Calatheas are sensitive to water. Hard, soft water, fluoridated water, or water of poor quality causes the leaves to turn brown from leaf burn. The best way to water is to use distilled water, rainwater, or allow your tap water to sit out overnight before using it.

• Like many tropical indoor plants, this plant prefers a humid spot. Brown edges indicate the air is too dry. Mist the leaves twice per week with room temperature water, take care not to mist them directly on the top of the leaves.

• Mist your Calathea Rufibarba from the bottom up, and higher overall humidity is preferred over misting.

• Hot temperatures cause the leaves to curl.

• It is not a good idea to repot newly acquired plants as they are already struggling to adapt to their new environment. It can take several months for plants to adapt.

When repotting, it’s best to keep the rootball of your plant intact.

• If the roots don’t hold the soil in place, then it is not recommended to be repotted. The new pot should have draining holes and only one size larger.

• Use an extra perlite potting mix and add it to the bottom of the pot, around the sides, but never on op of the original rootball. After repotting, the plant will go longer than before between waterings, so the watering routine has to be adjusted accordingly.