Calathea White Fusion - Plant Care Guide

We cover all you need to know about the calathea white fusion…

Calathea White Fusion Care Summary

Light needs:	Medium to bright indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Keep it moist, check soil and water if top layer has dried out.
Fertilizer:	A high in nitrogen feed in spring and summer.
Soil:	A rich potting soil with added perlite.
Humidity:	70% or more.
Temperature:	15-27°C (59-81°F).
Where to buy:	Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.
Other names:	Calathea lietzei, goeppertia lietzei
Common issues:	Lack of humidity and/or soil moisture.

Introduction

Calathea white fusion is a really striking green, white and purple variegated plant, part of the marantaceae family. Be warned this plant is a drama queen! Thankfully a lot of it’s fussiness issues are due to humidity and soil moisture which can be controlled.

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Light Needs

Medium to bright indirect sunlight is ideal; they do not want any direct sun as the leaves can crisp up or burn.

How Often to Water

Check the plant’s soil each week with your finger and water it if the top half of the soil is dry. The soil does not want to be soaking wet, but it should be be a bit moist. During the winter you’ll notice it will need a lot less. Do not over water it, always check the soil first.

Fertiliser

Use a fertiliser that is high in nitrogen in the spring and summer months.

Soil

You want a rich potting soil and then add some perlite to make sure the soil does not get clogged or water logged. A mix of 4 parts compost to 1 part perlite should be good.

When To Repot

Check the plant at Easter time and if the roots are getting crowded then repot it up a size so it has room for the roots over the warmer months when the plant will do most of it’s growing. You probably won’t need to repot it every year.

Humidity

These plants thrive on humidity and will die if not given enough! When people say calatheas are fussy and have a ton of problems, it is most commonly due to lack of humidity. This is really important… aim for 75%, keep them humid!

Temperature

Aim for 15-27°C (59-81°F)

How To Propagate A Calathea White Fusion

Calathea white fusion is best propagated by division at the base. They cannot be propagated from stem cuttings so you need to wait for it to start producing more plants around the bottom, then you can take the plant out of it’s pot and remove the smaller plants, taking roots with each stem, then plant them up separately in their own pots.

How Big Do Calathea White Fusion Get

If given the correct conditions they can grow 2 feet tall or 60cm.

Calathea White Fusion Scientific Name

Calathea lietzei ‘white fusion’.

Calathea White Fusion USDA Zone

They can grow outside in zones 11-12, but are really fussy and are more of an indoor plant to be honest.

Calathea White Fusion Vs White Tiger

The white tiger and white fusion are really similar plants, but the white tiger has much less purple on it.

Calathea White Fusion Vs Yellow Fusion

The yellow fusion has no white on it, it has light green variegation, like the ‘aurea’ variegated coloring you see on other plants.

Calathea White Fusion Vs Stromanthe Triostar

Both these plants are beautiful and add color to any room. The leaf shapes and patterning are easy way to tell them apart – the calathea white fusion has serrated leaves that often point down, but the stromanthe triostar leaves are long, with straight clean edges and they point upwards. The triostar has pink in it, rather than purple too.

Is Calathea White Fusion Toxic To Cats?

Marantaceae such as this are non-toxic to cats (source).

How Big Do Calathea White Fusion Get?

They can grow to over half a meter high (about 2 feet tall).

Calathea White Fusion Leaves Curling

Leaf curling on a white fusion is common and happens due to a lack of moisture in the leaves – the plant should be at over 70% humidity if possible. Also the soil needs to be damp but not soaking.

Where To Buy

Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.

Other Names

Calathea lietzei, goeppertia lietzei

FAQs and Common Problems

Common issues are due to lack of humidity and moisture in the soil, so make sure this plant is misted or in a high humidity spot. And water the plant regularly, but be careful not water log the soil, just keep it damp.