Pink Bicajoux Calathea

Pink Bicajoux Calathea (Calathea 'Bicajoux Pink') is grown for its foliage, and the foliage does not need help. Broad leaves are painted in pink and deep green, with the pattern repeating on every new leaf, and the plant holds a neat 50cm tall by 40cm wide indoors. Calatheas are recognised as non toxic to cats and dogs, which makes this one of the few genuinely colourful indoor plants a pet owner can put at floor level.

Why you'll love it

• Colour without flowers. The pink and green variegation is there in every season, with no waiting for a bloom and nothing to deadhead.
• Safe around pets. Non toxic to cats and dogs, unlike most patterned indoor plants of a similar size.
• Sized for real rooms. At 50cm tall and 40cm across it fits a side table, a shelf or a desk corner without taking over.
• It likes the humid rooms. Bathrooms, kitchens and laundries are where it performs best, and those are the rooms most plants struggle in.

Where it works best

Indoors. This is the main use and the one it is bred for. Set it back from a window where the light is bright but no direct sun reaches the leaves.

Pots and containers. A 250mm to 300mm decorative pot with a drainage hole suits it for two or three years.

Balconies and courtyards. Outdoors it is limited to tropical and subtropical gardens, in full shade and out of the wind. It is frost tender, so anywhere colder it comes inside for winter.

Growing Pink Bicajoux Calathea in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light. Direct sun bleaches the pink out of the leaf within days, and deep gloom makes the pattern fade the other way. Keep it warm, away from air conditioning vents and open winter windows.

Soil. A premium indoor potting mix opened up with perlite or fine bark, in a pot that drains freely. It hates sitting in water, so tip the saucer out after each watering.

Water and feed. Keep the mix evenly damp, never soggy and never bone dry, which means a drink once the top 20mm has dried. Calatheas react to the salts in some tap water with crisp brown edges, so rainwater is worth the effort. Feed at half strength monthly through spring and summer.

Humidity and pruning. Group plants together or stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles to lift humidity. Cut damaged leaves off at the base, since a leaf trimmed partway never regrows its edge.

What to expect when it arrives

This calathea is sold in 200mm pots in packs of six, which suits a whole room, an office fitout or a shared order rather than a single purchase. Each plant is established and goes straight into a decorative pot.

Calathea leaves often arrive curled after a few days in the dark of a carton. That is a transport response, not damage. Water them and give them a week in bright indirect light before judging them. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Other pet friendly indoor plants
• The wider indoor plant range
• Indoor pots that drain properly

Common questions

Is it really safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. Calatheas are recognised as non toxic to cats and dogs, so a chewed leaf is a loss to the plant rather than a trip to the vet.

Why are the leaf edges going brown and crisp?

Almost always dry air or tap water. Lift the humidity, switch to rainwater, and move the plant away from any heating or cooling outlet. Brown edges will not turn green again, so trim that leaf off at the base.

Why do the leaves move through the day?

Calatheas belong to the prayer plant family and raise their leaves at night, then lower them by morning. It is normal behaviour and a good sign the plant is comfortable.