Prayer Plant: Essential Guide to Grow and take care of Prayer Plant?

Maranta, RattleSnake Plant, Peacock Plant, Red Veined Prayer, Zebra Plant. These are some familiar names for the Prayer Plant. Prayer Plant comes from the family Marantaceae.

The shape of the leaves are quite interesting because of the way it beautifully spreads and folds its leaves from day to night. Prayer plant come in different styles and patterns. 

The leaves are so beautiful with enchanting color stripes and green patches in the middle, making it look too artificial to be true. That is why the prayer plant is one of the best plants that are recognised and loved by millions of people across the world. 

These plants are great for giving life to your indoor decoration, also, you may get to see the pretty small white flowers that blooms in it but if you plant it just for decoration as indoor plant then maybe you won’t be able to see those flowers, as it needs proper maintenance and mild sunlight to grow properly. Plant it outdoors to see the complete beauty of this plant. 

The prayer plant grows slowly but can eventually reach a foot in height indoors. It is a well-admired houseplant that can be cultured and tended indoors at any time of year.

It’s good news for all who are curious to know about pet-friendly and non-toxic plants. Prayer Plant is non-toxic to humans as well as for pets, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to the Animals (ASPCA.org)

It’s so natural that plants grow so well in their natural habitat. If you want to grow prayer plants or marantas plants at home, then you need to create an environment that resembles as natural as its real habitat. For that, you will need just a few things to take care of, like well-drained loamy soil, mild warm temperature, time-to-time water, and the best location.  

How to Care or Protect a Prayer Plant?

Scroll below to see the relevant tips to grow and care for a prayer plant as an indoor plant including the proper soil type, watering requirements, fertilizers. Also find out the frequently asked questions related to prayer plant. 

Type of Soil to Grow Prayer Plants (Maranta)

Prayer plant need loam textured soil that is well draining, and you can easily find this soil in any nursery or order online. Slightly acidic soil is ideal for prayer plant to grow with pH levels – 5.5 to 6.0. 

However, if you want to create it at home then combine these to get the desirable result . ⅓  of garden soil + ⅓  of sand + ⅓  of peat moss + a pinch of lime dust to maintain the PH level. 

To increase airflow add some pebble at the bottom of the pot. This helps to regulate airflow and helps in draining extra water easily. Also, make sure that the pot has holes at the bottom in the center. 

Best Placement for Prayer Plants

Keep your prayer plant in a bright and warm place, except beside a radiator. Most importantly, do not place it in direct sunlight, or else it will dry and die in a few days. 

South west facing direction of your room or home which has glass windows is right to grow prayer plant indoors. There you get the appropriate amount of sunlight that is needed. If you decide to keep it on a windowsill, then put it behind the sheer curtain or semi transparent curtain of your window to protect it from direct sunlight. 

Another key point about caring prayer plant is that they also grow in darker areas where there is minimal sunlight. This condition seems like a rainforest habitat, where there is less or no sunlight at the bottom, but still plants grow well. 

If you notice that stems are getting long or shaggy, it’s a signal to provide more sunlight to your plant, without delay keep it in an area where it can absorb more sunlight. 

How to Water Prayer Plants?

Water the prayer plant from time to time to keep the soil muggy. To understand when the right time to water is, touch the top layer of the soil in the pot. If it feels dry, then water it or wait until it is dry. Proper maintenance involves keeping the soil moist.

The ideal time to water the prayer plant is early morning with purified water(to remove chlorine from the water, if any) at room temperature. This way, it provides enough moisture to the soil and prevents it from rotting. Why filter water is essential to plants because it filters out extra chemicals from water, such as chlorine, which affects plant growth.

How frequently should you water the prayer plant? It is totally dependent on factors such as room temperature, the season, and household heat for several reasons. Prayer plants need more water, mainly in spring or summer, when they grow faster. 

Prayer Plant Care: Why Humidity is Important for Prayer Plant?

High humidity is required for the prayer plant to get the rainforest vibe. You can use a humidifier or put it on a try with pebbles and water to increase humidity. Keep in mind that prayer plant need humidity and water regularly.

