Complete Care Guide: Calathea Beauty Star
Complete Care Guide: Calathea Beauty Star
In this article, you'll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
The Calathea Beauty Star is a gorgeous cultivar of the popular Pinstripe Calathea, or Calathea Ornata. The large, firm leaves still have the characteristic brush strokes of light pink fanning from the midrib to the margins of the leaves, but there are far fewer strokes, and they're accompanied by watercolour patches of lighter green variegation behind them, which accentuates them in a wonderful way.
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Common Name(s) |
Calathea Beauty Star, Pinstripe Calathea |
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Botanical Name |
Goeppertia ornata 'Beauty Star' |
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Botanical Family |
Marantaceae |
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Mature Size |
Medium-sized and bushy; can over time grow to a few feet tall. |
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Lighting |
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Watering |
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Humidity |
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Soil Mix |
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Flowers |
Small, often hidden |
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Hardiness |
Tropical; keep above 15C/60F |
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Native Region |
Calathea ornata is native to Colombia and Venezuela |
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Toxicity |
Non-toxic to pets and people! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Calathea Beauty Star, like most calatheas, has a bit of a reputation -- a very finicky reputation. All calatheas earn that reputation to some degree; relative to other calatheas, though, the Beauty Star is fairly hardy and easy to take care of.
You'll need to keep on top of watering, and to keep humidity up by adding a humidifer or by creating a microclimate with other plants -- but in return, you'll be rewarded with one of the brightest-patterned calatheas out there!
A lot of people say that calatheas are sensitive to the chlorine in tap water; as far as I'm able to tell with the research I've done, this is a myth -- the "acceptable" levels of chlorine or chloramine (usually chloramine in larger cities!) is an order of magnitude too low to adversely affect any plant, no matter how sensitive. If your edges are crisping, it's more likely a watering or humidity issue rearing its head!
Lighting
Calatheas are loved as low-light tolerant plants, and the Beauty Star is no exception; it can survive in practically any lighting situation you put it in, with the exception of direct, full sunlight -- full sun will burn the Beauty Star's delicate leaves.
Remember, though, that medium-bright indirect light will bring out the best colours in the patterns on the Beauty Star's leaves! As well, as with all plants, brighter light will mean faster growth... and more watering needed!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Calatheas are very, very thirsty plants -- and aren't generally particularly forgiving plants if you slip up, getting brown tips and crispy edges at the first threat of a drought. Calathea Beauty Star is a bit better than most calatheas at giving you some leeway in its watering, but it's still a calathea -- don't let the substrate dry out at all, or else you risk an angry plant. As soon as the top of the substrate is dry, you should add some more water. Depending on conditions, during the summer this could be as often as every other day.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Calatheas are also extremely finicky about their humidity -- you'll want to make sure that it stays above average household humidity levels, and aim for at least 60%RH. The two best ways to do this are to create a microclimate by bunching it with other plants, or by running a humidifier. (Calathea Beauty Star would also work very well in a terrarium, though may outgrow it!)
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
You can use a pretty standard potting mix for your Calathea Beauty Star! It's always a good idea to add a little bit of perlite, but that's about all that needs to be added to the mix.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and you're done!
Don't know why you're adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
Calathea Beauty Star is a cultivar of the common Pinstripe Calathea/Calathea Ornata.
Propagating
Sadly, calatheas aren't able to be propagated through cuttings the way a lot of plants are! Your best bet, if you want baby plants, is to divide a mature plant; use a sharp knife to separate the stems that you want to move to a new pot, ensuring both sections still have plenty of viable roots attached.
Common Issues
The most common issue for Calathea Beauty Star is related to underwatering, followed closely by humidity issues. That having been said, there's a bit more bad news...
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. Calatheas, though, are spider mite magnets. Check the undersides of your leaves frequently, and treat any suspected mites quickly to avoid losing leaves!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calathea Beauty Star a low-light plant?
Yes! Calathea Beauty Star is fine in low light conditions, but can tolerate up to medium-bright.
Are Calathea Beauty Stars susceptible to spider mites?
Yes. Big time. Keep an eye out for them on the regular.