Calathea gandersii Plants GrowTropicals
Striped Prayer Plant

Calathea gandersii

£15.99
Humidity-loverPet-safe
Pot size
11cm £15.99

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Complete the set up
Simply Houseplant - Tropical Houseplant Potting Mix
The perfect soil Simply Houseplant - Tropical Houseplant Potting Mix · 2.5L · £3.99
Description

Calathea gandersii is a genuinely uncommon prayer plant with softly striped green foliage, purple flushed undersides and the family habit of lifting its leaves at night. Botanists now place it in Goeppertia as Goeppertia gandersii, a species described from eastern Ecuador, and it is still a rare sight among rare and unusual houseplants in the UK.

Origins. The species grows on the shaded floor of moist lowland and mountain forest in Napo Province, Ecuador, and is assessed as Vulnerable in the wild. That habitat is the brief for your home: warmth, soft light and steady moisture. Like the rest of the calathea family it is non-toxic to cats and dogs, so it sits happily among our pet safe houseplants.

Care. Give it bright, indirect light or gentle shade, since harsh sun fades the striping. Keep the compost evenly moist but never waterlogged, ideally with rainwater or filtered water, and aim for 60 per cent humidity or more alongside your other humidity loving houseplants. Keep it warm, above 15C, away from draughts and radiators.

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All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

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How to care for Striped Prayer Plant

Give me bright light out of the midday sun and keep my soil lightly moist.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Striped Prayer Plant

Calathea gandersii is a houseplant that takes a little effort. It needs bright indirect light, watering often enough to keep the compost evenly moist, high humidity and a minimum temperature of 15°C. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Good for

Kitchen Bathroom

Care level

EasyChallenge

A little effort

Light

ShadeFull sun

Bright, indirect light

Bright, indirect light or gentle shade. Direct sun fades the leaf striping and can scorch the thin leaves. Read moreShow less

Bright, indirect light or gentle shade. Direct sun fades the leaf striping and can scorch the thin leaves.

Watering

Evenly moistDries out fully

Keep evenly moist

Keep the compost evenly moist, watering when the surface starts to dry. Use rainwater or filtered water if you can, and never let it sit in water. Read moreShow less

Keep the compost evenly moist, watering when the surface starts to dry. Use rainwater or filtered water if you can, and never let it sit in water.

Humidity

Average homeHigh humidity

Needs high humidity

Happiest at 60 per cent humidity or more. Group it with other plants or stand it near a humidifier; crisp brown edges mean the air is too dry. Read moreShow less

Happiest at 60 per cent humidity or more. Group it with other plants or stand it near a humidifier; crisp brown edges mean the air is too dry.

Temperature

Keep above 15°C · Likes a warm room

Warm and steady, ideally 18 to 24C and never below about 15C. Keep it away from cold draughts and heat sources. Read moreShow less

Warm and steady, ideally 18 to 24C and never below about 15C. Keep it away from cold draughts and heat sources.

Feeding

Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.

Growth habit

Clumping →

Plant type

Calathea/Prayer plant →

Toxicity

Listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs. Plants still are not food, so a determined chewer may get an upset stomach.

Also known as

Calathea gandersii

Genus

Calathea →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it Calathea or Goeppertia gandersii?

Both names point to the same plant. It was described as Calathea gandersii by Helen Kennedy in 1988, and botanists moved most calatheas, this one included, into the genus Goeppertia, so the current name is Goeppertia gandersii. We sell it under Calathea because that is the name growers and plant lovers still use.

How rare is Calathea gandersii?

Rare on two counts. In the wild it is endemic to a single province of Ecuador and is assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In cultivation it has only recently appeared in European nurseries, and very few UK shops have offered it.

Is Calathea gandersii safe for pets?

Yes. Calatheas belong to the prayer plant family, Marantaceae, which the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Why do the leaves move?

Like all prayer plants it raises its leaves towards evening and lowers them again in the morning, driven by a small joint at the base of each leaf. The movement is normal and a good sign the plant is happy.

Why are my leaf edges turning brown?

Dry air or inconsistent watering are the usual causes. Keep the compost evenly moist, raise the humidity towards 60 per cent or more, and use rainwater or filtered water, since calatheas can be sensitive to the minerals in hard tap water.

Are your plants treated with pesticides?
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.

If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.

If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Meet the family

Everything about Calathea

Calathea, also known as prayer plants, are the perfect addition to brighten your indoor space. With their vibrant patterns and lush, tropical appearance, these plants bring life and elegance to any home. This care guide also applies to their close relativ...

More about Calathea care
Calathea Care Guide
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

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Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

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Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Calathea gandersii
£15.99