Calatheas, often known by the common names Prayer Plant or Peacock Plant, are celebrated almost exclusively for their stunning and dramatically patterned foliage. These tropical plants, native to the jungle floors of South and Central America, possess some of the most vibrant leaves in the houseplant world, featuring intricate stripes, spots, and color variations. Because their leaves are the focus of their appeal, many owners are surprised to learn Calatheas can flower, and even more surprised that blooms are exceptionally rare in the average indoor environment.
The Appearance of Calathea Flowers
The floral display of most Calathea species is typically subtle and often overshadowed by the plant’s ornate leaves. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, frequently appearing in muted shades of white, yellow, or pale purple on short spikes or stalks. They sometimes emit a mild citrus-like fragrance.
For many varieties, the visual impact comes not from the flower itself but from the modified leaves, known as bracts, that surround the bloom. These bracts can be more colorful than the flower, creating a showy inflorescence that lasts for several weeks. The most notable exception is Calathea crocata, commonly called the Eternal Flame plant, which is specifically cultivated for its dramatic, fiery orange or saffron-yellow bracts that rise torch-like above the foliage.
Why Indoor Blooms Are So Rare
Calatheas seldom flower indoors because of the fundamental difference between their tropical floor habitat and a typical home environment. In their native setting, these plants benefit from consistently high humidity, stable warm temperatures, and dappled, filtered light beneath a dense canopy. The average indoor space lacks this environmental stability, possessing dry air, fluctuating temperatures, and light that is either too weak or too direct.
The plant’s energy expenditure also plays a role, as most Calatheas prioritize the production of their enormous, light-harvesting leaves over reproductive growth. If a plant is slightly stressed or receiving excess nitrogen fertilizer, it will allocate its energy to foliage to maximize photosynthesis rather than diverting resources to flowering. Furthermore, the lack of a distinct seasonal change in temperature and light duration means the plant never receives the specific signals required to initiate a reproductive cycle.
Specific Steps to Encourage Flowering
To prompt a Calathea to bloom, a grower must manipulate its environment to mimic the seasonal stress and subsequent return to ideal conditions. This process begins with an intentional “rest period” lasting four to six weeks, usually initiated during the late fall or winter months. During this time, the plant should be moved to a slightly cooler location (60 to 65°F), and watering frequency should be significantly reduced to keep the soil only barely moist.
Another manipulation involves photoperiod control, which regulates the length of darkness the plant experiences each day. To trigger the shift to reproductive growth, the plant needs an uninterrupted dark period of 10 to 12 hours every night. This simulates the shorter days of the tropical dry season, and it can be achieved by placing the plant in a closed cabinet or covering it with an opaque material from early evening until mid-morning.
After the rest and photoperiod manipulation period is complete, the plant should be moved back to its optimal growing conditions to encourage a spring bloom. This includes maintaining a stable temperature between 70 and 85°F and increasing humidity levels to at least 70%, often requiring a dedicated humidifier or a terrarium setup. When fertilizing during the subsequent spring and summer growth phase, switch to a fertilizer with a higher phosphorus ratio to encourage flower bud formation over foliage growth.