35 Calathea Varieties That Are Certain to Standout

Calathea is a popular, gorgeous houseplant lauded for its shiny leaves and ample foliage. While there are a ton of varieties that you can grow indoors, there are also some that you can only find outdoors in the wild.

Calatheas are in the prayer plant family, which can be recognized by patterned foliage and green leaves with purple undersides. While they make a great addition to your decor, they can always be a little tricky to take care of. Calatheas thrive in humid environments, prefer their soil to be moist, and need the perfect amount of light to survive.

We rounded up some of the most popular calathea varieties as well as some of the lesser-known ones.

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Rose Painted Calathea

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Calathea roseopicta, native to South America, is stunning—it looks as if the leaves have been painted on. There’s a distinctive brushstroke texture to them that compliments the deep purple undersides.
- Light: Bright but indirect light
- Water: Water often during the summer so soil is moist, not wet. Cut back watering in wintertime. Mist regularly
- Leaf Color: Light green with a dark green leaf edge and purple undersides
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Calathea Dottie

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The roseopicta dottie features gorgeous, large, oval leaves outlined in a fuschia color. This variety is bred from the Calathea roseopicta.
- Light: Bright, filtered light to maintain the leaf color
- Water: Water regularly and feed monthly during the spring and summer
- Leaf Color: Deep green with pink details
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Calathea Bachemiana

Native to Brazil, this Calathea variety has pointed leaves with stripes. It can produce flowers in the summer in the wild.
- Light: Bright, indirect light with some shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Leaf Color: Light green with dark green details
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Zebra Plant

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Native to Brazil, the Calathea zebrina is a common houseplant. When found in the wild, you'll notice small blossoms that bloom in the springtime.
- Light: Bright, filtered light
- Water: Water often so soil stays moist
- Leaf Color: Light green with dark green stripes and purple undersides
- Mature Size: Leaves can grow 12 inches and plant can get to 2 ft tall
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Calathea Picturata

The Calathea picturarta is known for its picturesque leaves. They are silvery in the center with a bold green border.
- Light: Medium to bright indirect light
- Water: Water often so soil is moist
- Leaf Color: Silvery white in the center with a bold green border and purple undersides
- Mature Size: 2 ft tall
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Calathea 'White Star'

Logee's

Watching the leaves of Calathea majestica curl up at night and unfurl in the morning is quite majestic.
- Light: Bright spot away from direct sun so leaves don’t burn
- Water: Keep soil moist but not soggy. Water when the top two inches feel dry
- Leaf Color: Light green with dark green and white ribbing and purple undersides
- Mature Size: 5 ft tall
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Brazilian Star Calathea

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This variety has a beautiful star-shaped flower and elongated leaves. It’s often referred to as the Brazilian star calathea.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Water with fertilizer in the spring and summer to see blooms
- Leaf Color: Light green with white or pink flowers
- Mature Size: 4 ft tall
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Calathea Louisae

This is a beautiful variegated Calathea that closes its leaves up at night and opens them during the day.
- Light: Some shade is okay
- Water: Keep the soil moist but not wet
- Leaf Color: Dark green leaves with yellow spattered patterns and purple undersides
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall tall
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Calathea Leopardina

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The leaf markings on the Calathea leopardina are quite distinctive, and the contrast between the light green and dark green is very bold, especially against the strong stems.
- Light: Bright but indirect light
- Water: Keep it well watered (moist but not wet) and mist frequently
- Leaf Color: Light green leaves with dark green variegation
- Mature Size: 2.5 ft tall
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Calathea Rosy

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Another cultivar of the roseopicta is the rosy. It differs from its mother plant because of the pink, feathered details in the leaf pattern.
- Light: To keep the pink shade, bright, indirect light is best
- Water: Water so soil is moist
- Leaf Color: Bordered in green with cream and pink in the center. Underside is purple
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Calathea 'Silver Stripe'

Another flowering variety of Calathea, the Micans is actually a flowering variety. You can see white funnel-shaped flowers in the summer months.
- Light: Half-shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Leaf Color: Green leaves with white showers
- Mature Size: 2.6 ft tall
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Rattlesnake Plant

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More commonly known as the rattlesnake plant, you'll find Calathea lancifolia often in people’s homes. The leaves, which are symmetrical, feature a rattlesnake-like print reflective of its name.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Keep it in a steamy room as it loves humidity and water frequently so the soil stays moist
- Leaf Color: Light green leaves patterned with dark green ovals and purple undersides.
- Mature Size: 2 ft tall
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Calathea Lasiostachya

The Calathea lasiostachya is native to Central America. It has long, thin leaves that define the plant.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Water frequently
- Leaf Color: Green leaves
- Mature Size: 2 ft tall
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Calathea Jungle Velvet

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Native to Central America, this variety of calathea can produce white flowers in the wild. Calathea warscewiczii features velvety leaves, which is how it gets its common name of "jungle velvet."
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Do not let the soil become soggy, but keep it moist.
- Leaf Color: Dark green on top and dark red undersides. Can have white flowers
- Mature Size: 6.5 ft tall in wild, plus very wide.
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Calathea ‘Silver Plate’

The Calathea "Silver Plate" is completely unique. The foliage is more of a pale silver-green instead of just green with almost light pink ribbing throughout.
- Light: Indirect, bright light. Can tolerate shade but color will fade
- Water: Keep soil damp at all times
- Leaf Color: Silverish green leaves with pale pink accents and dark purple undersides
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Calathea Ecuadoriana

Native to Ecuador, as the name suggests, the Calathea ecuadoriana has stunning burgundy undersides.
- Light: Bright, indirect light, part shade
- Water: Frequent watering so soil is moist
- Leaf Color: Velvety green with red undersides
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Round-Leaved Calathea

