Care guide
Prayer Plant
Maranta leuconeura
Trailing stems of intricately veined leaves that fold up each evening — gentler-natured than its Calathea cousins and lovely on a shelf edge.
At a glance
tap for detail ↓Just arrived?
Welcome home! A little settling-in is completely normal — here’s what to know in week one.
- A dropped leaf or a little droop in the first week is just travel shock — give it a calm, bright spot and time.
- Don’t repot for at least 4 weeks. It ships happy in its nursery pot — just sit that inside your decorative cover.
- Check the plant-specific watering guidance below before giving it a drink — different plants prefer very different levels of dryness.
Light
Bright shade suits it perfectly — a north or east windowsill, or set back from stronger light. Direct sun washes out the famous leaf veins.
Watering
Keep it lightly moist through the growing season, checking twice a week and watering when the surface has dried. Like Calathea it prefers rainwater or filtered water, though it’s a little more forgiving of tap.
Humidity & temperature
Average to high humidity keeps it happiest — it’s more tolerant than Calathea but still appreciates a kitchen, bathroom, or the company of other plants. Keep above 16°C.
Feeding
Half-strength balanced feed monthly, April to September. Nothing over winter.
Repotting & size
Shallow roots mean it prefers a wide, shallow pot to a deep one — repot every couple of years in spring into light peat-free mix, and pin trailing stems onto the compost if you’d like a fuller plant; they root where they touch.
Something wrong?
Most problems are fixable — find the symptom below.
Brown leaf tips
Cause
Tap water minerals or dry air.
Fix
Rainwater or filtered water, plus a more humid spot, stops new damage.
Leaves staying folded in the day
Cause
Stress — usually thirst or low light.
Fix
Check the compost and the light level; the leaves relax when conditions do.
Faded veining
Cause
Too much light.
Fix
Gentler light restores the contrast on new leaves.
Straggly, bare stems
Cause
Natural trailing habit getting leggy in low light.
Fix
Trim back in spring — cuttings root easily in water — and give it slightly brighter shade.
Yellow leaves
Cause
Overwatering.
Fix
Let the surface dry before watering and check the pot drains.
Crispy whole leaves
Cause
Underwatering over a stretch, or radiator heat.
Fix
Move away from heat sources and settle into a consistent checking routine.
Meet the plant
About Prayer Plant
Common names include: prayer plant, red prayer plant, herringbone plant.
- Listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs; as with any plant, nibbling may still cause mild stomach upset.
- This is the original ‘prayer plant’ — the evening leaf-fold is where the family’s common name comes from.
- The herringbone markings are part of what makes Maranta so distinctive.
Seasonal care tips, four times a year
What to change as the light changes — no spam, ever.
