Goeppertia warszewiczii
Goeppertia warszewiczii (Jungle Velvet) Care Guide
Featured photogoeppertia-warszewiczii.jpgGoeppertia warszewiczii is a larger Central American calathea with deep green velvety upper leaves and rich burgundy undersides. It produces upright cone-shaped white-cream flower spikes more readily than most calatheas, which makes it one of the few in the genus grown for its flowers as well as foliage. Indoors it follows standard calathea care.
Care facts at a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Water when the top 1 to 2 cm of mix has dried.
- Humidity
- 60–80 %
- Temperature
- 18–27 °C
- Soil
- Peat-rich, well-draining mix with perlite.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic. (humans) · Non-toxic to cats and dogs per ASPCA Calathea listing. (pets)
- Origin
- Forests of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and surrounding Central America.
- Mature size
- 60 to 100 cm tall.
Overview
Goeppertia warszewiczii was named for Polish-Lithuanian botanist Józef Warszewicz, who collected widely in Central America. The plant is one of the larger calatheas in cultivation and one of the few that flowers reliably indoors.
Care Priorities
- Soft filtered light; the velvet is sensitive to direct sun.
- Filtered water and steady humidity above 60 percent.
- Generous pot size for clumping growth; divide every two to three years.
- Feed lightly and consistently in spring and summer.
Common Problems
Crispy edges from tap water or dry air. Velvet sheen loss in old leaves is normal aging. Limp leaves with stale-smelling soil are root rot.
Sources & further reading (3)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-04-28
- botanical-garden — accessed 2026-04-28
- toxicity-database — accessed 2026-04-28
Frequently asked questions
Will it really flower?
Yes, more reliably than most calatheas. Mature clumps in stable conditions push cone-like white-cream spikes from the rhizome.
Why are the undersides going pale?
Pale undersides usually mean very low light or aging leaves. Healthy plants in decent light keep deep burgundy reverse.
How big a pot does it need?
Large for the genus — a 25 to 30 cm pot for a mature clump. Calatheas hate being root-bound and warszewiczii produces a thick rhizome.
