[darwinkoh]

Hi,

See a couple of members have Calathea lutea. How's difference are the growing conditions (light, water) for this as compare to Thaumatococcus? Can it take a lower light and humidity? Is it more picky or require less maintainence?

Thanx

[islaverde]

very easy. its a lowland plant. and provided you have space.. no problem. ask boonboon for his growing experience.

[wilson]

islaverde, on Jan 29 2007, 09:06 AM, said:

very easy. its a lowland plant. and provided you have space.. no problem. ask boonboon for his growing experience.

Calathea lutea can become quite a large plant, the leaves are much bigger than Thaumatococcus. The interesting thing is C. lutea's leaves are silvery on the underside. The flowers are brown cigar-shaped which rise above the ground unlike the Thaumatococcus' which are near the ground. C. lutea can take more sun, in fact, full sun when gradually acclaimatised.

[boonboon]

islaverde, on Jan 29 2007, 09:06 AM, said:

very easy. its a lowland plant. and provided you have space.. no problem. ask boonboon for his growing experience.

I agree with Islaverde that it is an easy plant to grow and I am surprised that I can grow it in my balcony reaching my ceiling. Even though the leaves are unable to receive direct sun, it will grow well as long as DIRECT sun reaches the body of the plant including its roots. Once the base of the plant receives direct sun, it will grow offsets very easily. Its huge leaves are liable to red spider mites. Do watch out for them. Wipe the leaves weekly with a piece of cloth to prevent the problem.

Overall it does well in a sunnier position than Thaumatococcus which I notice can still grow quite beautifully under shade. Without sun, it will stop growing. A very sun loving plant.

[darwinkoh]

Thanks everyone for their guidance.. :)/>
Will consider carefully if I am willing to invest in this plant..

[coffeebean]

hi,

i have been searching this forum for so long and finally managed to id my plant. this is a calathea lutea, isn't it? seems this plant is not very popular here. i bought 2 pots from a nursery and another 2 from ikea. somehow, the ones from ikea are thriving better with young shoots sprouting out regularly. the other 2 pots which i bought fromt he nurery seem to have stopped growing.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a176/lilletien/DSC01655.jpg

i have been adding fertilizer regular but it didnt seem to help the 2 pots. any way to spike growth? read that this plant also produces flower, how do i get the plant to produce flowers?

what is the basic care for this plant? i water them on an alternate day basis.

thanks

This post has been edited by coffeebean: 16 January 2008 - 02:52 PM

[wilson]

Hi coffeebean,

What you showed is probably Thaumatococcus. Calathea lutea's leaves can be easily recognised and distinguish via the silvery wax that covers the undersides of the leaves.

Wilson

[coffeebean]

hi wilson

thanks for the info.

so i was wrong again. i cant seem to find information on this plant on google. do you have any? do they flower?

[wilson]

Hi coffeebean,

Search on the net for 'Thaumatococcus daniellii'. There had been an article written by me put up on this website. The picture of the flower can be found in there.

http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/jun...arantaceae2.htm

Wilson