The prayer plant derives its popular name based on the fact that its foliage lies flat throughout the day and then curls upwards resembling praying hands by nighttime.
Because of its magnificent ornamental leaves, the prayer plant is amongst the most easily identified tropicals.
Vibrant green glossy leaves featuring yellow smudges along the midrib as well as soaring red veins running to the leaf edges distinguish the renowned tricolor type. The prayer plant is a slow-growing interior plant that can develop up to a foot tall.
For proper Prayer plant care, it’s important to maintain low light indoors. Maranta Plan is sensitive to direct sunlight and hence can burn easily.
Water them regularly when you find its top soil a little dry. Although overwatering is not recommended. Add good quality fertilizer mostly organic and homemade like nitrogen, calcium, good quality soil can make your Prayer plant really healthy.
They’re very typical as popular houseplants, plus they could be potted as well as managed for any season of the year. However, they’re not always simple to maintain and develop over time. This guide will assist you in providing proper prayer plant care and growth hacks.
Prayer Plant Profile
| Botanical Name | Maranta leuconeura |
| Origin | South America |
| Type Of Plant | Herbaceous perennial |
| Best Growing Season | Early Spring |
| Best Growing Zones | 11, 12 (USDA) |
| Exposure To Sun | Partial shade |
| Type Of Soil | Damp But Excellently Drained |
| pH Of Soil | Neutral to acidic |
| Colour Of Flower | White |
| Bloom Time | Spring |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic |
| Other names | Praying Hands |
Top 7 Prayer Plants Benefits
When it pertains to peculiar houseplants, prayer plants are at the top of the list. Here are some of the advantages of cultivating the Prayer plant which may persuade you to do so as well.
1. Distinctive Appearance
Plants which are hot themes among urban gardeners are continuously on the search. The prayer plant’s distinct look renders it an excellent addition to any plant collection.
Following the sun setting, the leaves curl vertically and then unfold anew as the sun rises, giving the plant another unique feature.
2. Varieties with a Wide Range of Colors
With so many varieties, there’s no way you’ll grow tired of this plant. Red, Lemon, lime, Marisela, Kim, Green, as well as Black, are some of the colorful variants of the Prayer plant.
3. Symbolism
The vertical arching leaves of the prayer plant are shaped like hands clasped in prayer. This feature of the prayer plant represents thankfulness.
It also represents appreciation and gratefulness when given as a gift. It is said to offer beneficial energy and great luck in various cultures.
4. Pollutants are absorbed
According to NASA’s clean air research, certain houseplants can help to decrease toxins like formaldehyde and benzene throughout the air.
The prayer plant, on the other hand, was not on the list, although it is extremely likely that it eliminated these toxins as well. According to CNBC, indoor air contamination might be even more hazardous than outside air contamination.
5. Health Advantages
It’s a recognized truth that being surrounded by plants makes us feel calm and concentrated, and indeed the Prayer plant is no exception.
Aside from that, research has proven that having plants in the office boosts efficiency and attention. In addition, as stated in several researched guides, healing from disease and damage is accelerated when a plant is nearby.
6. Easy to Maintain
City residents always have a lot on their minds, thus it’s no wonder that many choose low-maintenance houseplants. The prayer plant is indeed a low-maintenance houseplant that doesn’t demand much attention. The Prayer plant needs just strong indirect sunlight, a well-draining medium, as well as high moisture to thrive.
7. It only takes up a little amount of space
The Prayer plant, with a length of 10-12 inches as well as a dispersion of 15-18 inches, is excellent for modern environments often with little area.
It can fit nearly any place, including the balcony, terrace, windowsill, porch, kitchen, and bathroom. It also thrives in deep or flat pots due to its deep root systems.
How To Care For Prayer Plants Indoors + Outdoors
Prayer plant care is as follows.
1. Sunlight
Your prayer plant should be hung or placed beside a window to obtain filtered sunlight. Avoid placing your plant under direct sunlight since it will burn its leaves, causing them to form blotches or spots and fading in color vibrancy.
Reduced sunlight regions are typically tolerated by prayer plants. Supply strong light to the plants throughout the winter, when they fall into hibernation (and occasionally die back entirely), to keep them growing.
2. Soil
As far as the soil is well-draining, prayer plants may thrive in a range of conditions. A standard potting mix might usually be enough, yet you may prepare your own by mixing up two components: succulent peat moss, one portion loamy soil, as well as one portion of perlite or gritty sand.
Furthermore, the medium must have a pH value of 5.5 to 6.0. Put pebbles or gravel to the base of your planter to enhance the outlet, and make certain the pot has plenty of ventilation openings.
3. Water
Hydrate your maranta plant often (anytime the upper surface appears dry) and don’t ever permit the potting medium to dry up entirely throughout their growth period. Drought-susceptible, these plants can not thrive if left unwatered for lengthy periods of time.
To minimize fungal issues, avoid letting water stay excessively on the leaves or allowing the plant to become wet. The leaves might change color and fall off the plant due to both a lack of water as well as overwatering.
