Calathea makoyana 14cm Plants GrowTropicals
Calathea makoyana — 12cm
Peacock plant

Calathea makoyana

£10.99
Humidity-loverPet-safe
Pot size

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Calathea makoyana, the peacock plant, is one of the most intricately patterned of all the prayer plants. Each oval, papery leaf is pale silvery green, painted with a feathered pattern of dark green ovals that radiate from the midrib like the eyes on a peacock's tail, and the whole design is repeated in deep purple on the underside. The leaves rise on slender stems and lift and fold as the light changes through the day, so the plant never looks quite the same twice. It is also completely safe around cats and dogs.

Origins

The peacock plant comes from the forest floor of eastern Brazil, where it grows in warm, humid, dappled shade beneath the tree canopy. It sits in the Marantaceae family alongside Maranta and Stromanthe. Botanists now place the species in the genus Goeppertia, as Goeppertia makoyana, and it holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit under that name, but it is still sold and known almost everywhere as Calathea makoyana.

Care

Give it medium to bright indirect light and keep it out of direct sun, which bleaches and scorches the delicate leaves. Keep the compost evenly moist but never waterlogged, watering with rainwater or filtered water if your tap water is hard, as mineral build up causes brown leaf edges. Humidity is the key to success: it wants high humidity, so a bathroom, a kitchen, a grouped display or a humidifier makes a real difference. Keep it warm, 15C or above all year, and away from cold draughts and radiators. Crisp brown edges almost always mean dry air or hard water rather than underwatering.

Live Arrival Guarantee

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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Delivery & returns

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 Peacock plant

Keep me in bright, gentle light away from harsh sun and never let me dry out completely.

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.
Get to know me

About Peacock plant

Calathea makoyana 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

Medium to bright indirect light, never direct sun. It tolerates lower light better than most houseplants but the pattern is strongest in good indirect light. Read moreShow less

Medium to bright indirect light, never direct sun. It tolerates lower light better than most houseplants but the pattern is strongest in good indirect light.

Watering

Evenly moistDries out fully

Keep evenly moist

Keep the compost evenly moist but never soggy, and use rainwater or filtered water where tap water is hard. Let only the surface dry between waterings; ease off slightly in winter. Read moreShow less

Keep the compost evenly moist but never soggy, and use rainwater or filtered water where tap water is hard. Let only the surface dry between waterings; ease off slightly in winter.

Humidity

Average homeHigh humidity

Needs high humidity

Needs high humidity. A bathroom or kitchen, a grouped display, a pebble tray or a humidifier keeps the leaf edges from browning. Read moreShow less

Needs high humidity. A bathroom or kitchen, a grouped display, a pebble tray or a humidifier keeps the leaf edges from browning.

Temperature

Keep above 15°C · Likes a warm room

Warm all year, 15C or above, ideally 18 to 24C. Keep away from cold draughts, open windows in winter and hot radiators. Read moreShow less

Warm all year, 15C or above, ideally 18 to 24C. Keep away from cold draughts, open windows in winter and hot radiators.

Feeding

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

Growth habit

Clumping →Upright →

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 makoyana

Genus

Calathea →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Calathea makoyana safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. Calathea (now Goeppertia) is listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses, which makes the peacock plant a good choice for homes with pets. Nibbled leaves may still cause mild stomach upset, as any plant material can.

Why are the leaf edges turning brown and crispy?

Almost always dry air or hard tap water. The peacock plant needs high humidity and is sensitive to the minerals and chlorine in tap water. Raise the humidity with a pebble tray, grouping or a humidifier, and switch to rainwater or filtered water.

How much light does a peacock plant need?

Medium to bright indirect light. It grows naturally on a shaded forest floor, so it copes with lower light than most houseplants, but direct sun fades the pattern and scorches the leaves. A spot a metre or two back from a window, or a north facing sill, is ideal.

Why do the leaves move during the day?

Like other prayer plants, it has a joint at the base of each leaf blade that lets the leaf rise at night and lower during the day in response to light. The movement is normal and a sign of a healthy, responsive plant.

Is it Calathea makoyana or Goeppertia makoyana?

Both names refer to the same plant. Botanists moved most Calathea species into the genus Goeppertia, so the current scientific name is Goeppertia makoyana and the RHS lists it under that name. It is still sold almost everywhere as Calathea makoyana, so we use the familiar name in the title.

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 48 hours 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 makoyana
£10.99