If youre after a houseplant that will really turn heads, calathea is the one for you. This genus of plant includes some of the most gorgeous-looking tropical plants on the planet, characterised with bold striped leaves in an array of bright colours.
Native to Brazil and also frequently found in other tropical locations such as southern Florida and Hawaii, calathea are quintessential tropical plants, and as such, have gained a reputation for being difficult to care for. Its true that they can be a little fussy, but once you know how to take care of them, this plant makes a very rewarding green companion that will sprout quickly and reward you with dazzling foliage.
Calatheas are a popular family of houseplants known for their beautiful foliage (traditionally used for handicrafts and to wrap food in).What to Read Next
Theyre sometimes known as prayer plants because of the unique movement of their leaves. Throughout the course of the day, these plants move their leaves in a process known as nyctinasty. Its thought that this allows calatheas to capture as many of the suns rays as they can. You can expect the multi-coloured leaves of this plant to lift themselves up, with the leaf faces bunching together at night, and lowering themselves down during the day to receive as much light as possible.
The patterns and colours found on this plant will have you hypnotised – even the underside of the leaves are visually interesting.
Calatheas have a reputation for being tricky to care for, and they are sometimes called greenhouse plants for this reason. Sensitive to cold, they thrive best when kept in the warm and moist environment of their homeland. Dont be put off, however; with the right conditions, calatheas can be happy in almost all homes and parts of the world.
The Beauty of Striped Foliage with Purple Undersides
Plants with colorful variegated leaves are always eye-catching in gardens and indoor spaces. But some varieties take it a step further, combining striped foliage with a rich purple underside for dramatic contrast. These plants provide visual depth and sparkle lighting up shady corners or softening bright spaces. In this article we’ll explore some of the most popular striped leaf houseplants and perennials that showcase purple undersides.
Tradescantia Zebrina – The Stripe and Shimmer Queen
Perhaps the queen of purple-underside foliage is Tradescantia zebrina, also called inch plant or wandering Jew. This fast-growing houseplant displays stunning silver stripes traversing deep green leaves. Turn them over to reveal the vibrant magenta-purple undersides, which seem to glow. The striking contrast makes the leaves appear to shimmer as they catch the light.
Beyond the showy leaves, Tradescantia zebrina also bears small purple-blue flowers in summer. However, it’s grown primarily for its fabulous foliage. There are also some special varieties like ‘Quadricolor’ and ‘Burgundy’ with different leaf hues. Give Tradescantia moderate light indoors and keep the soil lightly moist. Prune back long stems to encourage bushiness.
Fittonia Albivenis – Nerve Plant with Purple Undersides
Another houseplant grown mainly for its leaves is Fittonia albivenis, or nerve plant This species displays a netted vein pattern with main veins etched in white across small green leaves. Flip them over to see deep purple undersides. The contrast showcases the intricate veining dramatically.
Although nerve plant enjoys moist soil, it’s prone to fungal issues if overwatered. Provide bright indirect light indoors. Pruning encourages dense growth. There are some fun varieties too, like ‘Red Anne’ with pink-red veining over green.
Persian Shield – Vibrant Tropical Color
Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus) isn’t variegated but has intense solid purple foliage that almost glows. The tropical subshrub makes quite an impact in containers on patios or indoors. The fast-growing, mounding purple plant is popular for containers, hanging baskets, or planting in a semi-tropical shade garden.
Coral Bell Plants with Purple Leaves (Heuchera)
Heuchera ‘Forever Purple’ (left) and ‘Palace Purple’ (right)
Coral bells are show-stopping foliage plants with deeply lobed plum-purple, pink-purple, maroon, and glossy burgundy leaves. This compact, clump-forming plant thrives in full sun to complete shade and performs well in most soils. The range of color combinations makes coral bells perfect for containers and mixed beds.
Some examples are Coral Bells ‘Forever Purple’ with glossy purple leaves and fluted margins. Coral Bells ‘Grape Expectations’ is a vibrant mounding plant with grape-purple leaves and dramatic black veins. Purple Palace Coral Bells has large evergreen lobed leaves that are dark purple with burgundy red undersides.
Caladiums – Vividly Patterned Leaves
Gardeners love caladiums for their dramatic foliage splashed in various vivid combinations of white, pink, red and greens. Turn the leaves over to find they are typically deep purple underneath, which heightens the color contrast. There are too many caladium varieties to name, but some feature purple undersides with white and pink variegation above like ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Carolyn Whorton’.
