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Maranta Leuconeura commonly known as Maranta Tricolor or The Prayer Plant, is native to Brazil hardy tropical plant. Known for its striking foliage and no-fuss personality, it makes a great plant for a beginner.
Maranta Leuconeura’s is known for doing a little ‘dance’ throughout the day, meaning you’ll see the leaves lying flat during the day and closing upwards at night as if in a prayer. This behaviour is called nyctinasty, and it happens as a response to changes in the sunlight. Maranta is a great plant to grow in a hanging basket as she’ll grow wide and low from it.
Size: plant is 20-30cm tall and it comes in a 12cm pot.
LIGHTING
Medium to bright light but is known for being able to tolerate less natural light. It’s good to keep her away from any bright light as if placed near a window her variegation will burn and fade.
WATERING
Regular watering but doesn’t like her soil to become excessively wet. Water her whenever the first few inches of soil is dry which usually is twice a week in the summer and less frequently in the colder months. She can be sensitive to the chemicals found in tap water and would prefer being watered with filtered or rain water.
HUMIDITY
Native to a tropical climate , the Maranta likes high levels of humidity. Placing her next to a humidifier or regular misting will help to keep her foliage fresh.
TEMPERATURE
Between 18-24°C. Keep the indoor temperatures above 18°C
FERTILISER
Use a diluted fertiliser once a month
REPOTTING
Fast growing and can be repotted once every 12-18 months or whenever her roots start to grow out of the drainage holes of her nursery pot.
TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR RED MARANTA
Curling leaves - The curling leaves could be a sign of two things:
- a little thirsty, if the first few inches of soil is dry then give her a thorough drink.
- She is suffering from cold stress. Check to see if she is near any open windows or drafts that could be causing her discomfort.
Drooping leaves - prefers moist soil. If her soil dries out too much then her leaves will start to droop. Check her soil and only water if the first few inches of soil is dry. It’s worth noting that Maranta's leaves move with the light. The leaves appear droopy during the day and will move upwards in the evening.
Yellow leaves - Yellow leaves often indicate that she has been overwatered however the occasional lower yellow leaf is normal especially in winter.
Brown edges: The brown edges could be caused by a variety of things.
- Has reacted badly to the harsh chemicals found in tap water. Use filtered or rainwater to avoid any more brown edges.
- Lack of humidity levels. Be sure that she is in a humid room near a humidifier or on top of a pebble tray.
- Occasionally the brown tips could be from under watering so it’s good to check that the soil feels moist but not soggy.