Prayer Plant Care Guide

Basic Prayer Plant Care

Maranta plants get their nickname Prayer Plants from the unique way their leaves fold in the evenings which looks as if they are praying. Below you will find our complete Prayer Plant care guide with all the information you need to take care of your plant as well as deal with any issues you may run into. 

About the Prayer Plant

Native to the tropical rainforests of Brazil, the Prayer Plant family is loved for their variegated leaves with intricate vein patterns. You can easily spot a Prayer Plant by its leaf undersides as shades of deep red are revealed when the plant’s leaves curl up at night, bringing a splash of colour to your home. This natural folding of the leaves is called nyctinasty. Not only do Prayer Plants curl their leaves when night falls, but they generally move around a lot during the day too. Prayer Plants naturally follow the source of sunlight and if you were to watch a timelapse of your plant, you’d be shocked at how much they move and dance around. 

Prayer Plants are quite slow growers, which spread out rather than grow tall. You may only find that your Prayer Plant reaches only about 30cm in height, but they will become quite bushy as they mature outwards. 

Don’t expect your Prayer Plant to produce an abundance of flowers in spring and summer as they only very rarely bloom when grown indoors. You may be lucky and see the occasional small white flower but this won’t be a regular occurrence, unfortunately. 

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There are several varieties of Prayer Plants that all look ever so slightly different. The most common is the tri-coloured Prayer Plant (M. leuconeura erythrophylla), also called the Herringbone plant which has red-veined leaves. You will also often see the Rabbit’s Foot Prayer Plant (M. leuconeura kerchoveana) which has more solid green leaves with darker green splashes. The third common variety is the Silver Band Prayer Plant (M. leuconeura massangeana) which has a dark green leaf background with a row of silver patches and white veins.

Prayer Plants prefer bright, indirect light

Although Prayer Plants can survive, and often thrive, in most light conditions, the ideal spot would be somewhere with bright but indirect sunlight. If your Prayer Plant gets too much bright indirect sunlight then the leaves can fade in colour and burn which shows up as brown or yellow burnt patches on the leaves. Unfortunately, this is irreversible so it’s important you make sure your Prayer Plant is away from direct sunlight in summer where the light is not only out for much longer each day, but the rays are stronger and more intense. 

If your Prayer Plant is getting too little light, then the new leaves on your plant will start to lose their variegation and become a more solid green colour. If this happens, move your plant to a slightly sunnier spot in your home.

Prayer Plants need moist but not soggy potting mix

Watering your Prayer Plant is probably the most tricky part of caring for the plant as they need just the right balance to prevent their soil from drying out but not becoming soggy or waterlogged. We recommend buying a moisture meter to keep track of when your Prayer Plant needs a top-up. 

We tend to go for a little and often approach when watering our Prayer Plants to ensure that the soil doesn’t dry out totally but it prevents any overwatering from occurring as root rot is the number 1 killer of Prayer Plants. It’s important that you use a tray or planter to capture any excess water which you should pour away 30 minutes after watering. This gives your plant enough time to soak up how much it needs. Make sure you use room temperature water as hot or cold water can shock or burn your plant which over time can cause real issues. 

Top tip: when watering, water directly into the soil close to the base of the plant. Avoid getting the leaves wet when watering as they can begin to rot. Don’t worry about getting the leaves wet when misting as it won’t dampen the leaves enough to cause the leaves to rot but will hydrate the plant a little.

Use a well-draining potting mix for your Prayer Plant

Prayer Plants do best in a well-draining potting mix which includes perlite as this helps with not only drainage but aeration of the soil. Prayer Plants are very sensitive to overwatering so it’s important that your potting mix doesn’t stay too soggy.

To aid with drainage, you must have drainage holes at the bottom of the pot so excess water can run out. We also recommend putting a few small rocks at the bottom of the pot as these will prevent the drainage holes from being blocked by clumps of soil.

Prayer Plants need high humidity levels

As they are native to tropical rainforests, Prayer Plants like greenhouse conditions which include high humidity levels. If your home has quite dry air you need to increase the humidity in the room otherwise the leaves on your Prayer Plant will quickly dry out. 

There are a few different methods you can use to increase the humidity for your Prayer Plant. Misting the leaves every few days using a spray bottle is super easy but does come with the slight risk of leaf rot if you mist your Prayer Plant’s leaves too much in colder months. You can also make your own pebble tray which allows water to evaporate around your plant. However, the most effective and reliable way to increase the humidity for your Prayer Plant is by using a humidifier. They create a stable humidity level in your home and some can even be set on a timer so you don’t need to worry about forgetting to turn them on.

