How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Prayer Plants

One of the most interesting houseplants is the prayer plant. The plant’s leaves have a similar structure to those of a rubber plant, but their coloration is striking and stark. When it comes to indoor growing, prayer plants or Maranta leuconeura are sure to accent any area. 

While this houseplant may be slightly trickier to care for than pothos or philodendron, its care isn’t difficult. Careful attention to what your maranta needs and how it lives in the wild will guide you. With the right knowledge and action, you’ll help your maranta thrive. 

So let’s discuss the prayer plant, pinpoint some varieties, propagation, and cover how to give it just what it needs. All this, so you can grow your own at home!

What is a Prayer Plant?

The prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) is a slow-growing evergreen perennial in the arrowroot (Marantaceae) family. These plants are sometimes confused with Calathea orbifolia, which shares a common name with the topic of this piece. Prayer plants are great for homes full of kids and/or pets because they aren’t toxic.

Native Area

All prayer plants are native to the tropical rainforests of Brazil, South America. Their common name was assigned due to their their propensity to rise toward the sun as it sets and fall back toward the earth as it rises.

Characteristics

The structure of maranta is incredible, with ovular, broad leaves that have defined veins of varying colors. Usually the central vein is a different color than those that branch to the leaf margins. The foliage of these plants is waxy, and their undersides are a matte grey-green. The leaves of the prayer plant alternate in an elliptical fashion on stiff, rubbery stems. 

The overall structure of the plant is bushy, but it can serve as a ground cover in certain tropical areas. At the height of the growing season, the flowers small white to purple blooms that grow in pairs on a single inflorescence. The flower has a structure somewhat like a cross between a pansy and a half flower, and produces a single seed after it dies away. The roots of prayer plants are thick and branch out below the plant. 

Prayer plant propagation is easy and fun. There are plenty of varieties to choose from, too! 

Varieties

The varieties we discuss here aren’t specifically maranta plants. They are the most common of the 40 to 50 prayer plant types currently available. 

• Red prayer plant, red maranta: the classic variety with lush, deep green leaves and bright red veins. The center vein is surrounded by cream splotches. 
• Maranta leuconeura var. leuconeura, ‘Black Prayer Plant’: grey to olive green leaves, a silvery midvein, silver branching veins, and a red center that surrounds the midvein. Blooms white flowers.
• Maranta leuconeura ‘Kim’: with varying shades of green, the leaves of this prayer plant have purple spots, and a cream-white streak for extra flair.
• Maranta leuconeura ‘Marisela’: this prayer plant’s leaves are a lighter shade of green, and the markings are an even lighter green – almost a cream-green color.
• Maranta leuconeura var. erythroneura, ‘Herringbone Plant’, ‘Lemon Lime Prayer Plant’, ‘Lemon Lime Maranta’: alternating colors of deep green and light green leaves and lighter veins. 
• Ctenanthe burle-marxii, ‘Fishbone Prayer Plant’: named for the bright almost white veins that run the length of the oval leaves. It’s not technically a maranta, but it’s extremely similar.
• Stromanthe sanguinea, ‘Tri-Colored Prayer Plant’: differs greatly in structure when compared to maranta. Long, starkly streaked leaves with pops of cream, pink, and varying shades of green. The leaf texture on these plants is very waxy. 

Planting

You won’t need to report your maranta much at all. However, when it becomes root-bound, it will grow much slower. To repot, choose a container that is one to two inches wider than the existing pot. Remove the maranta from the current pot and put it in the new pot with a bit of extra soil mix. Water well, and your houseplant will grow easily. 

How to Grow Prayer Plants

Now that we’ve discussed types of prayer plants, let’s cover the basic care for the maranta species only. Then you’ll know just how to care for your slow grower in a container or hanging basket.

Light

Direct sun or too much sun scorches the leaves of the prayer plant and may kill it. These plants prefer six to eight hours of bright indirect light during the day. They’re tolerant of low-light areas as long as there is good air flow. Keep your plant out of direct sunlight near a window that receives bright light or in an area of your garden that gets indirect sunlight. Low light conditions won’t hurt them, but these slow growers may do better when they receive enough light to have significant growth.

Water

Prayer plants do not like to be dry and always prefer moist soil. That means you’ll likely have a watering routine that includes frequent watering in brighter light. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering. Water at the soil surface, but never let the plant’s roots get soggy. When you water prayer plant, use room-temperature water. In the winter, reduce watering as your prayer plant goes dormant.

