

















Calathea 'Freddie'

4.5 out of 5 (28 experiences)


About Calathea 'Freddie'
Many of the houseplants we used to know as Calatheas now belong to the genus Goeppertia (say that three times fast). These plants have delightfully patterned leaves that come in all sorts of colors and shapes! Commonly known as prayer plants, the leaves of some species fold up at night through a process called nyctinasty meaning night movement! 😴
Taxonomy
Goeppertia coccinea 'Freddie'
Goeppertia
Marantaceae
Zingiberales
Also known as
Calathea Freddie, Freddy Plant, Freddie Plant, Concinna Prayer Plant, Calathea leopardina and Calathea coccinea

How to care for Calathea 'Freddie'

How often to water your Calathea 'Freddie'

every 9
Calathea 'Freddie' needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9

Check the growing potential in your area
A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.

Select a city to check sunlight intensity

Finding light for Calathea 'Freddie' in your home

a window
Calathea 'Freddie' may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.
Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Calathea 'Freddie' in your home 🏡.

How to fertilize Calathea 'Freddie'

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Calathea 'Freddie' after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Calathea 'Freddie' can be challenging to care for, according to some plant parents. Check out the reviews down below to learn from their experiences!
Water Needs
Calathea 'Freddie' prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Sunlight Needs
Calathea 'Freddie' may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
Toxicity
Calathea 'Freddie' is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.
Humidity
Calathea 'Freddie' doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.
Soil
Calathea 'Freddie' does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
Fertilizer
Calathea 'Freddie' should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
Native Region
Calathea 'Freddie' is native to Tropical Americas.
Flowers
Yes, you may see your Calathea 'Freddie' bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.
Growth Pattern
Calathea 'Freddie' is a clumping plant, meaning new growth will emerge from the soil around the parent plant.
Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Calathea 'Freddie' can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 11a-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
Propagation
Calathea 'Freddie' can be propagated by division into new individual plants.
- Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
- If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
- Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
- Repot the parent plant back into its original pot
Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.
Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Calathea 'Freddie', since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.
Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!
Care Summary for Calathea 'Freddie'
Calathea 'Freddie'
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 9 days

< 3ft from a window

Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say









I didn't know what I was getting myself into wirh calatheas. They caught my eye and I had to have him. Unfortunately, the tips brown easily but it can be fixed with extra humidity. I have him on a tray with rocks and some water with a poka dot plant and friendship plant as company. They are doing very well :)) not good for people who forget to water plants, as they are dramatic little plants.







The leaves ofCalathea Freddie are not nearly as large as some others, but they are beautiful. This plant can be a heart breaker. It’s not particularly forgiving. Make a mistake and then you spend I-don’t-know-how-long trying to make up for it. While trying to fix things with Freddie, I ordered Turk. Turk’s super long stems bent over at the base the first night he spent in my home. I awakened in the morning to find the leaves hanging lower than the pot and folded over upon themselves. It doesn’t look as though I’ll be able to save either Freddie or Turk. I’m still trying, but you know what? I’ve ordered another. Third time is a charm?






I love Freddie. Freddie is very temperamental, though; and finicky, and demanding. I read that Phoenix, AZ is not a good place to try to grow Calathea, but it’s where I live. And I love Freddie. So I bought grow lights and a humidifier; I assembled a plant stand so that he could be with other plants. I got a moisture gauge and a temperature gauge for the room. I love Freddie, and I really want this to work.







These are quite fussy - they don’t like direct sun and will droop if they get too much. They let you know they need water by drooping too! Sometimes it hard to determine what the problem is.
The leaves tend to open and erect in the day, and droop closed as the sun goes down.






I bought this plant a rather long time ago and for the first months it didn’t really do much. Perhaps it was due to my poor watering habits. But! I began watering on a regular schedule and it has doubled in size. I keep it in a pot without holes, instead I have stones at the base, not sure if that’s better or worse or about the same. I’m no professional so this was an easy plant to keep alive. I recommend for people who struggle as I was sure I’d killed it when it started to brown yet it was completely fine.