Apply water that is at best room temperature, though maybe not somewhat warmer, while hydrating your prayer plant.
4. Temperature and Humidity
Temperatures somewhere around 60 to 80°F are ideal for prayer plants. Temperatures that have been lowered over a considerable length of time might harm the leaves, causing them to fall off the plant. Prayer plants, on the other hand, like a humid climate.
Set a modest mister near the area or put the plant upon a tray loaded with tiny stones as well as water to enhance the moisture accessible to your plant. You may also spray the foliage with room temperature even mildly warm water on a regular basis.
5. Fertilizer
Fertilize the prayer plant every 14 days from early springtime to late fall (once per month throughout wintertime) using a half-strength liquid potted plant fertilizer is also part of caring for the prayer plant.
The plant will develop gradually or not at all when you utilize insufficient fertilizer. Nevertheless, excess fertilizer can cause the plant’s roots to be burned, its leaves to become yellow, and also the plant to end up dying.
6. Common Pests
Prayer plants, the same as numerous other potted plants, are susceptible to spider mites as well as mealybugs. You could cure your plant using a natural pesticide like neem oil when you see indications of infection, like a chalky white material on the foliage or yellowing of the leaves.
7. Toxicity
These plants are either non-dangerous or have no recognized toxicity. So they are safe for you and your pets.
How Best To Revive Prayer Plants
If you’d like to know how to rejuvenate a prayer plant, you’ll need to figure out the reason it’s withering in the first place.
Prayer houseplants can be harmed by a variety of factors, including inadequate hydration, nutritional deficiency, and poor lighting. Fortunately, if you recognize what to check for, you can usually figure out what’s causing the problem.
How To Rejuvenate A Prayer Plant That Isn’t Getting Enough Water?
Although prayer-plants want to be kept wet, it’s vital to let the soil air out during watering. A withering prayer plant may be the result of insufficient or excessive watering, also it’s essential to grasp what’s going on if you’d like to realize how to rejuvenate a prayer plant.
topsoil dry Issue
- Is the topsoil dry when you examine it? Do you skip weeks without watering your plants? Do the leaves appear to be brown as well as crispy?
- Whenever this is the situation, it’s possible that you’re underwatering and suffocating your plant. You’ll need to boost your hydration regimen to rejuvenate your prayer plant. Permit the plant to air out a little prior to actually watering it properly.
Overwatering Prayer plant
- Overwatering a prayer plant is another issue that individuals may encounter. Is the foliage visibly becoming yellow? Is the stem pliable?
- Are there any portions of the plant that are black? All of these symptoms indicate that you’ve overwatered your houseplant, and you’ll have to figure out ways to restore a prayer plant that has been overwatered.
- Pull your houseplant out of the wet medium as soon as possible. Permit the topsoil to dry out after removing it apart from the roots. You may repot your prayer plant after it has dried out.
Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Prayer Plants Problems, Diseases And Pests Control
Spider mites, as well as mealybugs, are prominent pests on prayer plants.
Throughout the harsher winter months, be extra careful and inspect your plant regarding indications of these pests.
- Webbing along stems as well as on the base of leaves is the first sign of a spider mite attack. The leaves might even have yellowish-brown markings. The spider mites generally have a black dot appearance.
- Mealybug infestations appear as chalky white material. Leaves might curl and a transparent, sticky material may develop upon this plant’s leaves, that could extend to surrounding surfaces.
- Clear spider mites away with a vigorous flow of water aimed at the afflicted regions, then treat mealybugs using an alcohol-soaked paper towel.
- Helminthosporium leaf stain is a fungus that induces tiny, water-soaked patches to develop on the leaves of prayer plants.
- These dots quickly became yellow and expanded, finally transforming into tan patches containing yellow haloes. Whenever plants are persistently over-irrigated and foliage is often coated in stagnant water, this fungus emerges.
Prayer Plant Propagation Tips
Prayer plant propagation is a fairly simple technique to expand your inventory and employ wider parent plants. Dividing the plant during repotting is the most frequent (and perhaps simplest) technique to reproduce prayer plants. Here’s how to do it:
- Split your Maranta prayer plant up into multiple smaller plants before repotting it via gently brushing the dirt from the roots as well as pulling them apart.
- Ascertain that every fresh plant has a healthy root system and multiple stems. These fresh tiny plants should be potted individually in deep pots.
- Within the first several weeks, keep fresh splits warm and damp till fresh development appears.
Prayer Plant Varieties
There are several types of prayer houseplants, however, the tricolor variety, which is obtainable at several garden shops, is still the most prominent.
Considering prayer plants as well as calathea plants are always so strongly related, it’s not unusual for them to get mixed up. The following are the most frequent species throughout the Maranta genus:
1. M. leuconeura erythrophylla
The most frequent variation of M. leuconeura erythrophylla, commonly known as the herringbone plant, has prominent red lines.