You may have heard that some houseplants are picky and prefer filtered or distilled water. This is one of those plants. Do not leave your plant in standing water, and ensure the pot you’re using has a drainage hole, as this can create conditions where disease can proliferate. 

Humidity

They also need high humidity, 50% to 60%. To maintain this high humidity, keep a humidifier nearby or lightly mist your plant with a spray bottle filled with distilled water daily. You can also sit your pots on trays filled with stones and water so that the pot is not directly in the water, but as the water evaporates, it creates a humid environment.

Soil

A general-purpose houseplant potting soil is great for these plants as long as it is well-draining. Mix your own soil, using one part perlite or coarse sand, garden soil, one to two parts sphagnum peat moss or coconut coir, and one pinch of lime dust.

The core ingredients, along with peat moss and coir, are enough to retain moisture levels and keep your well-draining soil moist, but not so much that they’ll give your plant wet feet. To improve drainage, add rocks or gravel to the bottom of your pot and ensure it has adequate drainage holes. Poor soils are not desirable for prayer plants. The optimal pH range is 5.5 to 6.0. 

Temperature

They are hardy in USDA zones 11 to 12, where temperatures sit right within the plants’ tolerance range of 60 to 85°F (16-29°C). Keep them in normal household temperatures, and do not put them in areas where the temperature drops below 60­°F, as this can easily kill them. Keep them indoors during that time. 

Fertilizing

During the growing season of spring through fall, prayer plants should be fed every two weeks. Use a high-quality water-soluble fertilizer.​ In winter, fertilize less or not at all, as conditions are not conducive to growth. Too much fertilizer at this time will create conditions for disease. 

Maintenance

If you want to make your houseplant bushy, prune it. Use a sterilized pair of pruning shears and clip the stems above a leaf node. The prayer plant will respond by sending out new shoots directly below the cut area, making for a bushier appearance! Do this two to three times per year in fall and early spring before your plants’ growth season. Remove any diseased parts as they crop up. 

Plants may need repotting every few years. See the planting section for more info.

Propagation

Propagating prayer plants is easy! Create a new plant from cuttings or slips in early spring. While prayer plant propagation is possible via seeds, it’s not as reliable. Take stem cuttings below the leaf node and dip them in the rooting hormone. Place the cuttings in shallow pots with soil when new roots have grown. Keep the soil moist, and when new growth appears, you know your propagation was successful. 

You can also place the stem cuttings in water in low-light conditions, changing the water every couple of days.

To propagate prayer plants by slips, take your healthy plants out of their pot, and dust the soil off their roots. Each of the stems should have a set of roots you can separate from the others. Then, plant these in new soil and keep them in a humid environment. In several weeks, you’ll have new tropical plants you can keep in hanging baskets or containers.  

Common Problems

There are a few common pests and diseases that affect prayer plants, and we’ll take some time to cover those now. While most of these are rare, it’s important to be aware of them and act appropriately if they arise. 

Growing Problems

If your prayer plants have brown leaf tips or brown leaves, ensure you don’t have them in an area where they are getting too much sun. If you have wilting or yellow leaves, check that your plant is getting enough fertilizer. Most prayer plant problems are related to a lack of humidity or soil moisture. Alternatively, soggy brown tips on the plant’s leaves may be related to inadequate drainage holes in your container. If so, find another container with better drainage, and repot the plant. 

Pests

Spider mites, aphids, and thrips suck the sap from prayer plants, causing lesions and limiting nutrient availability to your plant. If you see webs that these mites weave, or the prayer plant leaves curling, use neem oil to get rid of these congregating insects. 

Fungus gnats are more common indoors than outdoors. While the adult form of these pests doesn’t harm your prayer plant, they can lay eggs that hatch root-hungry larvae. You can dilute neem in water, and irrigate your plants with it every week or so to kill any eggs or larvae. 

Mealybugs are tiny cotton ball bugs that suck plant sap. To get rid of them, pop them off your plant with a Q-tip soaked in rubbing alcohol. Then, mist your plant with insecticidal soap to prevent any further infections. 

Diseases

Leaf spot is a fungal disease that can affect prayer plants in overly wet conditions. Water soaked lesions are a sign this disease has set in. If this occurs, move your prayer plant away from others to prevent the spread of this disease. Neem will kill an existing infection. Reduce watering and misting to prevent further infection.  

Root rot is another disease caused by fungi that love temperate and wet conditions. Mushy stems and leaves indicate that your plant is experiencing rot. Reduce watering and misting to prevent the rot from spreading throughout the plant. Remove any damaged leaves or stems. If the problem persists even after this, you may have to start over with a new plant.  

Frequently Asked Questions