Appearance

Marantaceae

Maranta

The prayer plants — named for the way the leaves fold upright at dusk and flatten again by morning, on a hinge at the top of the petiole. Low, spreading and rhizomatous rather than upright, and the genus most likely to be confused with Calathea, most of which are now Goeppertia. Kew accepts no varieties under Maranta leuconeura, which means the plants sold as var. erythroneura and var. kerchoveana are cultivars in Latin dress.

Native to Central and eastern Brazil

How Maranta generally wants to be treated

Species pages start from this and record only where they differ.

Light
Bright shade or dappled light, never direct sun. Commercial production runs at 1,000-2,500 foot-candles (roughly 10,800-26,900 lux) under glass, and NC State calls the plant intolerant of direct sunlight — the leaves bleach and the markings wash out.
Water
Evenly moist through the growing season, drier through winter, and never sodden; root rot follows poor drainage more reliably than anything else. On water quality, see the note below: the usual distilled-water advice is aimed at the wrong input.
Humidity
High — the one published figure is NYBG's "well above 50%", and everything else at this level of source is qualitative. NC State calls it intolerant of low humidity. Dry air shows as crisp brown margins, and brings spider mites with it.
Temperature
70-80 °F (21-27 °C) is ideal for growth, with acceptable growth up to about 90 °F (32 °C) and poor growth above it. NYBG puts the winter floor at 55 °F (13 °C). Cold shipping is less of a risk than it sounds — see the problems list.
Substrate
A peat-based mix, well aerated but moisture-retentive, at pH 5.5-6.0, with dolomite. Shallow and wide suits the rhizome better than deep.
Fertilizer
A balanced liquid feed at half strength every second or third watering in growth, nothing in winter. The production rate is 2.3 lb of nitrogen from a 3-1-2 ratio per 1,000 sq ft per month, which is a greenhouse figure and not a windowsill dose.
Propagation
Division of the rhizome, or single-node and double-node stem cuttings — the commercial method, two or three cuttings to a small pot. Both are easy; this is not a difficult plant to increase.
Dormancy
None that anyone has documented. No extension service, botanic garden or RHS page describes a rest period for this genus — what they describe is a watering adjustment through the darker months. It slows; it does not sleep.
Common problems
  • Crisp brown leaf tips and margins are the signature complaint. Penn State names phosphate fertiliser, fluoride toxicity and high light as the causes, and its fix is to avoid superphosphate and perlite rather than to change the water
  • Spider mites are the defining pest in dry air. Watch also for the tarsonemid mite Steneotarsonemus furcatus: distorted new growth with no webbing at all is that one, not the usual suspect
  • Root and rhizome rot in a mix that stays wet, especially in winter
  • Bright yellow line patterns are cucumber mosaic virus, not desirable variegation, and there is no cure
  • Leaves that stop folding at night usually mean too little light during the day, since the movement is driven by a clock that needs light cues to stay set
  • Faded, washed-out markings mean too much light — the opposite problem, and the commonest way to spoil a good plant

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In the collection