Goeppertia lietzei ‘Fusion White’

Origin of Goeppertia lietzei ‘Fusion White’

Taiyan Yam found ‘Fusion White’ in May 2007 at a commercial nursery in Malaysia among cultivated Calathea lietzei. The white-and-green marbling stayed consistent when new plants were grown from it. These plants also stayed compact, with purple leaf undersides and plenty of new shoots from the base. Goeppertia lietzei is native to eastern Brazil.

Caring for Goeppertia lietzei ‘Fusion White’

• Repotting: Repot after roots have filled the container, preferably during active growth.
• Light: Give bright indirect light. Strong direct sun can damage the white sections first.
• Water: Water as the surface begins to dry while the root ball below remains lightly moist, then let excess drain fully.
• Potting mix: Use a fine, airy mix that holds moisture evenly and drains well.
• Temperature and humidity: Keep the plant between about 18 and 26 °C during normal growth, with protection from sustained temperatures below 15 °C. Maintain roughly 60–80% humidity.
• Feeding: Feed monthly while fresh leaves are appearing, at a moderate dose. Pause feeding if new growth stops and resume once fresh leaves appear again.
• Propagation: Divide a dense, mature clump while new growth is active. Keep healthy roots and at least one growing point with each section.

Common ‘Fusion White’ problems

• White sections turn tan or brown: Strong light, dry air and uneven watering can all damage the pale parts of the leaves. Move the plant out of direct sun and keep humidity and watering more consistent.
• New leaves curl or open with dry margins: Check for low humidity and a root ball that has dried too far. Raise humidity, keep the mix evenly moist and let excess water drain freely.
• Yellowing leaves: If the roots are soft and dark, treat the problem as root rot. Use cleaned, disinfected tools to cut affected roots back to firm, healthy tissue. Discard everything you remove, then repot the healthy plant in fresh airy mix.
• Fine pale speckling or webbing: Check the green and white leaves carefully for spider mites, especially underneath. Separate the plant, rinse away as many mites as possible and use a houseplant product labelled for spider mites if the problem continues. Repeat only according to the label directions.

Need help? Send us clear photos of the whole plant, the affected area and the potting mix, and we’ll help you work out the next step.

Goeppertia lietzei ‘FUSION WHITE’ is non-toxic to cats and dogs

• This plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
• Its effects on people are unclear, so keep it away from young children who may chew it.
• Eating a large amount can still cause an upset stomach. Seek medical or veterinary advice if symptoms continue.

Why is Calathea lietzei now called Goeppertia lietzei?

The genus name Goeppertia honours Heinrich Göppert. The species name lietzei honours Mr Lietz in Brazil.

Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck established the genus Goeppertia in 1831 in Linnaea, volume 6, page 337.

Charles Jacques Édouard Morren first described it as Calathea lietzei in 1875 in Annales de Botanique et d’Horticulture, volume 25, page 273. Mariana Naomi Saka later placed it in Goeppertia as Goeppertia lietzei in 2017 in Phytotaxa, volume 329, page 245.

The familiar former name is Calathea lietzei. Finn Borchsenius, Luz Stella Suárez and Linda M. Prince restored Goeppertia for this group in 2012 in Systematic Botany, volume 37.