© Firn/Getty ImagesCaring for prayer plants may be easy, but it's not the most important thing for gardeners. These plants (also known as arrowroot) are some of the best small plants to add color and lots of charm to your decor. Almost as beautiful as stained glass, these tropical plants have bright green oval leaves with colorful veins arranged in a distinctive pattern. Although the plants sometimes produce small white or purple flowers, their leaves are the real attraction.
During the day, the leaves of this sprawling houseplant lie flat, but at night they lift and curl like praying hands. “Parenthood is beautiful. And it's fun to watch it change overnight," says Lisa Eldred Steinkopf (aka The House Plant Guru), blogger, speaker, and houseplant expert . He mentions another selling point. "Aranthus make excellent indoor plants."
Although praying mantises are fairly easy to care for, they are ultimately low maintenance houseplants, they are somewhat sensitive to humidity and water. Do not worry! We provide you with expert advice on these and other aspects of prayer tree maintenance. So visit your local nursery or buy plants online, then read on to learn how to care for your tropical beauty.
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| Botanical name | Maranta Leuconeura |
| size | 10 to 12 inches |
| sunlight | Moderate to strong indirect light |
| Soil type | Moist, well drained |
| soil pH | Acid (5.5 to 6) |
| toxicity | Non-toxic to animals |
Where to plant a prayer tree?
Prayer plants need moderate to bright indirect light. "A location facing an east window would be ideal," says Steinkoff. Just keep these plants out of direct sunlight, which can discolor the leaves.
Temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees are best, and anything below 55 degrees or above 90 degrees will harm the plants. Because praying mantises are native to the rainforest floor, they need adequate moisture. You can increase the humidity by placing a humidifier in the room, mixing the plants, or placing the pot in a gravel tray. (To make a gravel tray, add a layer of gravel to a small tray, fill it halfway with water and place it in the pot).
As tempting as it may be to mist plants to increase humidity, don't spray water on the leaves. "Never forget them because the leaves are vulnerable to fungal infection, and wet leaves are a risk factor for this disease," says Horticulturist and New York Botanical Garden Professor Christopher Such. If you have enough light, prayer plants make great bathroom plants.
And don't worry about hiding them from your pets. These plants are non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Care of the prayer plant
If you want to keep your prayer plant, you need to focus on more than the light, temperature and humidity of the houseplant. Pay attention to the soil, water and fertilizer needs of the plants.
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Standard potting soil is fine for prayer plants that prefer slightly acidic soil. To ensure a well-drained, moisture-retaining soil, the mix contains perlite, small white beads that create air pockets and help the soil mix retain fluid.
the water
These Brazilian rainforest natives need a plant watering schedule that keeps the soil moist but not soggy. Lack of water is an easy way to kill a plant.
In the spring and summer, water the prayer plant thoroughly when the top inch of soil is dry, usually once a week. If plant growth slows in winter, reduce watering to every two to four weeks.
Prayer plants are sensitive to fluoride in tap water, so you may want a filtered drink. "Distilled water, bottled water, well water and rainwater are better for plants than most people's tap water," says Steinkopf. And while you've heard that leaving the water for a day or so can remove the chemicals, that only applies to chlorine, not fluoride.
fertilizer
Maintaining prayer plants does not require a lot of fertilizer. "Use one-quarter to one-half of a standard fertilizer for every fourth irrigation," says Steinkoff. So if you're using a liquid houseplant fertilizer that needs to be mixed with water, use half of the fertilizer for every recommended amount of water.
Remember that fertilization is seasonal. "Don't fertilize in the winter when the plant isn't producing new growth," he says.
Types of prayer plants
Prayer plants are attractive additions to home decor, but not all are created equal. To change up the decorations with these plants, add one (or more) of each variety below.
- Rabbit's Foot Prayer Plant. Also known as the green praying mantis, this variety has pale green leaves with dark spots that look like rabbit tracks.
- Red kid. This is an easily recognizable plant with dark green leaves with bright red veins.
- Neon praying plant. You can recognize this species by its bright green leaves and yellow veins arranged in a herringbone pattern.
Common pests
Even with near-perfect plant care, you can encounter unwanted houseplant pests. "Although mites, mealworms and sometimes thrips are the worst pests of archers," says Sack.
Spider mites are the most common, and although they are small, their webs can be seen on plants. "If the soil in the pot dries out, the plant will become a magnet for spider mites," says Steinkoff. "If you have infections, the undersides of the leaves will be sandy." The sand comes from skin damaged by ticks. You can remove cobwebs from leaves with a damp cloth.
Cutworms produce fluffy balls, usually at the junction of leaves and stems, that look like white hairs. Remove mealworms with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.
Thrips have small, elongated, flying wings that can damage young praying mantis leaves,” Steinkoff adds. Treat them with insecticidal soap.
How to propagate prayer plants
If you love your prayer tree and want more without spending a lot of money at your local nursery, you can grow your tree through propagation. Propagating the prayer plant is easy and there are many ways to choose from. Since plants are new pets, you may need a whole family of baby plants.
Keep the cut leaves in water
This is the easiest way to get more praying mantis because you can see the cutting progress. To do this, use a sterile instrument to cut the stem an inch or two below the leaf node. A leaf node is the bulge where the leaf stem meets the plant's main stem (the point from which roots grow).
Your expression can include multiple sets of leaves. Place the section in a pan of room-temperature water with the loop under the water and place it in a spot of bright, indirect light.
Maintain the water level. In a few weeks to a month, you should have long enough roots (about 2-3 inches) to transplant into a pot of soil.
Plant a leaf seed in the soil
Propagating plants with soil is not difficult. Simply cut the stem a few inches below the leaf nodes, as you would when propagating in water. Keep the cuttings on the ground and make sure the loop is closed. Do not put the leaves under the soil mixture, they will rot.
Place the pot in direct sunlight and keep the soil moist. After a few weeks, gently pull the plant. If you encounter resistance, it is entrenched and will continue to grow.
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"Amaranths are rhizomes. their stems grow underground and parallel to the surface,” says Steinkoff. "To propagate, simply divide a few clumps of leaves with their roots underground, and now you have more praying plants."
It's easier than it sounds, I promise. First you need to remove the plant from the pot. Remove the soil around the roots (carefully!) to see how the roots go down. Use your fingers to separate the root ball, spread the cuttings, then transplant each plant.
Frequently Asked Questions About Prayer Plants
Why are the leaves of the prayer tree wrinkled?
Leaf curl and brown leaf tips can occur for several reasons. Perhaps the humidity level is too low for the plant. The leaves may also react to the presence of fluoride in the water, or you may not be watering the plant enough.
How to make a praying tree bushier?
If you want a fuller plant, cut a few stems above a leaf node, which will encourage new growth right where you cut. You can do this two or three times a year just before (early spring) and after (autumn) the plant comes out of hibernation.
Once you've mastered how to care for prayer plants, think about how you can add greenery to your home. Try air purifying plants to detoxify your home or use herbal remedies that you can use.
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