Maranta

All you need to know about

How to care
for your Maranta

Overview

Named after Bartolomeo Maranta, an Italian physician and botanist of the 16^th century, the Maranta is native to – no, not Italy – but France! It’s more commonly known as a Prayer plant since their leaves fold up at night like two small hands coming together at the foot of a bed just before it’s bedtime.

Low and slow growing – these Prayer plants can eventually get up to a foot tall in your home. We recommend Prayer plants for smaller spaces if you’re looking for something that won’t outgrow your micro-sized apartment too quickly. Plus, they’re a low, lush plant with incredibly beautiful and colourful leaves in case you’re looking to add more than just green to your décor and list of things to keep alive.

Maranta Type
Maranta leuconeura ‘Erythroneura’ (Red Prayer Plant)
Maranta leuconeura var. ‘Massangeana’ (Black Prayer Plant)
Maranta leuconeura ‘Kerchoveana’ (Green Prayer Plant)
Maranta leuconeura “marisela”

Older articles Back to Plant Care Newer articles

The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Maranta

If you’re looking for a quick increase in clout and ‘likes’, simply capture a time lapse video of the Prayer plant opening and closing its leaves throughout the day. All that’s left is a witty and clever caption – “answering someone’s prayers” is probably taken.
There’s a fun legend out there that says some of the brown leopard-pattern on one of the varietals of the Prayer plants was left by an angel kissing the plant when he flew down to earth; something-something-something, everyone who sees or grows these plants will have a happy life. Makes sense to us!
Maranta Leuconeura is also sometimes called the Rabbit Tracks plant because of the chocolate brown markings on the leaves of this varietal – sorry, Prayer plant – sometimes you need to share the spotlight.

Plant Care Tips

Care Level

Looking for low-maintenance? Sorry, prayer plants aren't it! They're a bit demanding, needing precise watering schedules to thrive. Prone to drought, they'll wither without care. Watch out for pests like mealybugs and spider mites. Meeting their needs is like packing an acceptable-sized carry-on; lots of conditions for peak growth.

Plant Care Tips

Light

We can’t stress how important it is to keep Prayer plants near a zero-draft window with indirect light only. Direct sunlight will burn those leaves to smithereens, rendering those beautiful lines and colours unrecognizable. They can tolerate lower light in the spring and summer months, but during the winter when they go dormant, it’s important to get them back into their comfy spot (indirect light) as this will help them continue growing in the slower months.

Plant Care Tips

Water

Water Prayer plants when the top soil layer is dry. Beware: they won't recover if the whole pot dries out. Avoid overwatering; keep leaves dry. Yellow leaves signal over-watering. Let tap water sit overnight to settle minerals; distilled water is ideal to avoid salts and chlorine, which Prayer plants dislike.

Plant Care Tips

Humidity

Create a cozy space for Prayer plants: warm, humid, with gentle airflow. Take it to the bathroom during your warm shower for a humid hug (no, don't shower with it). Pair with a humidifier or use a gravel-filled tray under the pot for added moisture. Think of it as leaving water and gravel for Santa instead of cookies and milk.

Plant Care Tips

Temperature

Prayer plants prefer temperatures between 16-27°C. Anything colder will cause its leaves to drop.

Plant Care Tips

Pets

Yes! They’re non-toxic to cats and dogs. You win this round, Mittens.

Plant Care Tips

Care Level

Looking for low-maintenance? Sorry, prayer plants aren't it! They're a bit demanding, needing precise watering schedules to thrive. Prone to drought, they'll wither without care. Watch out for pests like mealybugs and spider mites. Meeting their needs is like packing an acceptable-sized carry-on; lots of conditions for peak growth.

Light

We can’t stress how important it is to keep Prayer plants near a zero-draft window with indirect light only. Direct sunlight will burn those leaves to smithereens, rendering those beautiful lines and colours unrecognizable. They can tolerate lower light in the spring and summer months, but during the winter when they go dormant, it’s important to get them back into their comfy spot (indirect light) as this will help them continue growing in the slower months.

Water

Water Prayer plants when the top soil layer is dry. Beware: they won't recover if the whole pot dries out. Avoid overwatering; keep leaves dry. Yellow leaves signal over-watering. Let tap water sit overnight to settle minerals; distilled water is ideal to avoid salts and chlorine, which Prayer plants dislike.

Humidity

Create a cozy space for Prayer plants: warm, humid, with gentle airflow. Take it to the bathroom during your warm shower for a humid hug (no, don't shower with it). Pair with a humidifier or use a gravel-filled tray under the pot for added moisture. Think of it as leaving water and gravel for Santa instead of cookies and milk.