Calathea and Maranta, commonly known as the Prayer Plant, are beloved for their intricate patterns and dynamic leaf movements. Those beautiful plants can thrive in lower and medium lighting conditions and are often chosen as the first plants because they are both forgiving and have fast growth.
However, they may be sometimes a little fussy, showing signs of unhappiness through yellowing leaves, brown patches and crispy brown edges. If you’re facing these issues, this guide will help you identify the most common reasons for these problems and provide effective solutions.
Why Are The Leaves Turning Yellow and Crispy?
Low Humidity
Originating from humid, tropical rainforests, these plants have evolved to thrive in areas with high humidity levels. In a dry environment, typical of many British homes, the leaves might show signs of distress, developing brown and crispy edges. This happens often during the winter when heating your home dries out the air.
Natural Aging
Plants, like all living beings, have a life cycle. It’s natural for older leaves to yellow, wither, and fall off, making way for fresh, new growth. It’s essential to differentiate between natural ageing and other plant care issues to address them effectively. Old leaves usually will gradually first turn into a pale yellow colour to finish with brown.
The Water Balance
Watering plays a crucial role in plant care. Striking the right balance is not always easy but very important for Calathea and Prayer plants. Both under-watering and over-watering can manifest as plant issues, leading to yellowing leaves, brown edges, and even root rot for these tropical beauties in case of overwatering. Overwatered plants often have brown spots with a yellowish line around whereas under-watered plants tend to have brown edges.
Pests
Even when kept indoors all year round our precious plants are not immune to the occasional pest problem, especially spider mites which love Calathea plants! But the reason behind dying leaves could be also aphids, thrips or mealybugs. Faded leaves, with discolourations and spots as well as noticeable bugs on leaves, indicate pest infestation.