Demanding Tropical Safe for pets

Peacock Plant

Calathea makoyana

A tropical plant with artistically patterned foliage of pale and dark green resembling peacock feathers, the Calathea is a living work of art.

The essentials at a glance

Watering

Every 4 days
Light

Medium light
Humidity

60–80 %
Temperature

18–27 °C

How to care for your Peacock Plant

Everything you need to keep your Peacock Plant healthy: watering, light, humidity, feeding, repotting and pruning.

Calathea makoyana is native to the humid tropical forests of eastern Brazil, where it grows in the dim understory in a constantly warm and moisture-saturated atmosphere. Its oval, almost translucent leaves display extraordinary patterns of pale and dark green in feather-like shapes, reproduced in purple on the underside. It is one of the most demanding houseplants, requiring consistently high humidity, pure water, and stable temperatures without drafts. Despite these demands, plant enthusiasts consider its incomparable beauty well worth the effort.

Watering your Peacock Plant

Every 4 days

Keep soil evenly moist at all times. Use filtered, distilled, or rainwater — very sensitive to fluoride, chlorine, and minerals in tap water. Never let soil dry completely.

How to know it needs water

Top 1 cm of soil feels dry
Leaves start to curl inward
Leaf edges turn brown and crispy from dry air or poor water quality

How much light a Peacock Plant needs

Medium light

Medium indirect light. Avoid direct sun which fades and burns the delicate leaf patterns. Too little light reduces the pattern contrast. North or east-facing windows ideal.

Direct sun tolerated: No direct sun
Orientations that suit it: North, East

Humidity and misting

60–80 %

60–80% Requires very high humidity to thrive. Daily misting is minimum. A humidifier is strongly recommended. Brown leaf edges are the main sign of insufficient humidity.

Feeding and fertiliser

Every 30 days

Feed monthly during spring and summer at quarter strength only. Very sensitive to fertilizer burn. Flush soil periodically. Stop feeding in autumn and winter.

Recommended feed: Balanced liquid fertilizer (10-10-10) · 3-1-2

Repotting your Peacock Plant

Every 24 months

Use a peat-based mix with perlite for moisture retention and drainage. Choose a pot only slightly larger. Handle the delicate roots with great care. Divide clumps if desired.

When: Spring
Potting mix: All-purpose potting mix
Mix in: perlite, coco fibre, pine bark

The tell-tale signs

Roots emerging from drainage holes
Plant dries out very quickly after watering
Growth becomes stunted or new leaves are smaller

Pruning your Peacock Plant

Year-round to remove damaged or browning leaves. Cut brown or damaged leaves at the base of the petiole with clean scissors. Do not pull leaves. Some leaf browning is normal in dry conditions — focus on improving humidity.

Through the year

Watering is not set once and for all: it follows the light and the growth. Allow 5 days between waterings in the depth of winter, against 3 in the growing season.

Active growth · Days between waterings

Good to know

Calathea makoyana gets its 'peacock plant' name from the leaf patterns that resemble the eyespots on peacock feathers, with an identical design reproduced in purple on the underside.
Like all Marantaceae, the Calathea is a 'prayer plant': its leaves rise at night and lower during the day, with the movement even audible in the silence of the night.

Frequently asked questions about the Peacock Plant

How do you care for a Peacock Plant?

Water it every 4 days. Give it medium light. Ideal humidity: 60–80 %. Ideal temperature: 18–27 °C. Keep soil evenly moist at all times. Use filtered, distilled, or rainwater — very sensitive to fluoride, chlorine, and minerals in tap water. Never let soil dry completely.

How often should you water a Peacock Plant?

Every 4 days Keep soil evenly moist at all times. Use filtered, distilled, or rainwater — very sensitive to fluoride, chlorine, and minerals in tap water. Never let soil dry completely. How to know it needs water : Top 1 cm of soil feels dry ; Leaves start to curl inward ; Leaf edges turn brown and crispy from dry air or poor water quality.

How much light does a Peacock Plant need?

Medium light Medium indirect light. Avoid direct sun which fades and burns the delicate leaf patterns. Too little light reduces the pattern contrast. North or east-facing windows ideal. No direct sun

Is the Peacock Plant toxic to cats and dogs?

No, the Peacock Plant is not listed as toxic to cats and dogs. That is still no reason to let your pets chew on it.

Why are my Peacock Plant leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing most often comes from too much water: the mix stays wet and the roots suffocate. Check that the pot drains, empty the saucer, and let the mix dry before watering again. Too little light or a cold draught cause the same symptom.

When should you repot a Peacock Plant?

Repot every 24 months, ideally in spring. Use a peat-based mix with perlite for moisture retention and drainage. Choose a pot only slightly larger. Handle the delicate roots with great care. Divide clumps if desired.