Goeppertia zebrina syn. Calathea zebrina

This houseplant is looking a sorry state. I’ve tried so hard to keep this alive, and it’s struggled for a couple of years. And to make matters worse it’s recently been in quarantine with fungus gnat larvae - I’ve replaced the soil (again) and chosen a taller, thinner pot (to reduce surface soil), yellow sticky traps to catch any stray blighters, and a thick layer of bark chippings on top. Will water only from the base too. 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Here’s mine @lexicon 🙁

I've had a thrip, aphid and spider mite outbreak on my windowsill. Almost all my cuttings have been decimated.

Wow! It looks alot better than mine. That's a great game plan. I was thinking of repotting mine into a taller narrow pot BUT I think I can see a new leaf trying to come through.. so I will leave it as not to disturb that but watering from the bottom also is a great idea so I will start doing that.

I use worm castings. 1” layer and 1” layer of compost. Works 99% at getting rid almost every bad bug. Haven’t used chemicals or pesticides in 20 years and don’t have any problems like my neighbor’s who spray everything. @richard.spicer.7906

Oh that’s terrible Deborah 😥 I had spidermite last year on my colocasia, took me ages to get rid of it and only happened cause I put all the plants outside and the August rains killed off most of them. They prefer hot dry conditions so any humidity and they disappear. Are you going to try again or were they all cuttings from your previous garden? @DeborahBanks

Prob good plan - was not keen on the repotting as it can’t be much good for the roots, but this will be the last time. If it doesn’t survive this then I think I will give up! 😂🙃 keeping fingers crossed for both of us! 🤞🏼🤞🏼 @lexicon

Now that’s very interesting Phil - I’m too a generally chemical free gardener, prefer to let the balance of nature sort them out or in severe cases non chemical means. Although I do keep glyphosate gel on hand as my garden has two notorious weeds which need something to kill off the deep root, I’ve struggled for years to control it without chemicals. I’ll read up on the wormcasts, as coincidently my bulb bed has lots of fresh worm casts currently. Thank you! @philstalder

@richard.spicer.7906 they were cuttings from my plants, osteospermum and penstemon luckily. The hydrangea cuttings and 2 of the hebe cuttings from my old garden are hanging on in there.

🤞🏼🤞🏼 @DeborahBanks

This family of plants does exceptionally better in a community pot I've found👍

Oh that’s interesting Tina - I’ll have to put it with some other plants and see how it gets on. It had been in quarantine for a long time as gnats where terrible but I think I’ve finally got them sorted now 🤞🏼🤞🏼 @tinaaune

It's been a while since I posted a picture of this plant, but at one time it looked glorious, then it flowered and died instantly! But I managed to take some divisions that were still alive and potted them up. I had six last year but now left with three. They are a little elongated as it's been moved around the house about whilst I've been decorating. But nice to finally see decent sized foliage. These like a moist damp soil with good humidity 👍🏼

#calathea #calathea-zebrina #houseplant #zebraplant

Love these Rich 👍

Thanks @gjones @juliesgarden 😊😂 - I would be more comfortable if they had a few more leaves but hopefully I can get them to fill out a bit.

I moved this summer too, and none of my houseplants are happy about it

👌📸📝👌 I was thinking for Kokadamas ( to make ) what do you recon Richard.. sorry@manopalising your ensyclopedia tonight with insomnia 😬😂 thanks 👌📝👌

The #foliage is amazing 😍 #calathea #calathea-zebrina #zebraplant

#houseplant

I agree and a super photo

Sure is 🙌

Very aptly named 😃

Amazing picture! :)

Looks a good exotic, does it flower?

👌🏻

It does @Garyg 👍🏼 - bit strange looking, I thought it was a mushroom at first, but then on closer inspection realised it was the flower 😂 - but that's when I lost it and all the leaves dropped. May just be coincidence, but not sure what I did to it to make it go like this.

Thanks @fiona_willetts 😊

#Calathea #zebra

👌📸👌

Meanwhile, I divided my zebra plant late last year to save some stems after it spectacularly collapsed in 48 hours. It had coincidently produced a flower spike around the same time, which is quite uncommon apparently when grown in the house, and it pretty much died not long after that. Managed to pot up and save just these few remaining bits and already the rhizomes are spreading under the soil. A couple of new leaf spikes are now coming through 😁 #calathea #zebraplant #calathea-zebrina

#houseplant

👏👏👏

Well done 👍

Perseverance is a wonderful thing, never known it fail 😂 Well done Richard 😀

👍really good job

Thanks Janet 😊 @janetr

Hopefully can keep it going a bit longer @fuschia 😊

Fingers crossed @ania 😀