Calathea Holes In Leaves | Why Is This Happening?

Calathea Holes In Leaves

Calathea have incredibly beautiful foliage and are famous for their intricate patterns and vibrant colours so when your find holes in the leaves of your Calathea it can be incredibly upsetting. Especially if you’ve made the effort to water them correctly, provide them with the right humidity and watched how much light they’re receiving. To find a fault on your leaves can indicate a fault on your part but it can also be down to pests. Let’s take a look at the two main causes of Calathea holes in leaves to see if we can diagnose why this is happening to your plant. The two main causes are:

• Sun spot burns
• Insects

Let’s take a look at each in turn.

Sun Spot Burns

The main cause of holes in Calathea leaves is sun damage. Calathea don’t like to be in direct sunlight. In their natural environment they grow in warm places but under the cover of other leaves. They receive partial to dappled light and are protected from the harsher rays of the sun. If you leave your Calathea on a windowsill in direct sunlight then you may notice the leaves starting to scorch and holes being burnt into the foliage. Your plant will also start to crisp, you may notice the leaves curling up to protect themselves and the soil will dry out between waterings much more quickly.

If this sounds familiar then you need to move your plant to a more shaded spot immediately. This doesn’t mean total darkness as your plant still needs access to bright light but just make sure they’re out of direct sunlight. If you’re limited for space and need to keep them near a window then try using a sheer curtain to keep away some o the harsher rays,

Pests Causing Calathea Holes In Leaves

Another possible cause of Calathea holes in leaves are pests. If your plant’s environment isn’t causing the issue then it could be that something is eating your plant causing tiny holes. Caterpillars often eat holes through leaves so check the soil, the undersides of leaves and the stems to see if you have any caterpillars hiding there. Slugs and snails often cause holes in leaves but they are usually much easier to spot and you probably would have found them by now.

There could be other bugs that are causing this so make sure you examine your plant thoroughly and remove any unwanted pests. If you suspect pests it’s also important to keep your plant in quarantine so it doesn’t infect your other houseplants. Only put your plant back among its siblings when you’re sure the issue has been resolved.

So if you find that you have a problem with Calathea holes in leaves, it’s important that you first check your plant’s exposure to sunlight. Is it receiving direct sunlight? Do you live somewhere with strong rays? If you answer yes to these questions then this is the probably cause and it’s important that you move your plant out of the sun and to a more shaded spot as quickly as possible. If this isn’t the case then you need to put your plant in quarantine immediately and inspect it thoroughly for pests. Remove any bugs that you find but keep your plant separated from your other plants for a few weeks to ensure that the problem has stopped. The last thing you want is to find holes appearing on the leaves of your other houseplants.

Article: Calathea Holes In Leaves