Common Name: Red Maranta, Prayer Plant
Botanical Name: Maranta leuconeura
This Prayer Plant does not have a wrong side, so break out that camera and click away from any angle. Red Maranta provides color and texture for lower-lit areas in your home and is an excellent air purifier. This houseplant also has a unique feature -- its leaves move in response to the light! So, don't be surprised if you find the leaves pointing towards the sunlight when you get home. Red Marantas are also known as Prayer Plant as they are closely related to Calathea. The leaves of Red Maranta close up at night, which resemble hands in prayers. The leaf motion is known as nyctinasty. The foliage of the plants has a beautiful oval shape. The leaves are beautiful olive-green color with a striking pop of red vines. Red Maranta's can be low maintenance when it comes to taking care of them. However, they still need all the primary caretaking to thrive and grow their luscious foliage. Keeping your houseplants is not challenging if you equip yourself with the proper knowledge. Hopefully, these tips will help you to enhance your understanding.
Light
Red Marantas can easily survive with low sunlight but also thrive in a bright place with indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight can eventually make Red Maranta's foliage dry and crispy, and your plant will soon die. It is ideal for keeping your Red Maranta plant in a room that faces south or west. This allows your plant to absorb sunlight but not directly. Keep in mind that if your maranta plant looks faded or pale, it indicates that it absorbed too much sunlight. On the other hand, if the plant is not lying flat during the day, it requires more sunlight. Learn where to put your plants for the best light!
Water
Red Maranta's thrive when the soil is moist but avoid soggy soil. Red maranta's roots are prone to rot; therefore, soggy soil will be a death sentence for your plant. Your pot must have a good drainage system so extra water can flow out of the plot. This minimizes the chances of root rot. Use filtered water whenever possible as prayer plants are sensitive to the salts and chemicals found in some water systems or wells. Learn when and how to water your indoor plants!
Temperature
The optimal temperature for Red Maranta is 65-85℉. Don’t place them near drafty windows or doors in the colder months. Exposure to freezing temperatures, even for a few minutes can damage the leaves. Keep your prayer plants warm all year long and provide them with good air circulation to help avoid spider mites and other indoor plant pests.
Humidity
High humidity is ideal for Red Maranta. The leaves may begin to curl or the edges will turn brown and dry out if they do not receive enough humidity for extended periods of time. Try to keep the humidity above 50% around your prayer plants to keep the leaf edges from turning brown. Using a humidifier or a pebble tray with water can help give them the extra dampness they crave. Learn how to increase the humidity in the air around your indoor plants!
Fertilizer
Fertilizing your marantas can help promote new growth and even blooms depending on the variety. Apply complete liquid fertilizer diluted to 1/4 the recommended every three weeks during the growing season. When re-potting, you can also amend the soil with worm castings or any organic slow release compost.
Growth Rate
Red marantas are slow to moderate growing indoor plants. They can grow up to 1’ in height with a spread of 2-3’.
Pet Friend or Foe
Red Maranta is non-toxic to pets. Friend!
Pro Tips
- It is essential to ensure that your pots have a decent drainage system as marantas are susceptible to root rot.
- Group them together in clumps so they help each other increase humidity. If this doesn’t provide enough humidity, then purchase a humidifier.
- Prayer Plants don’t like water with chemicals, so use filtered, distilled, or rainwater if your tap water is chemically treated.
- Why not have your tap water tested for chemicals and minerals? If your results come back negative, then it’s a reason to celebrate!
- Use garden scissors to remove brown, or yellowing leaves as they are difficult to pull out by hand.
- If you notice yellow or brown leaves forming at a rapid rate, monitor the soil for dryness, or over-saturation.