This sampling of plants reveals the beauty and visual depth that foliage with striped topsides and purple undersides can provide in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Look for these contrasting plants to brighten up your home and garden with their vibrant hues and shimmering textures.
The calathea at a glance:
Botanical name: Calathea.
Other names: Prayer plant, zebra plant, rattlesnake plant, peacock plant, cathedral plant.
Height and growth rate: Calatheas have a moderately fast growth rate when the plant is happy. It can reach maturity within a year, reaching a potential height of up to two feet before stopping growing.
Light: Needs indirect light. Direct sunlight can burn the leaves of this plant.
Watering: It needs to be watered regularly and to be kept moist but not soggy.
Soil: This plant needs slightly acidic soil with a pH of around 6.5.
Temperature: For this tropical plant, its essential to maintain warmer temperatures.
Toxicity to pets: Non-toxic.
Plant parent level: On the trickier side, so a great choice for experienced plant parents – but not impossible for beginners.
There are more than 300 species of calathea in the wild, boasting a huge variety of arresting leaf colours, leaf veins and patterns. Some of them even grow eye-catching tropical flowers. The most popular and commonly found versions kept as houseplants are:
• Calathea zebrina: Sometimes known as the zebra plant, this calathea has stripy green markings on the top of its leaves, while the undersides are a bright, rich purple.
• Calathea makoyana: Often called the peacock plant, this plant has light purple leaf undersides, while the top of the leaves are green and white.
• Calathea ornata: Youve definitely seen this plant on Instagram. Famous for its adorable pink and white striated leaves, its sometimes known as the femme fatale plant.
• Calathea crocata: With plain leaves but with striking, upright-facing bright lobster-coloured flowers, you might have heard this plant called the eternal flame.
How to care for your calathea
Calathea plants are used to growing under the jungle canopy when in the wild, so they prefer indirect light and partial shade. Too much sunlight can in fact burn the leaves and can cause their bright patterns to fade and become indistinct.
Think soil that is consistently moist, but not soggy. You may need to water it as frequently as every few days, depending on the climate. This plant is sensitive to some minerals and chemicals commonly found in tap water, so its best to avoid using it as it can make the leaves of the plant yellow. Instead, water with rainwater or filtered water, or let some tap water sit overnight to allow any fluoride and chlorine present to evaporate.
Calatheas like things to be warm, and they hate drafts. When thinking about placement, its best to choose a spot thats consistently balmy rather than one where the temperature climbs up and down, as this will make your plant unhappy. If it gets colder than 15° Celsius, expect there to be problems. If youre struggling to keep your calathea cosy enough, consider keeping it in a terrarium (but only one large enough to contain its sprawling growth).
This plant is a little fussy about its soil. It needs to be mildly acidic, with a pH approximating 6.5. You also need to choose a soil blend which retains water well, such as an airy and peat-heavy potting mix, to ensure your calathea stays moist enough. However, you must also plant into a pot with sufficient drainage, as root rot can set in if things end up waterlogged.
For a plant with full, glossy leaves, fertilise once a month with a liquid fertiliser diluted by half in all parts of the year except winter, when growth naturally slows down.
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FAQ
What plant has stripes and purple underneath?
Tradescantia zebrina – Wandering Dude: An In-depth Look
The leaves are a deep green or purple with characteristic silver or white stripes, giving the plant its common name “zebrina” after the zebra-like pattern.
What plant has purple underneath the leaves?
Prayer Plant – Prayer plants add rich texture to your home from their stunning leaves that sport a muted purple underside for a subtle inclusion of color.Mar 23, 2024
How do you care for purple spiderwort?
Spiderwort grows easily in most types of soil, but ideally, aim for a slightly acidic pH. Outdoors, plant your spiderwort in moist soil that drains easily. Indoors, plant your spiderwort up to six inches deep in a large container with similarly moist, well-draining soil.
Is Tradescantia Zebrina an indoor or outdoor plant?
Tradescantia Zebrina is a tropical perennial that is a native ground cover in parts of Mexico. It can be grown outside year-round in zones 8 through 12. However, in most other locations, people treat it as a year-round trailing container houseplant.