Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Why and How to use Calanthea indoor office plants in your Boston office.



1. Light: Light shade or dappled light for your indoor Boston office plants. Do not expose to direct, noon sun as it will fade the leaf colors, in winter or summer monthes.

2. Water: High humidity. Keep soil continuously moist throughout spring and summer, and reduce watering in the winter outside, however, with your interior Boston office environment more watering during the colder monthes is required because of hign heat and low humity in Boston indoor offices.
3. Temperature: Prefers warm and humid conditions. Keep above 60ºF if possible.
4. Soil: A well-drained potting mix.
5. Fertilizer: Feed regularly with liquid fertilizer throughout growing season.

6. Propagation:

Propagation is possible by division at repotting time. Keep new divisions warm and moist by covering the pot with plastic and providing reduced light until active growth starts again.



Interesting useages of Calanthea other then for designing your Boston indoor office plantscapes with colorful leaves.
Calathea is a genus of plants belonging to the family Marantaceae. There are several dozen species in this genus. Native to the tropical Americas, many of the species are popular as pot plants due to their decorative leaves and, in some species, colorful inflorescences. They are commonly called calatheas or (like their relatives) prayer plants. Several cultivars, e.g. Calathea cv. 'Silver Plate', have been bred.

Calathea cv. 'Silver Plate'
In its native range, the large and tough leaves are popular for holding small items. Sometimes, they are used unprocessed, e.g. to wrap fish for transport in parts of Brazil, such as the Benevidesregion of Pará. In other places, the leaves are used in handicraftto produce containers, such as the quivers of the Nukak people ofColombia. Most famous, perhaps, are the decorative Calathea-leaf rice containers produced in some villages of Thailand, especially in Ban Huak (Amphoe Si Bun Rueang) where they are an important source of income and sold to locals and tourists alike .At PDIPlants we have just begun using this interior green office plant within our indoor Boston office work places.