plantatiousPeacock plant (Goeppertia makoyana)
- Light
- Bright, indirect light
- Watering
- Keep the soil lightly moist
- Temperature
- 18–21°C
The peacock plant, known to botanists as Goeppertia makoyana, is a member of the prayer plant family, Marantaceae, native to the tropical forests of Brazil. Its former names include Calathea makoyana, the name it is still often sold under as a calathea, and Maranta makoyana. You grow it for its leaves: pale green, marked along the veins with dark green ovals like the eyes of a peacock feather, and purple underneath.
How fast does a peacock plant grow?
The peacock plant grows at a slow to moderate pace: in spring and summer it sends up new leaves from the center of the clump, each one tightly rolled until it opens, and in winter it mostly rests.
Steady conditions matter more than anything else. Bright, indirect light, warmth and humid air keep new leaves coming and their patterns crisp, while cold, dry air or soil that dries out makes it stall and its leaf edges turn brown. It grows as a clump rather than a tall stem, so over the years it fills its pot with more and more leaves. Watch it in the evening too: like its relatives the prayer plants, it raises and folds its leaves at night and lowers them again in the morning.
How to care for a peacock plant
Give your peacock plant bright, indirect light, keep its soil lightly moist, and keep it between 18°C and 21°C. Direct sun fades and scorches its patterned leaves, so a spot a little back from a bright window suits it best. Water when the surface of the soil just starts to dry, so it never dries out completely but never stays soggy either, and use a pot that drains. It loves humid air and steady warmth and dislikes drafts, which makes a bright bathroom or kitchen a good home.
| Light | Bright, indirect light |
|---|---|
| Watering | Keep the soil lightly moist |
| Temperature | 18–21°C |
| Humidity | ~60% |
| Repot every | 2 years |
| Native to | Brazil |
| Growth form | Perennial plant |
Sources
- Goeppertia makoyana (Brain Plant, Cathedral Windows, Peacock Calathea, Peacock Plant), NC State Extension
- How to grow calatheas, Royal Horticultural Society
- Govaerts R (ed.). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, CC BY 3.0
Tips
- Water with rainwater or filtered water if your tap water is hard.
- Raise the humidity by grouping plants together or standing the pot on a tray of wet pebbles.
- Keep it away from radiators, air vents and cold window glass.
- Feed it lightly with a balanced plant food in spring and summer, and not at all in winter.
- Cut off leaves that have turned brown, at the base of their stalk.
- Repot in spring when the clump fills its pot, and divide a large clump then if you want more plants.
Is the peacock plant safe for cats and dogs?
Yes, according to the ASPCA, which lists calatheas as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Its listing covers the Calathea group as a whole rather than this species by name; the peacock plant was Calathea makoyana before botanists moved it to Goeppertia. A pet that eats a lot of any plant can still get an upset stomach, so call your vet if yours keeps vomiting or seems unwell.
Peacock plant care: common questions
Why are my peacock plant’s leaves curling?
Curling leaves usually mean the plant is short of water or the air is too dry. Check the soil and water if it has dried out, then raise the humidity around it and keep it away from heaters.
Why are my calathea’s leaf edges turning brown?
Brown, crispy edges most often come from dry air, soil that dries out between waterings, or hard tap water. Keep the soil lightly moist, raise the humidity, and switch to rainwater or filtered water.
Why does my peacock plant close its leaves at night?
That is normal. Like the other plants of the prayer plant family, it raises and folds its leaves in the evening and opens them again in the morning. A healthy plant does it every day.
Is the peacock plant a calathea?
It was. Botanists long called it Calathea makoyana, then moved it and many of its relatives to the genus Goeppertia. Shops and growers still often sell it as a calathea, so you will see both names.