Birthday
HydrangeasMaranta is known as the prayer plant: by day its leaves lie flat, and in the evening they rise and fold together like hands in prayer. Besides this habit, it is loved for its patterned leaves with bright veins and blotches. It is not the easiest houseplant, but once you understand what it needs it stays beautiful for years.
Houseplants delivered: potted plants.
Why the prayer plant “prays”
The movement follows the plant’s daily rhythm. At the base of each leaf is a small swelling, the pulvinus, whose cells change their water pressure to raise or lower the leaf depending on the light. Botanists call this nyctinasty; other plants, such as wood sorrel, do it too.
What kind of plant it is
Maranta belongs to the arrowroot family and comes from the rainforests of Brazil. It is named after Bartolomeo Maranta, a 16th-century Italian physician and botanist. Most plants sold are Maranta leuconeura and its forms: with red veins, with dark “rabbit tracks” along the midrib, or with silvery patterns. Its closest relatives are calatheas and ctenanthes.
Care
- Light. Bright but indirect: an east- or north-facing window or further into a bright room. Direct sun bleaches the pattern.
- Watering. Keep the soil constantly slightly moist but not wet. Use soft, room-temperature water.
- Humidity. Dry air is the prayer plant’s main enemy. A pebble tray, a humidifier or grouping plants together helps.
- Feeding. Every 2–3 weeks in spring and summer with a foliage-plant fertiliser at half strength.
Why the leaves dry out
- Brown tips: dry air or hard water.
- Curling leaves: the soil dried out or the sun is too strong.
- Yellow, soft stems: overwatering and cold, possibly root rot.
- Faded pattern: too much direct sun.
- Fine webbing on the leaves: spider mites, which thrive in dry air.
Repotting and propagation
- Repot every 1–2 years in spring into a wide, shallow pot: the roots spread sideways.
- Use a light, airy, slightly acidic mix with drainage at the bottom.
- When repotting you can divide the clump; each piece needs roots and a few leaves.
- Stem cuttings with a node also root in water.
The prayer plant is considered safe for cats and dogs, so it suits homes with pets. More plants that thrive in indirect light: “Foliage houseplants”; common care errors: “Houseplant care mistakes”.
FAQ
Why has my prayer plant stopped folding its leaves?
When the plant lacks light or is weakened, the movement becomes less noticeable. Give it more indirect light.
What is the difference between maranta and calathea?
They are close relatives in the same family. Marantas are usually lower and more spreading, while many calatheas have larger leaves growing in a rosette.
View full-size photo
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
