Maranta leuconeura, commonly known as the prayer plant, is native to tropical areas of Brazil. Because it can only be grown outdoors in the warmer regions within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 and 12, it is typically grown as a houseplant. Despite its tropical nature, it does quite well in the indoor environment, producing broad, 8-inch-long leaves with interesting markings. The leaves fold in the evening and open again at daybreak.
Grow the prayer plant in an area that remains between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. Growth is slow when temperatures rise above 90 degrees.
Place the indoor prayer plant within 4 to 8 feet of a sunny window. Outdoors, plant it in an area where it will receive at least four hours of sunlight per day.
Plant the prayer plant in a medium that consists of 2 parts peat moss and 1 part each of loam and perlite. If you will be growing the plant outdoors, amend the garden soil with a 2-inch layer of peat moss, mixed into the top 6 inches of soil.
Water the prayer plant often enough to keep the soil moist. If it dries out, the plant will wilt and may not recover.
Fertilize the prayer plant once a month while it is actively growing. Use a 3-1-2 ratio water-soluble fertilizer, such as 18-6-12 or 15-5-30, at a rate of 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in a gallon of water.
Leach the soil of container-grown prayer plants once a month since these plants are sensitive to the salts in fertilizers. Place the pot in the sink or bathtub and slowly run water over the soil. Allow the pot to drain and repeat the procedure three or four more times.
Prune the prayer plant in the spring and fall. Use garden snips to remove dead foliage and to shape it how you like. When you cut off the foliage, cut off the entire leaf back to the plant's stem.
Your Planting Articles
Things You Will Need
- Peat moss
- 3-1-2 ratio fertilizer
- Gallon container
- Measuring spoons
- Garden snips
- University of Oklahoma Department of Microbiology & Plant Biology: Plant of the Week -- Maranta Leuconeura
- Purdue University Department of Horticulture: Indoor Plant Care
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Maranta Leuconeura
- University of Florida IFAS Mid-Florida Research & Education Center: Maranta Production Guide
- Foliage Houseplants; James Underwood Crockett
- Oregon State University: Soluble Salts Damaging to Houseplants
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