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CALATHEA
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Copyright 2001-2004. Laurence C. Hatch. All Rights Reserved.
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Four showy cultivars which we purchased in 2003 from various growers. These four show some of the diversity in colors, leaf shapes, and markings available in this fascinating genus.

Click image to enlarge

'Corona', a very unique and different hybrid. There is nothing like it.

Photo take at the newly opened conservatory at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, Virginia in June 2003.

Click image to enlarge

 

Among these cultivars there is usually a "feather ring" which is light-colored, white, or silver feathery oval inside the leaf margin. It varies in color, intensity, margins, and width. In some cultivars the ring has become a large silver center. Within this ring is often a colorful region of darker green bands forming as branches or laterals from the midrib. These we have termed as "brushstrokes" since they appear painted with irregular, squarish shapes. Many cultivars also have a red flush to these bands, the midrib, or the entire surface of the blade - but most intensely so in the new growth. Descriptions refer to the upper or above surface of the blade unless stated. The back of leaves is red or purple unless stated otherwise.

The original descriptions here are to augmented by the photographs held on the sites of the various sources. Agristarts.com and Silver Krome Gardens are a particular good photo references.

 

Calathea burle-marxii 'Blue Ice' ('Ice Blue')

ht: 3-4 ft. tall
lc: silver green to medium green
fc: stunningly beautiful pale icy blue flowers.

Calathea burle-marxii 'Green Ice' ('Ice Green')

lc: silver green to medium green
fc: light yellowish-green flowers

Calathea burle-marxii 'White Ice'

lc: silver green to medium green
fc: nearly pure white flowers

Calathea 'Cobra'

lc: 80% silver centered with pink flush in new growth. Dark brushstrokes appear.
so:
Exotic Angel Plants

Calathea 'Corona'

ha: mid-sized among modern hybrids
lc: silver to silver-green center at 85-100% of surface. Some plants (see photo above) have no visible dark green margin. Midrib and secondary veins reddish, especially
lc: in new growth. Leaves a rich reddish-pink below most of their life. It has a pink and silver bicolor look with maturity. It may be regarded as an extreme
lc: variant of the C. picturata 'Argentea' type which is about 70-85% silver in the center.

Calathea TROPICAL SATISFACTION 'Freddie'

lc: medium green with dark green blotches in the position of lateral brushstrokes. See photo above.
ns: TROPICAL SATISFACTION is apparently a series name as it appears with more than one cultivar.

Calathea gandersii 'Ruffles'

lc: reddish-brown
ls: lanceolate to elliptic, highly undulate or ruffled
eval: C. rufibarba 'Wavestar' is perhaps more colorful and interesting for the trade.

Calathea 'Helen'

lc: medium green with about 70% of the balde a lighter green center feather shape. Dark
lc: green brushstrokes exist as laterals. Very glossy.
ls: somewhat undulate.
or: a species discovered in Brazil. The name honors the well known Calathea taxonomist Dr.
or: Helen Kennedy.
so: Agristarts.com

Calathea lietzei 'Greenstar'

lc: bright green with darker green brushmarks

Calathea majestica 'Albo-lineata'

lc: marked in white lines

Calathea majestica 'Princeps'

lc: light green with dark central banding.

Calathea majestica 'Roseo-lineata'

lc: marked with pink lines.

Calathea majestica 'Whitestar'

ns: a listed name

Calathea ornata 'Roseolineata'

click image to enlarge
Reynolds Aviary, North Carolina Zoological Park, Asheboro, NC. Spring 2003.

lc: dark green, usually a blackish-green, numerous parallel secondary zones in light pink to cream. They are only pink in the newest leaf or two.

Calathea picturata 'Argentea'

lc: wide silver zone in the center in the range of 70-80% coverage. See photo above
ll: 12-15 in.
id: blades are much more elliptic and narrow than C. 'Corona' and with a wider green margin.

Calathea picturata 'Tuxla'

lc: similar to 'Vandenheckei'
or: unknown. It is possibly a juvenile phase selection.

Calathea picturata 'Vandenheckei'

lc: wide silver feather ring. There is a wide feather pattern in lighter green inside the ring.
id: this is a juvenile phase of the species and usually the more ornamental of the two.

Calathea 'Purplestar'

ns: a listed name. Possibly a clone of C. rufibarba.

Calathea rosea-picta 'Angela'

lc: wide silver feather ring with irregular dark green brushstrokes as laterals. New growth is
lc: flushed pink at the base.
pat: US#9692
so:
Twyford Labs

Calathea rosea-picta 'Arctic Blush' ('Artic Blush')

ht: 15-18 in. tall x 24 in. wide
ha: compact
lc: mint green feather ring with a glowing pink center in new growth. The pink center
lc: becomes a large silver center 80-90% of surface. Very glossy below. A thin green margin.
ls: much more rounded, wide blade than species typical
so:
Glasshouse Works
so: Agristarts.com

Calathea rosea-picta 'Cocinna' = C. cocinna?

