Calathea leopardina

Credit: Ping an Chang

Calathea leopardina leaves

Credit: Ping an Chang

Calathea leopardina in pot

Credit: Lek Khauv

Calathea leopardina flower

Credit: Lek Khauv

Goeppertia concinna in pot

Credit: e2mzz

Goeppertia concinna, Calathea leopardina

Leopard is in, and not just on our clothes. Plants are getting in on the act too! Calathea leopardina (Latin: Goeppertia concinna), a plant native to Brazil, has a mottled pattern on its leaves that imitates the animal's fur.

How to recognize Calathea leopardina (Goeppertia concinna)?

Goeppertia concinna is an upright perennial. At maturity, Calathea leopardina measures 70 centimetres in height and 40 centimetres in spread.

Leaves fan out from a central stem. They are borne by a long stalk, as in calathea 'Medallion (Goeppertia veitchiana).

Elliptical leaves can reach 30 cm in length. The underside of the foliage is purple, while the upper surface is adorned with spots reminiscent of a leopard's coat. The bright green leaf blade is speckled with dark green on either side of the midrib.

Goeppertia concinna is a praying plant. When the sun goes down, the leaves change position from horizontal to vertical. This phenomenon, known as nyctinasty, is observed in many varieties of the Marantaceae family. It occurs thanks to the pulvinus, an organ located at the base of the leaf.

Calathea leopardina is cultivated for its decorative evergreen foliage. The plant rarely flowers indoors. In its native rainforests, it produces a spike of yellow or cream flowers.

Calathea leopardina is not toxic on contact or ingestion. You can grow it without risk and handle it without having to wear gloves.

Our maintenance tips

Not very demanding, your Goeppertia concinna is content with a location without direct sunlight and plenty of humidity.

Watering

Calathea leopardina fear excess water. To prevent root rot, allow the substrate to dry between waterings and remove any stagnant water from the saucer.

Water the soil preferably with rainwater. The soil should be moist but not soggy.

Spray

Calathea leopardina love humidity. Spray their foliage to increase humidity and combat pest invasion.

Repotting

In spring, transfer your Goeppertia concinna to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.

Choose a pierced pot one-third larger than the previous one. Choose width rather than height to allow roots to develop. Choose a plastic or ceramic container rather than a clay one. The latter tend to absorb water more quickly.

Install a bed of clay balls and cover it with potting soil for indoor plants. Don't hesitate to mix in some perlite to optimize drainage. Then place the rootball and add potting soil until you reach a centimetre or two below the rim of the pot. Tamp down to avoid air bubbles.

Fertilization

You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.

Dilute a liquid fertilizer for green plants with water.

Cleaning

Remove dust from foliage with a clean, damp cloth. This will enable your plant to take full advantage of the sunlight.

Prune

To remove yellowed, damaged or wilted leaves, cut them off at the base with a sharp, clean tool.

Cutting

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

Carefully dig up the plant. Observe its root system and locate the individual plants. Separate them, always keeping a stem with its leaves and roots.

Division can be done by hand. But if the roots are too tangled, you can cut them with a clean, sharp tool.

Get a pot with holes to suit the size of your seedlings. Line the bottom with clay balls or gravel to improve drainage.

Pour in a rich, light substrate, such as potting soil, and plant your cuttings. To help you, you can use a pencil to form a pilot hole.

Water to encourage rooting and eliminate air bubbles.

Diseases / Threats

Red spiders

Mealybugs

Information

Family	Marantaceae - Marantaceae
Type	Goeppertia - Goeppertia
Species	Goeppertia leopardina - Goeppertia concinna
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Half-shade Shade
Substrat	Humus soil
Planting method	In pots
Categories	Interior Rhizome Herbaceous
Tags	Fritillary Soiffarde
Origin	South America
Hardiness (USDA)	12a
Leaf color
Flower colors