# Prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura)

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/plants/prayer-plant · Updated: 2026-10-07
Source: Plant Guide (https://plantguide.ae/plants/prayer-plant)

Prayer plant · also called Maranta, Herringbone plant, Rabbit tracks, Red-veined prayer plant, Cathedral windows  
indoor · exotic · family Marantaceae · grows 0.15–0.3 m tall, 0.3–0.6 m wide · moderate growth  
part shade · moderate water need  
Ratings for Dubai (1–5, 5 is best): heat 1 · salt 1 · drought 1 · shade 3 · ease of care 2  
Sow or plant: Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov  
Uses: indoor, container

A low, patterned plant whose leaves fold up at night. Non-toxic to pets (ASPCA), but it needs high humidity and steady moisture, so it struggles in dry AC rooms without a humidifier or a windowed bathroom.

## About

Meet prayer plant, the original folding-leaf houseplant. Maranta's oval leaves carry a dark central blotch and a herringbone of pale or red veins, and each evening they lift and close like hands in prayer before lowering again in the morning. NC State Extension lists names such as cathedral windows, herringbone plant and rabbit tracks, all of which describe the pattern.

It is a small, spreading plant, 15 to 30 cm tall and up to 60 cm wide (NC State), that suits a tabletop, a shelf edge or a hanging basket. The mood is delicate and a little fussy. The RHS says it needs high humidity at all times and bright filtered or indirect light, and NC State says too much sun bleaches the leaf colour and over-fertilising burns the leaves.

In a Dubai flat that makes it a plant for a bathroom with a window, a humidifier corner or a glass terrarium rather than a living room with a vent. If you cannot offer humid air, pick a pet-safe plant that ignores dry air, such as spider plant.

Maranta leuconeura is a low, spreading perennial in the prayer-plant family, Marantaceae. NC State gives 15 to 30 cm tall and up to 60 cm wide, and the RHS a maximum of 10 to 50 cm. Red-veined and herringbone forms are both sold. The leaves fold upright at night, a daily movement called nyctinasty that the family shares.

Light should be bright but filtered. The RHS says bright filtered or indirect light is best; NC State says too much sun bleaches the colours, and that it tolerates low to medium light but not direct sun. In Dubai that means a bright room a metre or two back from tinted or low-E glass, never on hot afternoon glass.

Humidity is the hurdle. The RHS says to maintain high humidity at all times, with a steamy room, grouping plants or a tray of damp shingle. It also suggests misting, but UNL Extension says misting would need to happen every few minutes to change room humidity, so use a humidifier, a tray or a windowed bathroom instead. The RHS rates it H1B, wanting 10 to 15°C at minimum, and NC State says it dislikes low temperatures and cold draughts, which in a flat means the vent.

Keep the compost evenly moist while it grows and reduce watering in winter (RHS). The RHS says all houseplants prefer rainwater, because mains tap water contains lime and chlorine; filtered water is the practical choice in a flat. Watch for spider mites and mealybugs (RHS, NC State).

## Indoors in Dubai

- **Light:** grows well in medium–bright indirect light. Bright filtered or indirect light; too much sun bleaches the colours (NC State). Keep it a metre or two back from tinted or low-E glass, never on hot afternoon glass.
- **Dry air and air conditioning:** tolerance 1 out of 5 (1 = needs humidity help, 5 = indifferent). It needs high humidity at all times (RHS). Keep it out of the vent's airflow, group it with other plants, and use a humidifier or a windowed bathroom. Misting does not change room humidity.
- **Pets:** pet-safe: not toxic to cats or dogs on the ASPCA list.
- **Size:** tabletop.
- **Rooms:** bathroom, bedroom, home office, kitchen.
- **Finding it in Dubai:** specialist: look in specialist plant shops and larger garden centres.
- **Outdoors:** never: keep it indoors all year.

