Care of the indoor plant Maranta or Prayer plant |
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The genus Maranta, family Marantaceae, comprises 30 species native to tropical regions of America. Some species are: Maranta bicolor, Maranta leuconeura, Maranta arundinacea, Maranta noctiflora, Maranta ruiziana. Common name: Prayer plant. They are rhizomatous tropical plants that reach 25 cm (9.84") in height and can grow horizontally or erect, depending on the species. The pretty oval shaped leaves have pretty green and red veins. The flowers are small and are not decorative. They are used as indoor or greenhouse plants. Maranta arundinacea is cultivated for the extraction of starch from the roots. The Maranta needs an illuminated exposure without direct sun and temperatures of 22 ºC (71.5 ºF) during the day and 15 ºC (59 ºF) at night. They do not resist the cold. The soil can be a commercial substrate for indoor plants. Water abundantly in spring and summer with lukewarm water without lime. In autumn and winter, reduce the waterings enough so that the rhizome rests; do not let the substrate dry completely. Fertilize with seaweed fertilizer every 15 days during spring and summer. The greatest danger to these plants is the direct sun that burns the leaves. They propagate in late winter by division. |
Images of the indoor plant Maranta or Prayer plant |
 Maranta  Maranta  Maranta  Maranta leuconeura Mint  Maranta leuconeura Mint |