Plants that go to sleep. Do you have a prayer plant at home yet?
You may know them as "prayer plants" or "praying plants," but we are mainly talking about two plants that you surely have at home or often see on store shelves: Maranta and Calathea. Houseplants that are both loved and disliked: you either fall in love with them or can’t stand them. Their needs don’t suit every grower. They require higher humidity, which is why they don’t thrive in every home, but if you have the right conditions at home for these plants, you will appreciate the beautiful coloring of their unusual leaves, especially in marantas.
So why are they called prayer plants? Both plants go to sleep, so to speak. This means that at night, both species lower and fold their leaves in a way that can resemble hands held in prayer. People often think the plant is wilting and not doing well, but it is a completely normal process and nothing to worry about. This group also includes the well-known Oxalis Triangularis, which does not resemble prayer, but at night literally folds its leaves together and lays its stems all the way down, which at first glance may look as if the plant has wilted. That is not the case: the plant is just sensitive to light and is sleeping. In the morning, it stands up again and opens its leaves. Most prayer plant species, especially the 3 species mentioned above, do not contain harmful toxins, so we can count them among pet-friendly plants.
Maranta
Marantas are also a highly developed group of plants, which likewise come from South and Central America. Maranta is often confused with calathea, because the two are related and very similar. The biggest difference is that marantas are mostly low-growing, ground-covering plants, while calathea is upright and tends to grow taller. Marantas have beautiful oval leaves in a very wide range of colors. Unlike calathea, this plant grows very slowly. In summer, marantas produce tiny, inconspicuous flowers.
Photo: Calathea Makoyana with colorful leaves
Calathea
Calathea is a diverse genus with many colorful cultivars, and it fits into any interior. The name of this plant comes from the Greek word "kalathos," which means "basket." Before they unfurl, the leaves of this plant grow rolled into a cone that looks like a little basket. The plant comes from South America, specifically Brazil. The most common species include Calathea Zebrina and Calathea rufibarba. Many calathea species flower from spring to summer, and the inflorescences differ in color and shape from species to species. Calatheas tend to grow more upright, and their leaves are larger than those of marantas.
How to care for prayer plants so they grow beautifully
It must be said that calatheas and marantas are better suited to growers with more experience. Beginners need to arm themselves with patience and not give up. Both species need higher humidity, which not all of us have at home. These plants may not thrive at all, especially in a dry apartment in a concrete panel building. But if you have the right conditions, they will be the stars of your home and, in time, grow nice and full. Let’s take a look at how to care for them.
Light conditions
Neither maranta nor calathea is suitable for direct sun, which would burn their leaves. They are plants for indirect, diffused light to partial shade. Too much light makes their leaves fade. The ideal spot may be on the north or east side, closer to the windows, where the sun won’t cause trouble and they will get enough diffused light. But they can also be happy farther from the windows. They will not grow well in the dark, though.
Photo: A dry leaf on a calathea.
Humidity and environment
Both species come from the rainforests of the Americas. That is why they love high humidity and also appreciate regular misting, which refreshes the plant and washes off settled dust. Dust settles fairly easily on calatheas in particular, as many of them have finely hairy leaves that trap it. The ideal room temperature is around 20 degrees, and in winter it should not drop below 10 degrees Celsius. The plants do not do well in a dry environment: their leaves start to dry out at the edges, and later entirely. The plant will decline and may die completely. These plants then take much longer to recover, because they put out new growth more slowly. Neither calathea nor maranta is suitable for spending the summer outdoors; they like their spot in a humid environment indoors. Even moving them around your home may not do them any good.
Potting mix and repotting
Calathea and Maranta prefer more acidic soil. A peat base or even pure peat suits them. They usually grow very well in houseplant potting mix. It is a good idea to fertilize the plant regularly. We repot these plants about once every 1 to 2 years, when the plant has completely filled the planter with its roots.
Watering
With both plants, the potting mix should never dry out. It is best to keep it constantly moist, but not soggy. In the summer months, you can water the plant more generously. It pays to water these plants with water that has been left to stand or boiled. Otherwise, white spots may form on the plants, and the plant will weaken. This is caused by too much calcium, which is found especially in the hard water from our taps.
However much we may love terracotta planters, these 2 plants can only be grown in them at your own risk. A terracotta planter makes the potting mix dry out faster, and even a slight delay in watering can have unfortunate consequences for the plant. If you don’t want to take any risks, choose a non-porous planter instead and make a drainage layer of expanded clay so the water can drain.
Photo: Marantha Light Veins
Propagation
Calathea is fairly easy to propagate by dividing the clumps. Young plants grow faster, so if you have a large clump, don’t be afraid to separate several parts from the edges of the plant and plant them in smaller planters. Within a few weeks, the root system will fill the planter and new stems will start to emerge, so you will soon have a smaller plant of its own.
Maranta can also be divided, but unlike calathea, it is also easy to propagate from cuttings. It is important to cut a sprig with a leaf so that it includes a growth node, which will root in water.
And what about pests?
Like many other houseplants, prayer plants are prone to certain specific pests. Calathea in particular is very prone to spider mites, which you almost never discover until it is nearly too late. The leaves start to decline and dry out almost unnoticed, tiny spots appear and, out of nowhere, fine webs. Vertimec will reliably help you with this pest. Mealybugs and scale insects may also appear occasionally. You can usually see them with the naked eye, as they form white tufts in the leaf axils or on the underside of the leaves, and Substral Careo spray will reliably deal with them. We recommend checking the plants up close regularly, especially the underside of the leaves.
Haven’t we put you off yet?
It may seem that these two plant species are so demanding that it might be better not to have them at home. But that is not the case. Many of us have surely seen, for example, a Maranta Fascinator on a shelf at our grandmother’s home, and it certainly wasn’t ugly. What matters most is a good spot for the plant, with the right light and the right humidity. Then your plant will most likely grow beautifully.
Maranta: a showcase of color
When you look at a maranta, what may catch your eye most is the coloring of its leaves, which is the greatest beauty of this plant. Their color pattern is very unusual compared to other plants. The most widespread marantas include Maranta Fascinator and Maranta Leuconeura Kerchoveana. But this group of plants also has several fairly rare varieties whose colors are a feast for the eyes. So for your shelf at home, don’t miss Maranta Lemon Lime or the even rarer Maranta Noid.
Photo: Calathea White Fusion has leaves that look as if an artist had painted them on canvas.
Calathea as the centerpiece of your home?
Some calathea species can take up quite a lot of space. Usually it is nothing compared to the giant Monstera deliciosa, but calathea can also grow large over a few years, and some species have fairly massive leaves. A very popular species is Calathea rufibarba with its wavy, dark green, slender leaves. A similar cultivar is Calathea Lancifolia, which has the same structure but completely differently colored, lighter leaves with striking dark green spots. More robust and also rarer species include, for example, Calathea Warscewiczii, which has very dark leaves with pink to wine-red stems. Its leaves are considerably wider. Rare and highly sought-after species include the variegated Calathea White Fusion and its relative Calathea Yellow Fusion. You will find all the species we have available here.
Author: Martin Seidl