Calathea Beauty Star

If you’re looking for a houseplant that truly lives up to its name, the Calathea Beauty Star is a perfect choice. With its stunning striped foliage, this plant brings a vibrant, living piece of art into your home.

It’s a member of the prayer plant family, known for moving its leaves day and night. While it has a reputation for being fussy, don’t let that scare you off. With a few simple tips, you can keep your Beauty Star thriving and showing off its spectacular looks.

This plant is a cultivar of Calathea ornata, originally from the tropical rainforests of South America. Its beauty lies in the detailed pattern on each leaf. The background is a rich, deep green. From the central vein, delicate pink to creamy-white stripes fan out towards the edge, like precise brushstrokes. The undersides of the leaves are a soft, purplish-maroon, adding to the drama.

Why Light is Your Most Important Tool

Getting the light right is the single biggest factor in your success. In their natural habitat, these plants live on the forest floor, sheltered by taller trees.

Ideal Light: Bright, indirect light is key. A spot near an east-facing window is often perfect. A north-facing window can also work well.
Light to Avoid: Never place your Beauty Star in direct sun, especially afternoon sun. Those beautiful stripes will fade, and the leaves will scorch, developing brown, crispy patches.
Low Light Warning: Too little light will cause growth to slow to a crawl. The vibrant striping may become less pronounced as the plant struggles.

Mastering the Watering Routine

Watering is where most people stumble. This plant likes consistent moisture but despises soggy feet. The goal is damp, not drenched.

Check the Soil: Before watering, stick your finger about an inch into the soil. If it feels dry, it’s time to water.
Water Thoroughly: Water slowly and evenly until you see it run out of the drainage holes. This ensures the entire root ball gets moisture.
Empty the Saucer: Always discard any water that collects in the saucer after 15 minutes. Letting the pot sit in water leads to root rot.

The quality of water matters. Calatheas are sensitive to chemicals in tap water, like fluoride and chlorine. This can cause brown leaf tips.

Use filtered water, rainwater, or distilled water for best results.
If you must use tap water, let it sit out in an open container for 24 hours. This allows some chemicals to evaporate.

Humidity: Creating a Tropical Haven

As a tropical plant, the Calathea Beauty Star loves humid air. Average home humidity, especially with heating or air conditioning, is often too low.

Signs of low humidity include crispy brown leaf edges and curling leaves. Here are a few effective ways to increase humidity:

Pebble Tray: Place your pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water. Ensure the pot’s bottom is not touching the water. As the water evaporates, it creates a humid microclimate.
Grouping Plants: Cluster your humidity-loving plants together. They release moisture and create a more humid community.
Humidifier: This is the most effective solution, especially in dry climates or during winter. Running a humidifier nearby will make a huge difference in your plants health.

Misting is sometimes recommended, but it offers only a very temporary boost. It’s not a substitute for the methods above, and can sometimes promote fungal issues if leaves stay constantly wet.

The Right Soil and Fertilizer

A well-draining, airy potting mix is non-negotiable. A standard houseplant soil is often too dense and retains to much water.

You can make a great mix yourself:

2 parts regular potting soil
1 part perlite for drainage
1 part orchid bark or coco coir for aeration

This combination keeps roots slightly moist but allows excess water to drain away quickly.

For fertilizer, less is more. Feed your plant only during the active growing season (spring and summer).

Use a balanced, liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half the recommended strength.
Apply it once a month. You can skip fertilizing entirely in fall and winter when the plant isn’t actively growing.
Over-fertilizing will cause salt buildup in the soil, which damages the roots and shows as brown tips on the leaves.

Common Problems and Simple Solutions

Even with great care, you might see an issue. Here’s how to troubleshoot common problems.

Brown Leaf Edges or Tips

This is the most frequent complaint. It’s usually caused by one of three things:

Low humidity.
Chemicals in tap water.
Underwatering or inconsistent watering.

Check your care routine against these points. You can trim the brown edges off with clean scissors, following the natural shape of the leaf.

Yellowing Leaves

A few older leaves yellowing and dying off is normal. But several yellow leaves at once is a sign of trouble.

Overwatering: This is the most likely cause. Check if the soil is soggy and ensure your pot has drainage holes.
Underwatering: Surprisingly, this can also cause yellowing, often starting at the edges.
Needs Nutrients: If you haven’t fertilized in a very long time, it might need a gentle feed.

Curling Leaves

Leaves curling inwards is the plant’s way of conserving moisture.

It’s most often a sign the plant is thirsty. Check the soil.
It can also indicate the air is too dry or the plant is too cold or in a draft.

Pests to Watch For

Spider mites and mealybugs can occasionally be a problem, especially if the air is dry.

Spider Mites: Look for fine webbing and tiny dots on leaves. Wipe leaves regularly with a damp cloth to prevent them. If they appear, shower the plant and treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Mealybugs: Look for small, white, cottony masses. Dab them with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to remove.

Propagating Your Beauty Star

Unlike some plants, Calatheas can’t be propagated from leaf cuttings. The only reliable method is division during repotting.

Gently remove the plant from its pot in spring or early summer.
Carefully tease apart the root ball into smaller sections, each with several stems and healthy roots. You may need to use a clean knife.
Pot each new division into its own container with fresh potting mix.
Water well and place in a warm, humid spot with indirect light. It may look droopy for a week or two as it establishes.

Repotting for Continued Growth

Repot your Calathea every 1-2 years, or when you see roots growing out of the drainage holes. Choose a pot only 1-2 inches larger in diameter. A pot that’s to big holds excess soil that stays wet and causes root rot.

Spring is the best time to repot, as the plant enters its growth phase. Be gentle with the roots during the process.

FAQ

Is the Calathea Beauty Star hard to care for?
It has specific needs (humidity, indirect light, pure water) but isn’t impossible. Once you understand its requirements, it becomes a manageable and rewarding plant.

Why are the leaves on my Calathea moving?
This is called nyctinasty, or the “prayer plant” movement. The leaves raise up at night and lower during the day. It’s a normal, healthy behavior related to light absorption.

Can I put my Calathea ornata ‘Beauty Star’ in a bathroom?
If your bathroom has a window providing bright, indirect light, it can be an excellent spot. The steam from showers provides beneficial humidity.

Should I cut off the brown tips on my Calathea?
You can for aesthetics. Use clean scissors and cut along the natural contour of the leaf, avoiding the healthy green tissue. This won’t fix the underlying cause, so adress your care routine too.

How often should I water my Calathea Beauty Star?
There’s no set schedule. Always check the soil moisture first. It might be once a week in summer and every 10-14 days in winter, but this varies with your home’s conditions.

The Calathea Beauty Star, with its stunning striped foliage, is a testament to nature’s artistry. It asks for a little more attention than some beginner plants, but the payoff is immense. By providing the right balance of light, water, and humidity, you’ll be rewarded with a healthy, dynamic plant that adds life and breathtaking beauty to your indoor space for years to come.