅓ perlite
- ⅓ organic material, ⅓ sand, and ⅓ perlite
You can add or lessen material to get the perfect level of moisture and drainage. Just don’t add anything to make the Calathea soil clumpy, or your favorite plants will be prone to problems like root rot.
If you are new to caring for indoor plants, just go to the nearest local garden center and buy a premade soil blend. Still, you should try out different mixtures and see what best fits the plant’s needs.
Most of these specially formulated soil mixtures already have the right amounts of nutrients and fertilizers, so you won’t have to fertilize the plant in the first few months.
Watering
You know it’s time to water your Freddie when the top 25% of soil feels dry (1-2 inches from the top).
Water moderately and slowly from above, allowing the soil to dry out halfway down between each Calathea watering.
It is recommended that you use a pot with drainage holes because it’s easier to tell whether you over-water or not.
Only water until liquid leaks through the drainage holes and discard any excess water in the saucer. Even though you won’t need to water until 1-2 weeks later, Calathea needs occasional leaf misting.
Light
Morning sunlight is OK, as Freddie prefers medium to bright indirect light. For this reason, the perfect spot for this Freddie prayer plant to get indirect lighting is a few feet away from the window facing east, west, or north.
It’s vital to frequently check your plant leaves to measure the amount of required light. A lack of light is often to blame for the slow growth of Calathea Freddie. But too much direct sunlight can result in leaf burn.
You cannot fix sunburnt leaves. The only way to keep your plant growing is to remove the damaged leaves.
Another problem you will likely see when your Concinna is exposed to too much light is duller leaves. The distinctive leopard-like pattern will become significantly faded.
Humidity
This native of tropical lands prefers a high humidity level of 75% or more. A sign to tell you when the surrounding is not moist enough is brown, crispy leaves.
Consider using a pebble tray, misting often, or utilizing a humidifier to maintain the humidity level.
Also, place the plant pot near water sources like kitchens, bathrooms, or any room with abundant humidity. And make sure it’s a shady location.
Temperature
This foliage variety thrives at room temperature between 65℉-85℉. Freddie has a very poor tolerance for low temperatures. The lowest it can survive is 60℉; anything below this will cause you to run into issues.
This is why most people only grow their Freddie indoors. Of course, you can still grow it outdoors, provided that you don’t mind bringing it inside at night during certain seasons.
During the winter months, you will want to find a bright location in the house with enough sunlight to place your Calathea Freddy, or it would die out of cold weather.
Also, try to avoid sudden temperature changes. Too much heat will lead to leaf burn, and too much cold makes your plants go dormant.
What you need to know before buying a Calathea Freddie:
Common Problems With Calathea Freddie
- Yellow leaves: This problem can be due to various reasons, including over-watering or cold weather, over-exposure to the sun, or natural shedding of lower leaves.
- Curling and wilting leaves: Again, this sign means you’re over/under watering your plant. But more often, soggy soil.
- Brown leaf tips: Brown tips are due to the lack of humidity or minerals in the soil.
Top Tips For Growing A Healthy Calathea Freddie
- You should use distilled water or rainwater to water your Freddie instead of tap water. The tap water is filled with chemicals in some areas, causing your beautiful leaves to turn into broken leaves.
- Prune often to keep the plant strong and growing.
- DO NOT use any shine products on the leaves. If the plant is thriving, the natural shine is what you’re going to get.
- Mist the leaves often, then clean them with a damp cloth.
- Watch the leaf colors occasionally. They tell a lot about whether your house plants are thriving or dying.
- It is essential to keep your soil moist, or you will encounter brown leaf tips.
Conclusion
Caring for Calathea Freddie has never been that easy with our Calathea Freddie care guide.
These Brazillian natives are strong enough to go through the imperfections of your surroundings. Plus, they’re one of the easiest to care for among their siblings.
If you’re still thinking about purchasing one for your home, just go for it and see how everything goes!
