Prayer plant
Maranta leuconeura · also called Maranta
Foliage and indoor
- Light
- Part sun, Shade or indoors
- Pot size
- Small pot (up to about 5 litres)
- Care level
- Not rated by our source
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; no cold limit in our source
- Pets
- Pet safety not confirmed
Light and position
Bright, indirect light; NC State says it tolerates low to medium light but not direct sun.
Size and pot
A low, spreading plant: NC State lists 6 inches to 1 foot tall. Our pot band: small pot (up to about 5 litres).
Watering
Keep the mix evenly moist during the growing season and let it dry out somewhat in winter.
Potting mix and feeding
Use a free-draining mix: poorly drained soil causes root rot. Too much fertiliser, and water high in fluoride, burn the leaves.
Growing through the year
Needs high humidity; NC State suggests a tray of wet pebbles and warns against low temperatures and cold draughts.
Winter outdoors
Cold limit: not given by our source. NC State lists USDA zones 11a to 11b and warns against low temperatures without giving a figure, so we do not give an outdoor winter limit.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Cold limit not given by our source: protect from cold |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Cold limit not given by our source: protect from cold |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Cold limit not given by our source: protect from cold |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Cold limit not given by our source: protect from cold |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Cold limit not given by our source: protect from cold |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Cold limit not given by our source: protect from cold |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Occasional spider mites and mealybugs.
Pets and people
ASPCA’s “Prayer Plant” entry is filed under a different species (Calathea insignis), which it lists as non-toxic. We could not confirm the listing for Maranta leuconeura itself, so we do not mark it pet-safe.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: not rated by our source. Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.