## Through the year

Prayer plant keeps its patterned leaves all year, and the nightly folding is a feature in every season. Through the warm months, roughly April to September, keep the compost evenly moist and feed monthly (RHS), and check for spider mites and mealybugs. The air-conditioning season, from about May to October in many Dubai homes (Murtagh et al., 2022), is when leaf edges brown fastest, so keep it clear of vents and add humidity. From December to February reduce watering a little (RHS), but never let the compost dry fully. October to November and February to April are the months to buy and pot up.

| When | What | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov | Plant: Buy and pot up | Cooler months, so the plant is not carried home in summer heat. Repot into a wider, shallow pot, since it spreads sideways (NC State). |
| Apr–Sep | New growth: Steady new growth |  |
| Apr–Sep | Feed: Monthly feed | The RHS says feed monthly; NC State warns that over-fertilising burns the leaves. |
| Mar–Oct | Pest watch: Check for spider mites and mealybugs | The RHS says it may be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite and mealybugs. |
| Jun–Sep | Heat stress: Hot glass and dry AC air | Keep it clear of vents and hot windows; the RHS says high humidity at all times. |
| Dec–Feb | Dormant: Water a little less | The RHS says watering can be reduced in winter. |

## Care in Dubai

- **Watering in summer:** Keep the compost evenly moist through the growing season (RHS, NC State), never soggy. Use filtered water where you can; the RHS says all houseplants prefer rainwater, because mains water contains lime and chlorine.
- **Watering in winter:** Reduce watering and let the compost dry out a little between waterings (RHS, NC State), but never let it dry completely.
- **Soil:** A peat-free, well-draining compost that stays moist (RHS); NC State says poorly drained soil causes root rot.
- **Feeding:** Feed monthly in the growing season (RHS), at the label rate or weaker. NC State says the leaves burn with over-fertilisation.
- **Pruning:** Cut dead or tattered leaves off at the base; no other pruning is needed.
- **Planting:** Repot in spring when the pot is full, into a wider, shallow pot since it spreads horizontally (NC State). Propagate by division, basal cuttings or root cuttings (RHS, NC State).
- **Pests and problems:** Spider mites; Mealybugs
- **Toxicity:** Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, according to the ASPCA, which lists 'prayer plant' (also called maranta and red-veined prayer) under the scientific name Calathea insignis rather than Maranta leuconeura. Eating any plant can still upset a stomach.

## Good and bad

**Pros**
- Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses on the ASPCA list
- Patterned leaves that fold up at night
- Low and compact: suits shelves, tables and baskets
- Propagates by division or basal cuttings (RHS)

**Cons**
- Needs high humidity at all times (RHS), so it crisps in dry AC rooms
- Leaves bleach in direct sun and burn with over-feeding (NC State)
- Prefers rainwater or filtered water to mains tap water (RHS)
- Spider mites and mealybugs follow dry air

## Common mistakes

- Treating it like a ZZ plant or a pothos and leaving it in dry air. The RHS says it needs high humidity at all times.
- Putting it in direct sun. NC State says too much sun bleaches the leaf colour and it is intolerant of direct sunlight.
- Feeding more to fix brown edges. NC State says the leaves burn with over-fertilisation; check humidity and soil moisture first.
- Watering with plain tap water every time. The RHS says houseplants prefer rainwater because mains water contains lime and chlorine; use filtered water. Water that has stood overnight can clear free chlorine, but not dissolved minerals.
- Relying on misting. UNL Extension says you would need to mist every few minutes to make a difference to room humidity; use a humidifier, grouping or a windowed bathroom.

## Good to know

- The ASPCA lists 'prayer plant' (also called maranta and red-veined prayer) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Its entries give the scientific name as Calathea insignis rather than Maranta leuconeura, so the listing is by common name. Eating any plant can still upset a stomach.
- The nightly folding is a normal movement (nyctinasty). Many calatheas do it too, and shops in Dubai often use 'prayer plant' for both; Plantsworld sells Maranta as 'Calathea Maranta'. See [Calathea](https://plantguide.ae/plants/calathea.md) for the taller relatives.
- It spreads horizontally (NC State), and a full pot can be divided or increased from basal cuttings (RHS), so one plant can become several.
- On 7 October 2026 Plantsworld listed a 20 to 30 cm 'Calathea Maranta' from AED 49. Prices and sizes change.

