Calathea lietzei in the ground

Credit: Montrealais

Green leaves of Calathea lietzei

Credit: Hua Wan

Calathea lietzei contrasting leaves

Credit: Oscar Enciso

Calathea lietzei flowers

Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek

Cultivar of Calathea lietzei variegated leaves

Credit: Green house vivero

Goeppertia lietzei, leaves like peacock feathers

Goeppertia lietzei is a plant of the Marantaceae family native to Brazil. Rarely marketed and cultivated in our latitudes, it has given rise to numerous cultivars.

How to recognize Goeppertia lietzei?

Calathea lietzei is a small, rhizomatous perennial with a bushy habit. It doesn't grow more than 30 centimetres high and has the same spread.

Its thick leaves are oblong with wavy edges. Botanical Goeppertia lietzei has dark green leaf blades. They are crossed from the midrib to the margins by light-green stripes. This peacock-like pattern is found in horticultural varieties. But each variety has its own color scheme. Goeppertia lietzei ‘White Fusion’ has variegated white and pink foliage, while Goeppertia lietzei ‘Stella’ ' has green and white. Goeppertia lietzei 'White Fusion is immediately recognizable by its yellow mottling.

In the wild, the plant flowers in late spring. It is adorned with white or greenish flowers.

Calathea lietzei is non-toxic. It is harmless to humans and animals, even if ingested.

Our maintenance tips

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

Watering

Keep the soil in your Calathea lietzei always fresh. When the substrate is one to two centimeters dry, you can water.

Use room-temperature, non-calcareous water. What's best? Recovered rainwater. If you don't have any, you can use filtered water. You can also use tap water, provided you let it stand for a while.

After watering, empty the water stagnating at the bottom of the dish. It may rot the roots.

Spray

In nature, goeppertia lietzei benefits from a high degree of humidity. Spray your Calathea lietzei withrainwater to improve humidity and prevent pest infestation.

Don' t use hard water, such as tap water. It leaves white spots on the foliage.

Repotting

Every spring, repot your Goeppertia lietzei to give it more space.

Obtain a pierced pot of a larger size than the previous one. Don't hesitate to choose a ceramic or plastic model. These materials retain moisture and allow you to space out watering. Your Calathea lietzei also prefers a wide pot to a deep container to give it room to grow.

Line the bottom with gravel or clay balls for drainage. Then pour in potting soil for green plants. You can lighten it by adding perlite.

Plant your subject in the middle and fill in with substrate. Water for the first time to eliminate air bubbles and encourage rooting.

Fertilization

To promote the growth of your Goeppertia lietzei, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.

Apply a liquid fertilizer for green plants. Respect the doses indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. Too high a dose will damage foliage.

Cleaning

Dust prevents the plant from photosynthesizing. Clean the leaves of your Calathea lietzei with a soft, clean cloth.

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.

Take advantage of repotting to divide your Calathea lietzei. Once your plant has been dug up, locate a rhizome with one or more stems. Each stem should have at least three leaves.

Using your hands or a clean, sharp tool, separate the rhizome from the rest of the plant.

Pour a drainage layer (gravel, clay balls, pozzolan, etc.) of one to two centimeters into a bucket or small pierced pot. Add a draining substrate, such as universal potting soil mixed with sand.

Make a pilot hole and plant the cutting. Do not bury the leaves. Press lightly and water.

Diseases / Threats

Red spiders

Mealybugs

Information

Family	Marantaceae - Marantaceae
Type	Goeppertia - Goeppertia
Species	Goeppertia lietzei - Goeppertia lietzei
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)	11b
Leaf color
Flower colors