Spotlight on Calathea "White Fusion"
Introduction Calathea (Family: Marantaceae, Genus: Calathea) are among the most beautiful of the "foliage" houseplants, but they are notorious troublemakers for many owners. The biggest single reason for these problems are improper watering (of which I am definitely guilty, at times) and insufficient humidity (not such a problem during the summer in North Carolina, but definitely going to be a new challenge in the winter). While these problems are true of all Calathea (which will one day get their own posts), they are double trouble for the Calathea "White Fusion" hybrid. Details are scarce on the source plants for this sterile hybrid of Calathea , but it is a unique leafed plant struck throughout with beautiful white, cream, light green, and dark green variegation on long, narrow leaves with fuchsia undersides. Like all Calathea , they have a hydrodynamic petiole that allows them to move in response to light and water - generally this means that they fold upwar...