A Calathea plant does not need direct sunlight but it does need light. A Calathea plant does not like to be in direct sunlight as in its natural environment it grows in leafy tropical areas which means that it will be protected from direct sunlight by other lights and won’t be able to tolerate strong rays.
It should be able to tolerate medium to low light but will do best in bright light. A good placement for this plant would be on an east-facing windowsill, or if you do have a south facing windowsill then consider investing in a sheer curtain to keep the strong sun off your plant.
A Calathea can grow in low light but obviously prefers brighter lights.
How To Know If My Calathea Has Too Much Sunlight
If your Calathea is in an area that is receiving too much light or direct sunlight then don’t worry, the plant will tell you. Some things that your plant might do if this is the case include:
Lose it’s colouring. If the Calathea is under light that is too bright then it’s colour or patterns may fade making it look relatively plain compared to other plants of the same type.
Its tips may crisp. Another indicator that your plant isn’t receiving enough light is that its plants may become dry and crispy. Some might even become brown and even die. Crispy tips can also be a sign that your plant isn’t receiving enough water or humidity so make sure that this isn’t the case before you move your plant away from a well lit area, as Calathea can be thirsty plants who like to be in a humid environment.
How Do I Know If My Calathea Isn’t Receiving Enough Light
If your Calathea isn’t receiving enough light then you will notice a reduced rate of growth or even a full standstill. If you find that your Calathea isn’t growing much then try moving it to an area that is better lit. Monitor your plant and move it’s position accordingly.
Calathea can be fussy plants and can react badly if they don’t like the environment they’ve been put into. Unfortunately it’s not always easy to work out what’s wrong with your plant as they are also sensitive to draughts, drying out and dry air.
So in addition to making sure your plant it receiving the correct amount of light, you need to check the moisture, humidity and draught requirements for your plant and learn how to respond if your Calathea is in need of a change in its environment.
When working out the light requirements for a certain type of plant, the best thing you can do is to look at it’s natural environment and try to recreate that as best as you can inside of your home.
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