She loves lots of light but ideally not direct sun, which will make her colours fade. A little bit of shade is ok.
She likes her soil on the drier side. Wait for her soil to be dry to a depth of at least two inches before watering again.
She enjoys a humid environment. A naturally steamy bathroom or kitchen is great, or you can mist her regularly.
Botanical name
Maranta leuconeura
Nickname
Prayer plant
Plant type
Indoor
Plant height (including pot)
20-30cm
Pet/Baby safe?
Yes
Nursery pot size
12cm
Maranta leuconeura is part of a group of plants known as prayer plants. They get the name from the fact that their leaves fold up at night, like praying hands, then unfold in the day, to absorb the day’s light. All these plants have vivid patterns on their leaves and maranta leuconeura is one of the most dazzling.
The leaves are dark green, with a lime green ripple running down the middle. If that weren’t impressive enough, they have bright pink veins and a deep purple underside. It’s a stunning plant.
In the wild, you’d find this plant in the tropical forests of Brazil, where it grows about 30cm tall. It loves humidity (spray it regularly with a mister) but it likes its soil to stay quite dry. Only water it when it’s dry to a depth of at least two inches. Like most highly patterned plants, it needs lots of light to look its best, although avoid direct sun, which can fade it. A monthly feed with liquid fertiliser in spring and summer will also be greatly appreciated.
Did you know?
Although it looks very much like a calathea, they’re actually different plant families.
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