Prayer plant

Identification and origin

Maranta leuconeura belongs to the arrowroot family, Marantaceae. It is an evergreen, rhizomatous perennial that forms low clumps 6–12 in tall, sometimes wider than tall (spreading up to 2 ft). It is native to the tropical forests of Brazil (the Northeast, Southeast and Central-West) and has naturalized in Colombia and eastern Mexico.

Its oval to elliptic leaves, about 5 in long, carry striking patterns: depending on the form, dark blotches lined up on either side of the midrib that look like rabbit tracks, or red veins in a herringbone pattern around a pale central band. The epithet leuconeura means “white-veined.” The undersides are gray-green to purplish. By day the leaves lie flat; in the evening they rise and close up, hence the name prayer plant. Small white flowers spotted with purple, on slender stalks, rarely appear indoors. Common selections include the red-veined form (var. erythroneura), the green form with dark blotches (var. kerchoveana), ‘Lemon Lime’ with a yellow-green center and ‘Silver Band’ with a broad silvery patch.

Light

Bright but indirect light, or partial shade: a window that gets little sun, or a sheer curtain to soften the strongest rays. Direct sun quickly bleaches the leaf colors and can burn them. A prayer plant that loses its contrast is usually asking to be moved back from the glass.

Watering

During the growing season, from spring to late summer, keep the mix evenly moist but never soggy. Use tepid water, aim it at the soil rather than into the crown of the clump, which is prone to rot, and empty the saucer about fifteen minutes later. In winter, cut back: let the top 1 in of the mix dry before watering again. Feel the soil rather than following a calendar. Avoid hard or fluoridated water, which burns the leaves.

Air humidity matters as much as watering: aim for well above 50% relative humidity with a humidifier, a tray of damp pebbles or a spot in a naturally humid room; a small hygrometer next to the plant lets you check. A light misting helps when indoor heating dries the air in winter.

Potting mix

A good-quality potting mix lightened with some peat or fiber and coarse sand, so it stays loose and drains well. The roots stay shallow, so a shallow pot is enough, and it must have a drainage hole. During the growing season, give a standard liquid fertilizer every two weeks to once a month, then cut back sharply from fall to late winter; too much fertilizer burns the foliage.

Temperature

Ideal is 64–70 °F; it tolerates warmer conditions up to about 84 °F. It prefers not to drop below 61 °F and should always stay above 55 °F. It cannot take frost, cold air from doors or vents, or sudden temperature swings. Year-round outdoors it only suits USDA zone 11 climates, in a sheltered spot in part to full shade, with humus-rich soil that stays moist but drains.

Repotting

In spring, every one or two years, or only once the clump has filled its pot. That is the right time to divide the plant and refresh the mix, keeping it loose around the roots.

Pruning

Trimming the stems back about twice a year keeps the clump dense and vigorous, filling out instead of stretching. If you would rather grow it in a hanging basket, do the opposite and let the stems lengthen and trail. The pieces you cut off can be used as cuttings.

Propagation

By dividing the rhizomes at repotting time: split the clump into sections that each have roots and leaves, and replant them right away. It can also be grown from cuttings.

Common problems

• Brown tips and edges, curling or dropping leaves: most often uneven soil moisture or air that is too dry; fluoridated water and overfeeding cause similar burn.
• Faded colors: too much direct sun.
• Spider mites: pale stippling on the leaves, encouraged by dry air.
• Mealybugs and thrips: check leaf undersides and the bases of the leaf stalks.
• Diseases: root rot in poorly drained mix and leaf spot; cucumber mosaic virus has been reported on marantas.

One symptom can have several causes: look at watering, humidity, light and temperature together.

Toxicity

No toxicity has been reported: the prayer plant is listed as non-toxic to dogs and cats, and there is no known record of poisoning in people. Even so, eating any plant can give a pet a mild, passing stomach upset.