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Perhaps one of the most popular of the calathea species, Calathea orbifolia is often kept as a stunning houseplant. It has large, round leaves, and they even open and close from day to night.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Water regularly, ensuring soil stays moist but not soggy
- Leaf Color: Light green with silver/gray stripes
- Mature Size: 3.2 ft tall
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Calathea 'White Fusion'

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This variety of Calathea, Calathea wiotii, is one of the smaller species and is native to Brazil.
- Light: Bright, indirect light but can tolerate partial shade
- Water: Frequent watering so soil stays moist
- Leaf Color: Green leaves with dark green patterns
- Mature Size: .5 ft tall
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Rattle Shaker

The unique feature of Calathea crotalifera is the yellow inflorescence that looks like a rattlesnake’s rattle.
- Light: Limited sun to bright shade
- Water: Water regularly to keep the soil moist but not wet
- Leaf Color: Green leaves with yellow inflorescence
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall with 10-inch flowers.
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Pin-Stripe Calathea

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A rather elegant variety of the Calathea is the ornata. It has long, pointed leaves with stunning markings that can get up to 2 feet long.
- Light: Bright, indirect light, although some shade is okay
- Water: Water regularly in the spring and summer so soil stays moist, cut back in the winter
- Leaf Color: Dark green with pink stripes and red undersides
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall with leaves up to 2 ft long
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Calathea ‘Pink Aurora’

The unusual foliage color is what makes this variety of Calathea unique.
- Light: Bright but indirect light
- Water: Frequent watering
- Leaf Color: Silvery leaves with pink accents
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Calathea Fucata

This super-rare plant is a calathea you won't spot often as a houseplant. It is extremely hard to come by, but beautiful nonetheless.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Lots of humidity and frequent watering
- Leaf Color: It has silver leaves with green stripes and purple undersides
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Furry Feather Calathea

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The leaves on this variety (Calathea rufibarba) are different from other popular varieties, as they are long and narrow with wavy edges. The leaves actually change color as they mature.
- Light: Well-lit area that does not get direct sunlight
- Water: Moist but not soggy
- Leaf Color: Young leaves are light and dark green which fades as the plant gets older, undersides are reddish purple
- Mature Size: 2 ft tall
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Calathea Undulata

Native to South America, the Calathea undulata is one of the smaller plants in the species.
- Light: Some shade is okay
- Water: Water frequently
- Leaf Color: Dark green leaves with light greenish silver lines through the middle
- Mature Size: 1 ft tall
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Peacock Plant

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Also known as the peacock plant because of its patterned leaves, Calathea makoyana has denser foliage compared to others.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Soil needs to be moist.
- Leaf Color: Light green with dark green variegation and spots
- Mature Size: 2.5 ft tall
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Eternal Flame Plant

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If you love flowering plants, Calathea Crocata produces stunning yellow-orange flowers in the wild (and sometimes at home, with the right conditions).
- Light: Place in a well-lit position while avoiding direct sunlight
- Water: Keep the soil moist but not wet
- Leaf Color: Bluish-green leaves with dark purple undersides
- Mature Size: 2 ft tall
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Calathea latifolia

This Calathea is native to Central America and South America. It has large leaves and purple flowers.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Keep the soil moist, but not wet
- Leaf Color: Green leaves with brownish burgundy accents and purple flowers
- Mature Size: 2.5 ft tall
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Calathea Network

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Perhaps one of the most stunning varieties, Calathea network (Calathea musaica) has intricate foliage that looks like a mosaic.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Keep water slightly moist at all times
- Leaf Color: Light green with a dark green tile pattern
- Mature Size: 2 ft tall
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Calathea Marantifolia

This next variety won’t be found in most plant shops or homes, but it’s still stunning. If you’re lucky, it will give you bracts of cream flowers.
- Light: Full shade or semi-shade is okay
- Water: Give it lots of water
- Leaf Color: Green leaves with yellowish-green bracts and cream flowers
- Mature Size: 7 ft tall
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Calathea Albertii

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Another common variety of Calathea that you can find in plant shops and homes is Calathea albertii. They can be fussy, but with proper care, they can add a beautiful statement to your home.
- Light: Medium to bright indirect light
- Water: Frequent watering so the soil stays moist
- Leaf Color: Green with dark coloring and purple undersides
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Calathea Gymnocarpa

This variety of Calathea is native to Central America. It has beautiful green leaves and can tolerate a bit of shade.
- Light: Bright, indirect light, with some shade okay
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Leaf Color: Green leaves
- Mature Size: 2 ft tall
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Calathea Fasciata

Etsy

A particularly stunning plant, this variety’s leaves radiate from the center of the plant. As they unfurl, they allow you a peek at the deep red undersides before you even see the gorgeous foliage.
- Light: Medium to bright indirect light
- Water: Make sure pot isn’t waterlogged, but keep soil moist
- Leaf Color: Shiny light green leaves with dark green stripes and red undersides
- Mature Size: 2 ft tall
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Calathea Variegata

The variegated calathea is quite beautiful, with stark white strips contrasting deep green.
- Light: Bright, indirect light. Any shade will make white leaves harder to maintain
- Water: Frequent watering
- Leaf Color: Green and white leaves.
- Mature Size: 1.5 ft tall
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Cigar Plant

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Native to the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America, Calathea lutea (often known as the Cigar Plant) is a hardy version of the calathea.
- Light: Bright, indirect light with some partial shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Leaf Color: Green
- Mature Size: 13 ft tall
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Calathea Macrosepala

This Calathea is native to South Mexico, Trinidad, and Western Colombia. It has green leaves and can bloom during the summer months.
- Light: Bright, indirect light
- Water: Keep soil moist, not wet
- Leaf Color: Green with flowers
- Mature Size: 4 ft tall