Prayer plants are popular houseplants that are used for indoor gardening. These plants are very easy to grow and have specific needs to flourish. The botanical name is Maranta leuconeura. It is a member of the Maranta family. It is a potted plant that has the ability to spread. It is popular because of its beautifully colored as well as patterned leaves. The name prayer plant comes from the unique characteristic of the plant. The plant tends to close its 3 to 5 inches broad leaves in the evening and by night the leaves are completely folded. This gives them an appearance of folded hands in prayer. By day time, the leaves open back.
How to Care for It
These plants have specific needs that need to be catered to. They love bright, indirect sunlight and tend to droop in low light condition. They need well-drained soil and high humidity. The soil should be moist and not too wet or soggy. The pH of the soil should be slightly acidic. You should place the plant in an area that receives bright, indirect sunlight. Never, place them under direct sunlight. If the light is too bright, the color of the leaves will fade. If the leaves remain folded even in morning, it indicates lack of light. The temperature should be maintained at 65 to 85 F. Do not place them around air vents and drafts. These plants do not appreciate frequent temperature changes.
Humidity is the basic requirement for these plants. Maintain light and humid conditions for the plant to thrive. The plant should be fertilized with water-soluble fertilizers every two weeks. The container where you grow the plants should be more wide than tall. This is because the roots are shallow and the plant tends to spread. So it is better to place the plant in a wide pot. Use pots made of wood or plastic. Avoid using ceramic or clay pots that tend to absorb water. It is important that you repot the plant every spring. Mix two parts of peat moss with one part loam and one part perlite. Use this mixture to replant it.
Flowers
Prayer plant flowers are white, blue or pink in color. These tiny flowers bloom over a slender stem many inches above the leaves. If you want your plant to flower, you should avoid repotting. This is because the plant tends to focus its energy trying to reestablish its roots in the new soil. Whenever a plant does bloom, you will realize it is not at all insignificant, but really pretty.
Propagation
The propagation is easy if you have a healthy plant growing. All you need to do is bring home a container with a draining hole and fill it up with potting soil. Then, from your existing plant, select a leaf that is healthy and shows no signs of drooping or wilting. Cut the stem from the lower nodules and make a small cut just below the leaf. Now, dip the stem cutting in a rooting hormone. Place the stem in the potting soil and tamp down the soil gently. You can plant more than one stem with leaves. Just make sure the leaves do not crowd or they will rot.
Cover the pot with a plastic bag and secure it with a rubber band. Make sure the condition within the bag remains moist. You can remove the bad leaves and spray the soil with water when you notice the soil turning dry. The pot should be kept in a warm place in indirect sunlight. Within 2 to 3 weeks the roots will develop and when the roots are 1 inch long, transfer the cuttings to another big container. Feed it with fertilizers once every month. Keep the pot in bright, indirect sunlight and keep the soil moist at all times.
Toxicity
Those who are planning to grow this plant for the first time, often wonder about toxicity. This concern is especially true if you have kids or pets at home. The plant is a non-toxic plant and is not known to be poisonous in any way. The American Association of Poison Control Center has found these plants to be totally safe and non-toxic. Even the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals states that the plant is non-toxic and non-poisonous to cats as well as dogs.
Just take care of light and temperature conditions and see these plants flourish. Their broad colorful leaves make them popular office plants too. Completely safe and non-toxic, you will enjoy gardening in your home.
