The prayer plant produces petite white or blue flowers that accumulate at the end of their long stemsPrayer Plant Also known as the Ten Commandments, a Prayer plant is among the houseplants that is capable of exuding beauty preceding and succeeding its blooms. Hailed from Africa, Asia and Brazil, the plant’s foliage, marked with dark patches between veins, fold up resembling hands clasped in prayer, when evening unfolds. The dark patches on its veins become darker as the leaf advances in growth. The underside of its leaves is shaded grayish green with bits of purple. In its native lands, the plants are seen as ground cover, as they are disseminated across the forest floor. The plants can grow as tall as a foot in height, while their intricately-patterned leaves can reach 6 inches in length. The plant’s scientific name is Maranta Leuconeura Kerchoveana and it belongs to Marantaceae family, which composes of 30 genera and 400 species.
Among its hundreds species, 23 belong to Maranta genera. Of 23 species, only three—namely Maranta Leuconeura, Maranta Leuconeura Kerchoveana and Maranta Leuconeura Erythroneura—are ideal for houseplants. The trio prayer plants produce petite white or blue flowers that accumulate at the end of their long stems. However, such feat is rarely captured in an indoor prayer plant. Besides the Ten Commandments, Maranta Leuconeura Kerchoveana is also known for its other monikers like Rabbit’s foot or Rabbit’s tracks and Green Maranta. While it is adaptable to indoor atmosphere, it grows best in bright indirect sunlight. The rich color combination only unique to the Ten Commandments is dependent upon appropriate sunlight supplication. Too much sunlight will burn its leaves, while insufficient of it will turn its leaves to curl and turn brown.Starting Spring to Fall, the plants should be watered with warm water. They appreciate pots with drainage because they cannot tolerate being waterlogged. They thrive in moist but un-soggy soil. This plant also requires high humidity to flourish, and to encourage blooming flowers. When it comes to temperature changes, the Rabbit’s foots can be temperamental! Their ideal temperature is between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. During Winter, the soil must be kept drier. They should also be placed among other houseplants to help create more humid conditions. Misting daily with warm water can help prayer plants to thrive in freezing season. Also, putting its pot on top of a shallow dish of pebbles and water is a helpful recourse. But, it is imperative to avoid the plant from being immersed in water. While it can grow to be a large plant, the plant is best kept compact in a short-half pot as it has a shallow root system. During its growth, its long-leafed stem may fall over the pot’s side. While it is a natural feat, it however, renders the plant scanty. In such circumstance, it is best to trim the plant. In fact, pruning the plant promotes healthy new growth. Early Spring or Summer is the best time for repotting and propagating a prayer plant. Division should be done in Spring, and stem cutting must be in early Summer. To cut a stem, it must be done from below the nodes nearest to the bottom of a plant’s stem. The cut stem is then placed in a mixture of moist peat and perlite covered with plastic to sustain its moisture level. Air holes are made for the stem to breathe. Position the cutting in a sunny location. To receive automatic updates whenever changes are made to our site visit our BLOG PAGE today. This page listed under Indoor Plants Photo Credit. |
