The Prayer Plant is an evergreen tropical plant in the arrowroot family commonly grown as a houseplant in temperate climates. The Prayer Plant has variegated ovate leaves with entire margins that fold at night to resemble praying hands. The undersides of the leaves are gray-green to purple-green. New leaves appear as a rolled tube. When grown indoors, place in bright, indirect light. Too much sun will bleach out the attractive leaves colors. Keep potting soil evenly moist throughout the growing season, but hold back on watering to allow the soil to dry out in the winter months. Place this plant in a humidified room or in a pot standing in a tray of wet pebbles as it requires high humidity. The plant will spread horizontally. Propagate by rhizomatous division. This plant blooms under ideal conditions, but the flowers are small and insignificant. This plant is desired for its interesting, patterned foliage. The prominent red fishbone-patterned veins, pale central variegation, and pale underside are characteristic of this plant. By day, leaves are held parallel to the ground and move to a perpendicular 'prayer' position at night. The upper and undersides of the leaves lose color in low light and fertility situations. This plant is commonly used in interiors as hanging baskets and as ground cover in interiorscapes. This plant tolerates low to medium light. It is intolerant of direct sunlight or low humidity. It is also intolerant of low temperatures or cold drafts. Leaves will burn with high fluorides and with over-fertilization. This plant has no serious pest or disease problems. Quick ID Hints: Rabbit track-like dark spots on each side midrib Leaves raised to 'prayer' position at night Leaf underside is light grey-green Low-growing with oblong leaves and truncate apex Leaf is oblong-elliptic with red fishbone-pattern veins Leaf underside is usually red/purple Variegation down midrib is light green to yellow Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems but occasional spider mites and mealybugs can be an issue. Root rot may occur with poorly drained soils.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Available space
Less than 12 inches; 12 inches-3 feet
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Spreading
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Purple/Lavender; Variegated; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are alternate, crowded, simple, oblong-elliptic, have an apex truncate with a short sharp acumen, have a rotund base, are entire, have an upper side that is medium to dark green and variegated with pale green to yellow markings at the midrib, have central and main veins that are prominent in a fishbone pattern and are colored red, have pale green margins, and have an underside that is reddish to burgundy in color. Leaves exhibit sleep movement and are erect at night. They also have a long, sheathing petiole.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender; White
Flower form
Insignificant; Panicle
Flower shape
Lipped
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Rarely flowers indoors but flowers are small, have 2 to 5 petals, are white to purple or spotted purple, zygomorphic, two-lipped, and appear on slender stalks. The corolla tube is green, sepals are thin, bracts are persistent and papery, and staminodes are petaloid. Inflorescence is a stalked panicle on the axillary.