prayer plant

How do you take care of a prayer plant?

Place your Red Prayer Plant in bright, indirect light. Avoid putting it in direct sun—too much sun will fade the leaf colors and burn the foliage. Keep the soil consistently moist when your Prayer Plant is actively growing in spring and summer, but reduce water from fall through late winter.

Where should I put my prayer plant?

Hang your plant from the ceiling in a west or south facing room. Find a corner where direct light cannot reach the plant and hang it so it gets proper light exposure and grows properly. Proper light exposure results in a prayer plant with rich, green stems and colorful leaves.

Why do they call it a prayer plant?

This hardy indoor plant earned its common name from the fact that the leaves tend to fold together at night, like a pair of praying hands. Most types of prayer plant have variegated foliage, adding to the plant's overall interest. Prayer plant does produce flowers, but they're not large or particularly showy.

Are prayer plants hard to care for?

Caring for an indoor prayer plant isn't difficult. ... Prayer plant has fine, shallow roots that are susceptible to root rot. So its planting medium and its container need to drain well. Water should be able to drain freely from the container's base.

Why is my prayer plant not praying?

Your prayer plant may not prayer if: It's not getting enough light. It's getting too much light. It's too wet.

How do I make my prayer plant bushy?

If you want to encourage more vigorous growth, you can prune your prayer plant. Use a sterilized pair of garden scissors and clip the stems right above a leaf node. The prayer plant will respond by sending out new shoots directly below the cut area, making for a bushier appearance!

How often should you water a prayer plant?

Water every 1–2 weeks, allowing soil to dry out half way down between waterings. Expect to water more often in brighter light and less often in lower light.

How long do Prayer plants live?

If you are unable to care for your Prayer Plant and provide it with the conditions it needs to grow then it will only last a few months or maybe a year. However if you're able to nurture it in the right environment then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to keep your plant for forty year or even seventy.

Do prayer plants like coffee grounds?

Do prayer plants like coffee grounds? Coffee grounds are commonly used to boost the nitrogen content of potting soil and to add a mulch-like texture. However, adding too much coffee on top of the soil your plants are in can trap moisture inside and invite fungal disease.

What are prayer plants good for?

Marantas (Prayer Plant): Gratitude

If you want to give someone a “thank you” gift, a Maranta can help symbolize your gratitude. Depending on the variety, Marantas can grow in low, medium, or bright indirect light, and usually need water just before the soil starts to feel dry to the touch.

Do prayer plants move?

The Marantaceae are a family of plants often referred to as 'prayer-plants'. Interestingly, these plants move throughout a 24-hour period, with the leaves rising in the evening and lowering during the day. Resembling prayer hands, they were so aptly named for their expression of foliage folding together at night.

What is indirect sunlight?

Indirect light is sunlight that either passes through a medium—a window shade or the leaves of a tree—or reflects off another surface before reaching a plant. ... Indirect sunlight ranges from the bright indirect light of east-facing windows to the fainter, indirect light of north-facing windows.

When should you repot a prayer plant?

Care of Prayer Plants

Repot the plant if you see roots growing out of the drainage holes, if you need to water more frequently or if the plant stops growing. Don't expect to have to do this often, as prayer plants don't mind being slightly root bound.

Why is my prayer plant curling?

Leaves will curl is the plant is cold, or excessively dry from constant warm airflow. Your Prayer Plant is a tropical plant, so it will thrive in more humid environments. Increase the humidity around your plant by misting the leaves on a regular basis, using a pebble tray, or moving a humidifier nearby.

Why are the tips of my prayer plant turning brown?

Why do prayer plant leaves turn brown? Prayer plants with brown tips can be caused by low humidity, improper watering, excess fertilizer or even too much sun. Cultural conditions are easy to change and soon your beautiful houseplant will be back to its glossy glory.

Do prayer plants bloom?

In the rainforests where it originates, the maranta plant blooms in the spring with small, white flowers. While this rarely occurs indoors, the plant's stunning leaves more than make up for the lack of flowers. When they receive the right care, the maranta plant is one of the prettiest indoor plants you can grow.

How do you cut dead leaves off a prayer plant?

In the fall, cut back older leaves. Use sharp, clean pruning shears. Prayer plants are also easy to propagate through division when you repot them in the spring. In addition, you can propagate prayer plants through cuttings.

What plant represents healing?

Aloe (Aloe vera)

Healing and protection.
Great for: People interested in holistic health.

How big does a prayer plant get?

All varieties of prayer plant (Maranta, spp) have a horizontal growth habit that makes them ideal for hanging baskets, low bowls, or large dish gardens. Prayer plants grow 10 to 12 inches tall and can spread 15 to 18 inches wide.

Why do prayer plant leaves turn yellow?

By far the most common Maranta prayer plant problems are caused by incorrect care. Bright lighting or excessive phosphate or fluoride can cause leaf tips and margins to burn, leaving a band of yellow tissue between the healthy and dead tissues. Chlorosis causes yellow prayer plant foliage, especially on younger leaves.