🌱 Calathea Medallion

Use a loose, moisture-retentive but free-draining mix (peat/coco-based potting soil cut with perlite and a little fine bark). Keep pH slightly acidic to neutral, and always use a pot with drainage holes to prevent waterlogging and root rot.

This cultivar is not reliably raised from seed in cultivation; propagate by division. Divide the rhizomatous clump during repotting (best in spring to early summer) by separating sections with several leaves and healthy roots. Pot each division into a container with drainage using a moisture-retentive but airy mix (e.g., peat/coco-based with perlite and fine bark), keep the crown at the same depth as before, water thoroughly, and maintain warm temperatures and high humidity while it re-establishes.

Feed lightly during active growth (spring–summer) with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to 1/4–1/2 strength every 4 weeks; reduce or stop in winter. Flush the pot with clean water periodically to limit salt buildup, and avoid overfeeding which can scorch leaf margins.

Top-dress the pot with a thin layer of fine bark to reduce evaporation and help stabilize moisture; keep mulch off the crown/stems to reduce risk of rot and fungus gnats.

No staking is normally required. Provide a stable pot and rotate the plant periodically for even growth; divide or repot if the clump becomes top-heavy.

Prune only for tidiness: remove yellowing or damaged leaves by cutting the petiole cleanly at the soil line; remove any spent flower spikes at the base. Avoid heavy cutting of healthy foliage.