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Species library › Calathea › Calathea metallica
Other Partly documented

Calathea metallica

Calathea metallica is a 19th-century ornamental named for its metallic leaf sheen, with wild records almost entirely from the western lowlands of Ecuador. The measured sites are hot, with a marked dry season from July to November, typical of the Chocó-to-Guayas transition. It wants warmth, shade and high humidity, with slightly less water in the dry months.

At home, aim for
Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry
Light ShadeDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

A terrestrial understorey herb of lowland forest in Esmeraldas, Pichincha and Santo Domingo, western Ecuador, inferred from the genus and record sites. No species-specific habitat notes were available.

GBIF records run from 50 to 800 m, median 130 m.

EcuadorColombia

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.