Marantas are beautiful house plants, grown for their bold and striking foliage. The oval, variegated leaves are intricately patterned in a range of colours and patterns that look like an artist’s brushstrokes. The undersides of the leaves are often dark red.
Marantas are nicknamed prayer plants – they close up their leaves at night, like hands in prayer, before opening them up again at dawn. This daily movement is known as nyctinasty and is fascinating to witness.
Green Maranta Prayer Plant
Light
Prayer Plants need bright but indirect light - keep them out of direct sunlight.
Watering
Keep the soil moist (but not soaking wet) at all times from spring to autumn. This plant should be watered with filtered or distilled water - due to sensitivity to chemicals in tap water. Water less in winter, keeping the soil just moist.
Temp & Humidity
Marantas do best in a humid environment, so mist the leaves daily with tepid water or stand on a pebble tray that's topped up with water.
Feeding
Feed every couple of months with a balanced fertiliser. Wipe the leaves occasionally to remove dust.
Toxicity
The Maranta Prayer Plant is non-toxic to pets and humans.
Sad Plant Signs
Leaves that are droopings or curling inwards are a sign of underwatering, but will soon uncurl once you've watered it. Ensure excess water drains away afterwards.
Yellowing or wilting leaves could also be caused by overwatering. Marantas suffer when sitting in soggy compost as it causes the roots to rot (you may notice that the base of the plant is blackened). Allow the compost to dry out before watering again, and let any excess water drain away.
Brown patches could be caused by sunburn. Move your plant out of direct sunlight.
Faded leaves mean that the plant is getting too much light – move to a shadier spot.
Brown spots on the leaves are caused by leaf spot. Don’t splash the leaves when you water and avoid using tap water.
Brown edges on the leaves or brown tips can be caused by dry air – so boost humidity around the plant, either by misting or by standing on a tray of damp pebbles. You may have also overfed your plant, or watered it with hard water.