Maranta

Prayer Plant

Native to the moist rainforest floors of Southern & Central America

Position - In a warm room in filtered light away from direct sun. Tolerates light shade.

Water - Regularly to keep soil just moist but not soggy. Allow surface to slightly dry in between waterings. Never allow pot to sit in water as roots will rot

Humidity - prefers high. Leaf tips and margins can quickly brown in dry conditions. Standing pot on a tray of damp pebbles can help

Feed - apply diluted liquid fertiliser once a month from spring to autumn

- Browning leaf tips and margins indicate underwatering and lack of humidity

- Leaves may fold in response to darkness hence the nickname

- Tiny blooms will periodically appear on long thin stems

- Too much light will cause leaves to fade, but if insufficient the stripes will fade or not develop and the plant will become leggy