In summer, watering more frequently and hydrating once or twice in a week is okay, while, in winter season, watering less frequently and hydrating the leaves once a day or in two days is essential, because houldhold air is dry during winter. 

Another way to hydrate a plant is to keep a bowl of water near the plant or put many plants together near to each other. The longevity of prayer-plants lasts up to 30 to 40 years. So, providing proper maintenance can serve you for a long time.

Try dusting its leaves occasionally, once or twice a month, with a damp cloth. It will not just clean the dust but also hydrate it at the same time. If you have any doubt about when my plant needs more humidity, there is a way to understand that when you see that leaves are getting brown or dry, then this is the signal. Also, avoid watering more than required, as this can cause the leaf to rot. Alright, the mist would be enough for the plant to thrive. 

The Ideal Temperature for Prayer Plant

Average room temperature is ideal for the prayer plant to grow. Temperature above 23 Degrees Celsius counts as extreme and can affect the plant growth and leaves may dry. Temperature below 12 Degrees Celsius causes the leaves to turn brown and wither.

Usually, the prayer plant’s leaf burns if you put the plant in the south facing direct sunlight. However, air circulation is also important in keeping the temperature in balance for plants. Also, air is essential for a plant’s overall growth. 

How do you feed or provide essential nutrients to a prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura)?

Fertilizers are good for plant growth, keeping the leaves healthy and shiny. Fertilizing twice a month is sufficient. Also, you should start fertilizing your prayer plant early in the spring season. You should keep doing this until the fall arrives.

Essential nutrients are needed to encourage plant growth and keep leaves in their original color, whatever it is, such as red, white, pink, green vibrant colors.

Balance is important in every aspect of a plant’s care, taking about proper feeding and then remembering that too much fertilizer will make the plant’s leaves turn brown or it will damage the root, whereas less fertilizer will weaken the plant’s growth.  In winter, you only need to care about watering and misting the plant. 

Why is Trimming or Pruning Necessary? 

Trimming or pruning the plant from time to time is necessary for plants to encourage growth. Best time to prune the plant  is fall and spring. Pruning also helps prayer plant to get rid of any waste leaves and leggy stems. 

Regular trimming gives you a nice looking and healthy prayer plant in the house. Another thing is that prayer plants don’t usually bloom indoors, but if it does then remove it because it can take away essential nutrients from the plant. However, it has had no effect on plants for so long. 

How to Increase the Growth of a Prayer Plant? 

There are two ways usually considered to propagate the prayer plant, which are through division, through stem cutting. You don’t have to do much for that, only you need to cut a healthy stem from the plant’s base, and get rid of extra leaves that appear near the bottom side. Put it inside a glass jar or a pot containing the right soil . place it in a bright area , also cover it with any plastic with few holes in it. 

There is another unique way to propagate the prayer plant, that is if you see any broken part of the prayer plant then take it and put it into a rooting hormone mixture which stimulates growth, after some time you will notice the new growth. 

How and When to Repot The Prayer Plants? 

Prayer plants don’t require repotting so often, but if you see signs of lack of growth , then you may consider to replace the current pot with a new one which is larger in size, so that it gets extra space to grow fully. What time is best to report? Spring or summer is the ideal period to repot the prayer plant. 

How to prevent Prayer Plant from any Pests and Diseases?  

Regular inspection can save the plant from dying. Pests such as spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs can damage the plant. To prevent any plant from staying away from any fungal disease, it is necessary not to overwater the plant by regularly misting the plant.

Also, if you notice the leaves turn brown, then you should understand that either there is water logged inside the soil or more sunlight is getting in. If you don’t want your plant to die then repot it and shake the soil and add some nutrients to it. Try reporting it with fresh soil, and only water the prayer plant when its soil feels dry. Sometimes, you can do some home remedies to get rid of pests. 

Also Read: An Ultimate Guide to Grow “Peach Tree”

Key Takeaway About The Prayer Plant