Prayer Plant - The Ultimate Growing Guide

Enhance your home or office decor with these colorful indoor houseplants and learn essential prayer plant care.

Contributors: Janet Loughrey

prayer plant

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Prayer plant (Calathea) is a popular indoor houseplant grown for the striking foliage, which occurs in a wide range of patterns, colors and shapes. Commonly known as a calathea prayer plant, this tropical houseplant is native to rainforests of South America, is named for the foliage that folds upwards at night, resembling praying hands.

The common name is shared by several types of prayer plants in the Marantaceae family, including Calathea, Maranta, Ctenanthe and Stromanthe. These tropical plants are easy to care for, performing best in growing conditions that mimic their native habitat and proper prayer plant care.

PRAYER PLANT CARE & PLANTING

How to plant: Calathea prayer plants have a moderate to fast growth rate and may need repotting every 1 to 2 years. Remove prayer plant from its pot and inspect the roots. If roots fill the pot and are tightly wound, it’s time to transplant into a larger pot. Wait until spring when plants are actively growing to transplant. Calathea doesn’t like its roots disturbed, so care should be taken when planting when learning how to grow prayer plant successfully.

Use a pot that is 1 to 2 inches larger in diameter and slightly deeper than the previous pot.
Remove prayer plant from its current pot and inspect the roots for signs of root rot or other problems. Cut out any visible damage. Check plants for any other pest or disease problems that can affect calathea prayer plant health.
Make sure the new pot is clean and sterilized if it has been previously used to prevent the spread of disease. Pots should have drainage holes in the bottom to allow water to drain through.
Put a thin layer of fresh potting soil in the bottom of the new pot and place the prayer plant at the same level it was in the previous container.
Add fresh potting soil around the sides of the root ball up to the base of the plant.
Gently firm soil to remove air pockets, and water slowly until fluid drains out of the bottom of the pot as part of proper prayer plant watering.

Light: Provide medium to bright indirect light from an east- or west-facing window. Avoid direct sunlight, which can burn the leaves. If necessary, use a sheer curtain to diffuse the light, which helps meet proper prayer plant light requirements.

See more low-light houseplants that share similar prayer plant light requirements

Temperature: Calathea prayer plant prefers warmer temperatures found in its native tropical habitat. Optimal temperature range is between 60-85 degrees F. Plants may suffer damage if room temperatures drop below 55 degrees F for an extended period when growing calathea prayer plant indoors.

Humidity: Prayer plant thrives in high humidity as found in its native habitat. To boost indoor humidity levels, use a room humidifier, mist leaves regularly, or place pots on a tray filled with pebbles and water. Don’t allow the bottom of the pot to be submerged under water to avoid root rot, which is an important part of prayer plant care. Plants can also be placed in a room with higher humidity, such as a bathroom or kitchen, which can help when learning how to grow prayer plant indoors.

Soil: Calathea prayer plants grow best in a high quality all-purpose potting mix that drains well, following proper prayer plant care.

Watering: Keep soil evenly moist. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot, and don’t allow the bottom of pots to sit in standing water. Consistent prayer plant watering helps maintain healthy foliage.

Fertilizing: Apply a balanced water-soluble fertilizer monthly in spring and summer according to package instructions. Cease fertilizing during winter months when plant growth slows down.

Related: Indoor Plant Care 101

TRY THESE PROVEN WINNERS^® LEAFJOY^™ VARIETIES

Choose from different calathea prayer plant varieties to dress up your indoor decor:

Color Full^® Feather Touch^™ (Calathea louisae) produces oval dark-green leaves with a feathery pale-green midrib for elegant contrast. At night, the leaves fold up to reveal burgundy-red undersides. Add a touch of class to an end table, shelf or sideboard.

Color Full^® Freddie (Calathea concinna, syn. Goeppertia concinna) has oval leaves with a v-shaped pattern of alternating stripes. Coloring occurs in shades of silver-green or soft green separated by bands of darker green. This variety lends sophisticated elegance to a desktop or bedroom nightstand.

Color Full^® Orbifolia (Calathea orbifolia) adds a touch of drama to indoor decor, producing rounded orb-like foliage with silver and green striping and a shiny sheen. Leaves are thinner and more fragile than some other calathea varieties, making it more sensitive to tap water. If leaves develop brown edges, irrigate plants with distilled water and increase room humidity to support proper prayer plant watering.

Color Full^® Like a Prayer^™ (Calathea roseopicta) produces showy oval-shaped foliage on dark-colored stems. The leaves are intricately patterned with brushstrokes of light and dark green encircled by a lighter band of green and darker edging. Midribs are a contrasting shade of pink, while the deep burgundy undersides are revealed when the leaves fold up at night. Display on a tabletop or shelf.

Color Full^® Thoreau^™ (Calathea louisae) has wavy oval-shaped foliage produced on slender upright stems. Radiating out from the leaf midrib are brushstrokes of lemon-lime green accentuated by dark-green stripes. Adorn a desktop or end table with this striking variety.

PRAYER PLANT FAQS

Can I put a prayer plant on my lanai?

Prayer plant can be grown outdoors during warmer months in indirect light such as a shady lanai or porch. Avoid direct sun, which can scorch the leaves and disrupt prayer plant light requirements.

What is the best place to put a prayer plant?

Place prayer plant near a window that receives medium to bright indirect light, or use artificial plant lights. Direct sunlight may cause leaf scorch, while too little light may result in weak or leggy growth. Light requirements for individual varieties may vary, though they generally follow similar prayer plant light requirements.

What is special about a prayer plant?

Prayer plant is unique with its decorative patterned foliage that folds up at night, resembling praying hands.

Are prayer plants hard to keep alive?

Prayer plant is somewhat tolerant of different growing conditions. When provided optimal growing conditions, care is minimaland easier when following basic how to grow prayer plant guidelines. Look for signs of stress, such as leaves curling or foliage that turns brown or yellow.

Should I mist my prayer plant?

Prayer plant prefers the high humidity found in its native habitat. Misting prayer plant foliage regularly as part of proper prayer plant care, is one way to boost humidity in dry indoor environments.

How often do you water a prayer plant?

Prayer plants prefer evenly moist soil. Water when the top 1 inch of soil is dry as part of consistent prayer plant watering practices. Reduce watering during winter months when plant growth slows down.