Maranta leuconeura
Common name: Prayer plant · Herringbone plant
Maranta leuconeura is a low-growing, rhizomatous perennial in the Marantaceae family, native to the Brazilian rainforest. Its oval leaves display striking herringbone patterns of dark green veins on lighter green, with purple-red undersides. It spreads horizontally, making it ideal for hanging baskets and wide, shallow pots.
Care summary
Sun
Low to medium indirect light
Water
Keep lightly moist; distilled or rain water preferred
Soil
Peat-based, well-draining mix
Hardiness
Zones 11–12
Mature height
15–30 cm (6–12 in), trailing wider
Pet safe
Yes — non-toxic to cats and dogs
Difficulty
Moderate
Propagation
Divide the plant at repotting time in spring, separating the rhizome so each section has roots and several leaves, then pot up and keep warm and humid. Stem cuttings taken below a node also root readily in water or moist mix.
Fun facts
- Its leaves fold upward each evening like hands in prayer, which gives the plant its common name.
- The leaf-folding movement is driven by a swollen joint called a pulvinus at the base of each leaf stalk.
- The genus is named after Bartolomeo Maranti, a 16th-century Italian physician and botanist.