I found a large one at Lowes today in a hanging basket some how I have never thought of this plant as a hanging type plant. But I have never seen one for sale this big. It has several plants in the pot.

This is a plant that I have always loved that my Mom grew so good but I seem to kill it after a few years it just up and dies.

Ignore the persian sheild. I put a clipping in the pot because I broke a piece off to root for next summer pots.

For some reason, the same thing happens to me. My Marantas look and do great for a couple of years, and then slowly just kind of wither away, even though their care doesn't change. I dearly love these plants, but have stopped buying them because of this. Anyone else have this problem? Cinta, your plant is gorgeous!

It is a beauty I've had mine for years and I try not to ever let it dry out completely, I keep the soil lightly moist but not wet if that makes sense. I love hearing it close up at night first time I heard it I couldnt figure out what the noise was. I'm sure others will give you more advice.

Cinta, what a great find from Lowes, that is a really nice Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura) You should add photos of your plant to the database!

My luck with keeping both Maranta and Calathaea (same family) alive over the years has been hit and miss. I've had a Calathea on my screened porch for a few years that looks really ragged all the time but another one I sat out in deep shade amid shrubs about 3 years ago it looks really great! I just never see that one unless I go looking for it because it's totally hidden amid the trees and shrubs. It gets watered twice a week when the irrigation system is on and loves our high humidity here in Florida. I had one years ago that I left out on the back porch for a long time hoping that it was just dormant and that the rhizomes would produce new growth but it ended up getting dumped when we moved.

As Christine stated, the important thing is to never let it dry out completely. You don't want it sitting in water but the soil should be kept moist at all times.

The moist makes sense. You all have heard me say in the winter I am a no water girl.

My Mom was a housewife of the 50s and I do remember her watering her plants a lot. She always had this prayer plant. Maybe I will put it in the Terrarium this winter with the begonias.

Christine, Something funny for these type of plants of making that noise and the leaves moving. I was use to seeing the plant pray living because of my mom having the plant all my life. They were never big so it was not a scary sound as my Stromanthe sanguinea tricolor. I had this plant on a table beside a bench the first summer I had the plant and when it did that sound and the leaves moved I jumped up and started running. It was evening and I like to sit outside after the sun goes down and it is pretty dark here.

Imagine a plant this big making that sound and these many leaves moving.

Stromanthe sanguineas are probably among my top three favorites of all plants! I can't grow them because no matter what I do, its too dry here, but they are just so majestic, and yours is a fabulous specimen, Cinta!

Thank you seaecho. I grow it in a pot without drainage so it stays real moist. I also found it loves epsom salt. It brings out the colors and it started growing really fast when I started using EPS.

It took three yrs for me to work this out. It was down to one leaf two yrs ago

As I've stated this plant isn't really a beginners plant, it likes the warmth and humidiy of a terrium......

Cinta said:Thank you seaecho. I grow it in a pot without drainage so it stays real moist. I also found it loves epsom salt. It brings out the colors and it started growing really fast when I started using EPS.

It took three yrs for me to work this out. It was down to one leaf two yrs ago

I've had one for years, restarted several times after splitting and sharing. Almost lost it once. What ratio of Epsom salts to water do you use, and how often?

One tablespoon of epsom salt to a gallon of water once a month

The prayer plant make sounds? I'm actually at a store right now thinking of purchasing one, but I'm wondering if it might be too noisy. I never thought I would say that about a plant!

Yes you hear a swishing sound. If you are sitting next to them it is strange to see the leaves move like that out of the side of your eyes.

What causes them to move and make noise? Is it something that happens every day?

I ended up purchasing the plant because I absolutely love the look of it, but I'm just hoping I don't get spooked by my own plants.

I purchased Maranta leuconeura "Red" plus a smaller calthea that has a somewhat similar pattern. (I purchased about 7 or 8 plants of varying sizes tonight.)

At night the leaves fold upright like praying hands, hence the common name prayer plant. If the light is turned on in a dark room, or when daylight arrives, the leaves will unfold/lay back down. It's a cool plant.

WOW Dog you picked up a big haul.

Cinta, I got a little carried away, but considering there were about 15 or so that I wanted, I feel like I kept myself in check enough.

I will post a separate thread with my houseplant finds soon, I think.

You should!

Plantomaniac08 said:You should!

I started a new thread with pictures of my newest additions so that I'm not hijacking this thread:

The thread "My Newest Brood of Houseplants" in Houseplants forum


I haven't heard the leaves unfolding yet on my prayer plant. I wonder if the stress of a new environment can disrupt this light-activated function? And maybe I just haven't caught it yet.

I replied to your Plant ID. Just a guess though, so hopefully someone else will be able to confirm or deny.

Beth-thank you!

Deborah - is there a reason it might not be doing that in our house (yet )? It gets really dark at night where is at, and pretty bright during the day. Its leaves seem to always be unfolded, though. (I'm fighting insomnia tonight or I'd go turn the light in that room on and check. If it spooked me, though, I might never get back to sleep tonight, LoL )