Keep your Prayer Plant away from drafts

Prayer Plants don’t adapt so well to extreme temperatures so keep your plant away from drafty windows, AC vents or hotspots caused by radiators or cookers. Normal room temperature is the ideal environment for your Prayer Plant. If the temperatures are too low, your Prayer Plant will begin to lose leaves and if it gets too hot for your plant you won’t see many new leaves but instead, you’ll notice long spindly stems.  

Use a water-soluble fertiliser

Prayer Plants are quite slow growers so the best way to enhance growth is by fertilising your plant. You only want to fertilise during the growth months as Prayer Plants go into a dormant period.

We recommend feeding your Prayer Plant once every few weeks during spring and summer using a water-soluble fertiliser. We tend to use less than the recommended amount as what it says on the bottle won’t be accurate for every single plant! Too much fertiliser can burn through your plant’s roots which can cause brown leaves and plant death.

Propagating your Prayer Plant is super simple

Propagating your Prayer Plant is really easy and can be done through two main methods; division and stem cuttings. The method that you choose depends on how mature your plant is as well as your personal choice. 

When using the division method, carefully separate your mother Prayer Plant, ensuring a good amount of roots remain on both parts and plant straight into well-draining potting soil. How much you divide your plant depends on how mature your plant is and how many natural divisions there are in your plant. 

You can also propagate your Prayer Plant through stem cuttings by taking a cutting below a leaf node and growing it in water. After several weeks you should start to see new roots growing from your cutting. Once these roots have matured a little you can plant them into well-draining soil and care for it as you would your mother plant. We recommend only taking stem cuttings in spring as it will take several months for roots to grow and doing the process in the warm sunny months gives your cuttings the best chance at success.

Watch out for pests on your Prayer Plant

Unfortunately, Prayer Plants are prone to pests such as spider mites and mealybugs. It’s important to keep a constant eye on your plant’s leaves to spot any early signs of pest as this will give you the best chance of spotting the issue early. Check the undersides of the leaves as that’s where the pests like to hang out. We also recommend giving any new plants the once over after buying them as this will help prevent bringing unwanted insects into your home.

The most common signs that your Prayer Plant is infested with pests are: white powder on the leaves, webbing across the leaves, brown dots on the plant or small holes in the leaves. Use a magnifying glass to spot any issues or even visible pests. 

If you spot a pest infestation on your Prayer Plant, treat it with a natural insecticide. We have always found need oil to be really successful. Move your infected plant away from any other houseplants so that the pests cannot jump across the leaves and harm your other houseplants.

Only ever repot your Prayer Plant in Spring

Maranta Prayer Plants have very shallow roots as they grow outwards rather than upwards so you shouldn’t need to repot your plant very often. Once every couple of years or so will do. Repotting can cause your Prayer Plant to be a little shocked as moving home can be pretty stressful (plants are more similar to humans than you might think!). 

When you do repot, choose a pot only a few cm bigger than the last or it can make the plant unstable and increase the risk of waterlogged soil. Due to their shallow roots, you should pick a pot that is wider than deep as this will help aid their spreading growth.

Prayer Plants are non-toxic to pets and humans

One great thing about Prayer Plants is that they are completely safe for dogs and cats. So you don’t need to worry about your pet coming into contact or digesting part of your Prayer Plant. However, it’s good to discourage your pets from eating any of the leaves on your Prayer Plant as some houseplants are extremely toxic!

Prayer Plants need good ventilation and airflow

Growing your Prayer Plants indoors means they don’t get any exposure to the outdoor elements. This definitely does have positives as there’s no risk of high winds breaking your plant and there are fewer pests to kill your plant. However, it does mean that your Prayer Plant may not get adequate airflow which leaves them much more susceptible to disease or other issues. Avoid placing your plant near any vents to achieve airflow but fans and open windows will give good ventilation and help your Prayer plant thrive. 

Prune your Prayer Plant in spring

Throughout the colder darker months, your Prayer Plant will go into a dormant period where growth slows and becomes leggier. Pruning your plant in spring can encourage bushier growth and keep your plant looking healthier too! Using a clean pair of scissors (to avoid the risk of passing bacteria or pests onto your plant) and make a few cuts above the node on the stem. This will encourage new growth to form right under the cut. 

If you spot a yellowing leaf on your Prayer Plant, you may be wondering if you should cut it off or wait for it to naturally fall off. Both options are fine but we tend to remove yellow leaves so your Prayer Plant doesn’t waste any unneeded energy trying to revive it. Once the leaf has turned yellow there is no going back so it’s best to remove it and it will help your plant look better too.

   

Prayer Plant FAQs

Quick and simple answers to the most common questions we see about the Prayer Plant .

     

Common Problems with your Prayer Plant

Here are some common issues that you might run into. It's important to diagnose any issues early to give your plant the best chance of bouncing back.