 

Calathea rosea-picta 'Cora'

lc: silver center up to 80% of surface. The blade is covered in dark brushstrokes over the silver.
so:
Twyford Labs

Calathea roseo-picta 'Cynthia'

ha: 18 in. tall x 30 in. wide
lc: silver-green margin to 30% of surface. New growth is flushed bright pink and mainly at
lc: the base. The margin may be up to 1 in. wide.
ll: blades 8-10 in. long
so:
Silver Krome Gardens

Calathea roseo-picta 'Eclipse'

lc: wide silver-green "feather ring" to 25% of surface. Midrib whitish. Leaves are bright pink
lc: below and at the base above in new growth. Older leaves may be silver margined.
so:
Silver Krome Gardens

Calathea roseo-picta 'Illustris' ('Illustrus')

ha: more upright than species typical
lc: thin silver feather ring that is sometimes broken and not continuous like most modern
lc: cultivars. The feather ring is often lobed or with rounded edges to the outside. There are
lc: alternating light and dark green bars or brushstrokes inside the ring.
so:
Silver Krome Gardens

Calathea roseo-picta 'Jungle Rose' ('Jungle Velvet' in part)

ha: compact
ls: well rounded blade compared to others
lc: white to light green feather ring. Whitish midrib. Dark green base color. Very purple below.
so:
Silver Krome Gardens

Calathea roseo-picta 'Jungle Velvet' ='Jungle Rose' or C. warscewiczii

ns: it has been listed as a synonym of 'Jungle Rose' as an error. Obviously it has no velvet
ns: surface like other taxa.

Calathea roseo-picta 'Medallion'

ha: larger, more upright than most cultivars
lc: silver-green feather ring which has distinct lobing or rounded edges. The leaf surface inside
lc: the ring is much darker green. A light green feather forms a center inside the ring. Has a
lc: tricolor effect
so:
Silver Krome Gardens

Calathea roseo-picta 'Rosy' (NOT 'Rosey')

lc: silver to silver green center of 70-80% of surface. New growth is flushed bright pink.
id: similar to 'Corona' but new growth appears to be much pinker.
id: a clone sold under the invalid name 'Rosey-Roseo' by Exotic Angel is similar to the species but with very rich pink tints. See photo above.
pat: US #8836
so:
Silver Krome Gardens

Calathea roseo-picta 'Royal Picta' = 'Royale'

 

Calathea roseo-picta 'Royale' ('Royal Picta')

ha: upright
lc: dark green with deeply lobed silver to silver-green feather ring. Leaves very dark burgundy
lc: below. The surface inside the ring is much darker green. A medium green center appears
lc: in a feather shape to 20-25% of surface inside the feather ring.
id: it resembles 'Medallion'
so:
Silver Krome Gardens

Calathea roseo-picta 'Saskia'

ns: a listed name.

Calathea roseo-picta 'Saturn'

pat: US#9840
so:
Twyford Labs

Calathea roseo-picta 'Silvia'

lc: silver center up to 80% of surface. The center is mostly pink in the new growth or has pink
lc: brushstrokes forming laterals to the midrib.
pat: US#9693
so:
Twyford Labs

Calathea rufibarba 'Compactstar'

ns: a listed name, usually spelled as a single word.

Calathea rufibarba 'Wavestar'

ha: erect, arching, very elegant in form
lc: medium to dark green above. Very dark purple below
lv: covered in dense hairs
ls: elliptic to lanceolate, highly undulate

Calathea 'Silver Plate' (1/03)

lc: uniformly glossy silver-olive over 99% of the surface, a thin dark green margin may appear.
ls: broadly ovate
fc: light pink

Calathea 'Stripestar' = Stroemanthe 'Stripestar'

 

Calathea 'Thai Beauty'

hc: cream and lime variegations
so:
Glasshouse Works

Calathea 'Triostar'

ns: a listed name.

Calathea 'Tropicstar'

lc: medium green above and dark purple below
ns: may be a clone of C. rufibarba as is 'Wavestar'.

Calathea 'Velvet Touch'

lc: dark green, velvety with a lighter green midrib and secondary veins. Dark red below.
so: Agristarts.com

Calathea 'Whte Jade' (11/4)

ha: upright foliage
fc: white
lc: light green with numerous dark green secondary feather marks, very glossy blade

so:
Twyford Labs