2. M. leuconeura kerchoveana
This variety has simple emerald foliage featuring two sets of darker smudges, often recognized as Rabbit’s Tracks.
3. M. leuconeura massangeana
A dark black foliage surface with silvery spots along the midrib but white foliage lines distinguish this variation.
- The Maranta genus hosts a variety of unique species referred to as Prayer Pants in reference to the...
- Stromanthe Plant Pot: Stromanthe sanguinea tricolor plant, a member of the Maranta family, is a...
- Prefers bright, indirect light
Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why My Prayer Plant Leaves Curling? Reasons + fixes
Curled leaves can be caused by a variety of factors, however, the most frequent include watering, sunshine, and moisture.
We could prevent curled leaves as well as assist Maranta’s growth within our homes by imitating a Prayer Plant’s native rainforest environment.
1. Watering Neglect
Whenever Maranta green foliage curls, it’s usually due to a lack of water, perhaps in excess or too little.
Prayer Plants are particular about how much or how little watering they get. Because all of these conditions can lead foliage to curl, it’s ideal to maintain the soil damp but not soggy.
2. Pest Troubles
Leaf curling can be caused by insects that feast on plants.
This pattern on the leaves is more likely caused by those who harm the plant’s components by draining nourishment from the foliage. To exclude aphids, scale, and other insects, thoroughly inspect your plant.
3. Humidity Or Direct Light
Furthermore, a shortage of moisture or excess direct sunshine can cause curling leaves, although this generally happens in conjunction with some other, more prominent signs.
Prayer Plants appreciate shaded light as well as higher moisture, so you’ll probably notice brown, crusty margins on the leaves and maybe patches of discoloration in these situations.
4. Exposure To Cold
Folding Prayer Plant leaves might be caused by the plant becoming too chilly if hydration and water conditions aren’t a concern. Cool-weather or breezes will cause Maranta’s to respond.
Maranta’s dislike being chilly since they are used to living in tropical, humid surroundings. The average interior temperature is ideal, however, this plant should be kept away from open vents.
Prayer Plant Browning Reasons fixes Tips
Let’s take a glimpse at a few of the main likely causes why these tropical potted plants develop dark leaves, so that you can maintain them appearing lush and new with their leaves unblemished.
1. Far Less Soil Water
When your prayer plant maranta ends or leaf edges are browning and you aren’t hydrating it too much, it might be due to a lack of moisture.
2. Unbalanced Watering
Unbalanced Watering is yet an additional moisture-related issue that is a little more complicated. To solve the issue, wet all over the soil’s top till the water drains out through the outflow openings.
3. Water with contaminants
Contaminants brought by your water supply might be a further issue with your hydration practice.
When caring for them, utilize rainwater, purified tap water, and even distilled water to maintain them in good health as feasible.
4. Humidity is a problem
Marantaceae species, which are indigenous to the humid zone, like a moist climate.
Brown leaf margins are common when plant parents disregard their offspring’s need for a high comparative moisture habitat.
Place your prayer plant with a group of other potted plants, which could help to maintain the humidity surrounding each plant better.
Common FAQs On How To Care For Prayer Plants Indoor
Q: What Is The Best Method To Trim Maranta Plants?
Utilizing a pair of disinfected garden scissors, trim your prayer plant slightly above the leaf tips.
Trimming on two to three occasions a year (the ideal periods are in the spring and fall) promotes bushy development.
Reducing a prayer plant additionally helps to get rid of unsightly dead leaves or lanky stalks.
Q: Exactly What sort of Sunlight Does A Prayer Plant Require?
The Prayer Plant Loves High Moisture As Well As Strong, Indirect Sunshine.
Q: Where Should I Put My Prayer Plant?
Your Prayer Plant Can Be Hung Or Placed Along A Window To Obtain Filtered Sunlight.
Q: What is causing my prayer plant’s death?
If You Overwater Prayer Plants, Their Root Systems Will Decay And They Will Not Be Able To Soak Up Adequate Water.
This Will Cause The Wilting As Well As The Death Of Maranta Prayer Plants.
Q: Is It Difficult To Care For Prayer-Plants?
It’s Not Difficult To Care For A Prayer Plant So Long As You Fulfill Its Unique Requirements.
Q: How Can I Get My Prayer Plant Grow Bigger?
You Can Trim Your Prayer Plant Whenever You Want It To Develop More Vigorously. Snip The Stems Just Beyond A Leaf Node With A Cleansed Pair Of Garden Clippers.
The Prayer Plant Will React By Sprouting New Branches Right Beneath The Clipped Spot, Giving It A Bushier Look.
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Conclusion
Maranta leuconeura Prayer Plants have a distinctive leaf pattern with feathery, artistic veins. Prayer Plants’ robust foliage renders them ideal for adding color to window sills, art pieces, and shelves.
My name is Olivia, and I live in the United States and love having plants in my garden. Lots of plants are there on my balcony, indoor and outdoor garden also. Here I am trying to share useful gardening tips, how to grow and care for various plants, etc.
