A long-time favorite for beginners and houseplant enthusiasts alike, the prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) gets its name from the way in which the leaves fold up at night. With some imagination, the leaves look like hands folded in prayer, symbolizing gratitude.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Maranta leuconeura, widely known as the prayer plant due to its daily sunlight-dependent movements (which are said to resemble hands “in-prayer”), is a species of flowering plant in the family Marantaceae native to the Brazilian tropical forests. It is a variable, rhizomatous perennial, growing to 30 cm (12 in) tall and broad, with crowded clumps of evergreen, strikingly-marked oval leaves, each up to 12 cm (5 in) long. The plant spreads itself horizontally, carpeting an entire small area of forest floor, sending roots into the substrate at each leaf node.
Maranta, in-addition to fellow “prayer-plant” genera (like Calathea, Ctenanthe, Goeppertia and Stromanthe), is closely related to such groups as Alpinia, Ensete, Canna, Curcuma, Heliconia, Musa and Zingiber.
The specific epithet leuconeura means “white-veined”, referring to the leaves. The leaves have a habit of lying flat during the day, and folding in an erect position at night as if in prayer for evening vespers, hence the common name “prayer plant”. This behaviour is an example of a diurnal rhythm.
Small, white to purple flowers appear during the growing season, although this is not always observed in houseplants and the flowers may not be considered significant in comparison to the attractive foliage. The broad leaves of the plant are oval, two-color, greenish and fairly shiny. There are patches on both sides of the leaf medium, the color of which varies depending on the variety. The patches may be light green, green, brownish or dark gray. Medium color also varies by variety. The undersides of the leaves are variable, ranging from a light green, common in M. leuconeura var. kerchoveana, to a deep red, common in M. leuconeura var. erythroneura. Roots are shallow.
Flowers, although small, are interesting in that they have a trigger mechanism, closing the entrance to the flower quickly with a curling appendage, which both deposits and collects pollen in one motion, and only triggers once per flower, as for others in this plant family. Flowers open in the morning, one or two at a time per cassette, and wilt in the evening, falling off if not pollinated. Each capsule may contain ten or so flowers, so a capsule may last over a week with daily flowers. Each flower stalk has two capsules, one below the other.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Hang or set your prayer plant near a window where it will receive indirect sunlight. Never set your plant in direct sunlight because the sun will scorch the plant’s leaves or the leaves will develop blotches or patches and fade in color intensity.1 Prayer plants are generally tolerant of lower light areas. In the winter, when the plants go into dormancy (and sometimes die back completely), provide them with bright light to maintain growth.
Temperature and Humidity
Prayer plants prefer normal household temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Prolonged lower temperatures can damage the leaves and cause them to drop from the plant. Additionally, prayer plants thrive best in a very humid environment. To increase the humidity available to your plant, you can place a small humidifier nearby, or place the plant atop a tray that has been filled with small stones and water. You can also mist the leaves frequently with room temperature or slightly warm water.
Watering
Fertilize your prayer plant every two weeks from early spring through fall (reducing to once a month in winter) with a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength. If you use too little fertilizer, your plant will grow slowly or hardly at all. However, too much fertilizer can burn the plant’s roots—its leaves will start to brown and the plant can even die.
Soil
Prayer plants can prosper in a variety of soils, as long as they’re well-draining. Typically, a traditional potting mix works fine, but you can make your own by combining two parts sphagnum peat moss, one part loamy soil, and one part perlite or coarse sand together. In addition, the soil should be acidic, with a pH of 6.0. To improve drainage, add rocks or gravel to the bottom of your pot and be sure that the pot has ample drainage holes.
Fertilizing
Fertilize your prayer plant every two weeks from early spring through fall (reducing to once a month in winter) with a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength. If you use too little fertilizer, your plant will grow slowly or hardly at all. However, too much fertilizer can burn the plant’s roots—its leaves will start to brown and the plant can even die.
Pruning
Pruning prayer plants is usually unnecessary and can hinder the growth of your plants. However, dead leaves and stems can be trimmed at any time of the year.
Propagation
Propagation of prayer plants can be done through two primary ways: divisions and cuttings.
- Division
Gently remove the plant from the pot and lightly shake to divide off individual plants. Use sterilized scissors or shears to cut any connected stems or roots. Prepare divided plants for individual pots filled with well-draining potting soil. Plants should have a healthy, white, and fibrous root system. Place each division in a pot, lightly pressing down on the soil to eliminate air pockets. Water the pots and keep them in a warm, bright location.
- Cuttings
Use sterile scissors or shears to remove healthy stems from an existing plant. Cut the stem cuttings no longer than one or two nodes per cutting and remove all but one or two leaves. Prepare a mixture of three-quarters perlite to one-quarter potting soil and fill the containers for the cuttings.
Dip about 1 inch of each stem into a rooting hormone powder. Using a pencil or your finger, create a hole large enough to place about a third of the cuttings into the soil, being careful not to remove the rooting hormone. Gently firm the soil around the stem. Water the plants and keep them in a warm, humid location with bright lighting. A warming mat may be beneficial.
Potting and Repotting
The best time to pot (or repot) a prayer plant is in spring or early summer. Choose a pot that is one size larger than the nursery container or previous pot. Prayer plants are slow growers, so they only need to be repotted every two or three years. Remove the plant from its pot, shake to dislodge any loose soil, and repot it in fresh soil.
Pests and Diseases
Prayer plants are highly susceptible to root rot. Take care not to overwater plants or allow them to sit in water for long.
Prayer plants and their relatives are also susceptible to a variety of pests, including mealybugs and spider mites. Mealybugs can occur year-round and appear as fuzzy, white clumps, usually on the undersides of leaves, along the stems, or in crevices between the leaves and stems. Use your finger, a paintbrush, or a soft cloth to remove easy-to-reach infestations. Spray hard-to-reach locations with an organic pesticide such as pyrethrin or neem oil.
Spider mites tend to appear on plants during the drier winter months and are first visible as tiny, spider like webs across leaves and stems. Larger infestations create a sand-blasted look on the plant’s leaves. Neem oil works to get rid of these pests.
III. Types of Prayer Plants
There are many varieties of prayer plants, but the most popular by far is the tricolor variation available at many garden centers. Prayer plants and calathea plants are so closely associated with one another that it’s not uncommon for them to be mislabeled. Within the Maranta genus, a few species are the most common:
- M. leuconeura erythrophylla: This tri-colored prayer plant, also called the herringbone plant, is the most common variety and features bold red veins.
- M. leuconeura kerchoveana: This variety, also known as Rabbit’s Tracks, has plain green leaves with two rows of darker splotches.
- M. leuconeura massangeana: This variety has a darker leaf background with silvery blotches along the midrib and white leaf veins.
IV. Uses and Benefits
Prayer plant is a common perennial with unique foliage. Prized for its appearance, it is used to create a bright, eye-catching visual effect. It is a good fit for tropical and semi-tropical gardens due to its need for warm, moist air, and is often planted with orchids, whose white blooms are set off in bright contrast against its green foliage.
