The illustrated growing guide
Prayer Plant
Maranta leuconeura
Family Marantaceae
Est. zones 10-12
The leaves literally fold up at night like praying hands and lie flat by day — kids love watching it move. Calathea's easier cousin, but it still wants humidity and soft water.
Medium indirect — direct sun fades the markings
Moderate water
Moderate growth
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing prayer plant? Hang it.
Our Houseplants Vol. 1 collection carries prayer plant — Maranta leuconeura, print Nº 12, “Prayer Plant.”
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
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Overview
Will prayer plant suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what prayer plant actually needs.
Hardy inZones 10-12Prayer Plant at a glance
Common prayer plant problems
- Spider Mites (dry air!)
- Mealybugs
- Leaf-edge burn from hard water
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow prayer plant: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate prayer plant
When to spray prayer plant
Growing season. Humidity + distilled water prevent crispy edges.
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The year
What prayer plant asks for, month by month.
The prayer plant year, month by month
No fixed season calendar for prayer plant — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Prayer Plant in the garden system
What prayer plant is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxicSafe for pets
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of prayer plant, ruled as a catalogue.
Best prayer plant varieties & cultivars
'Erythroneura' (red-vein herringbone); 'Kerchoveana' (rabbit tracks)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to prayer plantyet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Questions
Prayer Plant questions, answered straight.
Is prayer plant safe for kids and pets?
Prayer Plant is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Safe for pets. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate prayer plant?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
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Elsewhere
Where prayer plant sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron