Question

House Plant   QUESTION: Hi Richard, I was told this is from the calathea family but can't find it. Could you identify it for me and advise how to look after it please. It looks like a minature bird of paradise with dark orange flowers (they are darker than they look on the photo) Thank you.

ANSWER: Janet
It is hard to tell from the one picture you supply...It would help to see the whole plant...It also helps to know what area you live in...Plant types vary from area to area...
Flowering plants are classified according to their flower structure...It also helps to have a look at the leaves stems, and trunks areas...Try looking up calathea loesnerii...The flower is similar to your plant...It is the only plant I could find that has flowers similar to yours...Again I can not compare the foliage from the picture you have supplied...
As far as caring for it - Treat it like most indoor tropical plants...
Water by weight...
Put a saucer under the pot. Water and let the plant sit in the excess water for 5-10 minutes. After that time pour off any excess water in the saucer. Pick up the plant. It should feel heavy. Don't water again until it feels considerably lighter in weight. You can also poke your finger into the soil to make sure it isn't too wet before rewatering. Watering frequency depends on many factors(sun exposure, type of plant, wind, day temps, etc.). Plants die from too frequent waterings - not from too much water at one time. They can also die from being allowed to be too dry for too long.
Most indoor tropicals need a well lit room...Other than a morning sun exposure most indoor plants will not do well in full sun exposure...  
Fertilize during the growing seasons once or twice a month...Use a good indoor houeplant fertilizer like Peters, indoor Miracle grow, etc...
Another and possibly faster way to answer your question is to take the picture to your local garden center for them to ID it...You may have to visit more than one to find someone knowledgeable of the plants commonly sold in your area...
Hope this helps...
Rick in southern NJ



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


House plant   QUESTION: Thank you so much for your helpful answer. Is this picture any better for identification. I live in the UK, the plant was bought from a garden centre but it had no instructions with it.

Answer
Yes...The picture is better...I found a plant that has very similar flowers (including seed pods similar to yours)...
Type Heliconia aurantiaca into your search engine and let me know what you think...
The care would be similar to what I described before...It will not tolerate going too dry in between waterings...
Good luck with your plant...It is not so much luck as it is researching the plant and doing the right thing at the right time...Follow my watering instructions and it should live for a long time...
Rick