## Using it in a garden

Roles: Humid-bathroom accent, Tabletop pattern, Shelf edge or basket, Terrarium or bowl planting

Choose a spot by humidity first, light second. A bright bathroom with a window is the best home in a Dubai flat; the RHS says a bathroom with no window is not suitable for live plants. Otherwise set it on a tray of damp gravel in a bright room, grouped with other plants, a metre or two back from tinted glass and well away from the vent. Because it stays low, it works at the front of a group or on a shelf edge, where the leaf pattern can be seen.

- [Calathea](https://plantguide.ae/plants/calathea.md): Calathea shares the folding leaves and the need for humid air, so the two can stand on one tray; its taller, bolder pattern sits behind the low prayer plant.
- [Nerve plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/nerve-plant.md): A low nerve plant fills the front of the tray with a different vein pattern and wants the same moist air; both are non-toxic on the ASPCA list.
- [Boston fern](https://plantguide.ae/plants/boston-fern.md): Boston fern's arching green fronds give the pattern a calm backdrop, and both want bright, indirect light and humid air.

## FAQ

**Why are my prayer plant's leaf edges brown?**  
The RHS says brown tips or margins can come from under- or over-watering, dry air or poor ventilation, and NC State says over-fertilising burns the leaves. In an air-conditioned flat dry air is the first suspect: check the soil, then move it away from the vent and add humidity.

**Why do the leaves fold up at night?**  
It is a normal movement, which NC State describes as leaves folding upright at night in a prayer position. It is not a sign of a problem.

**Is prayer plant safe for cats and dogs?**  
Yes. The ASPCA lists prayer plant as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating any plant can still upset a stomach.

**Can I grow prayer plant in a living room with air conditioning?**  
Only with a plan for humidity. The RHS says it needs high humidity at all times, and an air-conditioned room does not give that. A humidifier nearby, a damp-gravel tray, grouped plants or a windowed bathroom make it workable; otherwise choose a plant that ignores dry air.

**What is the difference between prayer plant and calathea?**  
They are relatives in the prayer-plant family, Marantaceae, and both fold their leaves at night and want humid air. Maranta stays low and spreads sideways, while calathea is usually taller and clumping. See the calathea page for the larger types.

## Related plants

[Calathea](https://plantguide.ae/plants/calathea.md) · [Nerve plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/nerve-plant.md) · [Boston fern](https://plantguide.ae/plants/boston-fern.md) · [African violet](https://plantguide.ae/plants/african-violet.md) · [Spider plant](https://plantguide.ae/plants/spider-plant.md)

## Photos

![Botanical specimen in the University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden, Copenhagen, Denmark.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Maranta_depressa_-_Copenhagen_Botanical_Garden_-_DSC07995.JPG)  
Photo: Daderot / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maranta_depressa_-_Copenhagen_Botanical_Garden_-_DSC07995.JPG))

![A fully open flower, beside a bud ready to open the next day. This flower is approx 10mm wide and has not been trigge...](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Maranta_Leukoneura_Flower.jpg)  
Photo: Northernkiwi / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maranta_Leukoneura_Flower.jpg))

![Botanical specimen in the University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden, Copenhagen, Denmark.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Maranta_leuconeura_-_Copenhagen_Botanical_Garden_-_DSC07996.JPG)  
Photo: Daderot / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maranta_leuconeura_-_Copenhagen_Botanical_Garden_-_DSC07996.JPG))

![Maranta leuconeura specimen in the Botanischer Garten Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Maranta_leuconeura_-_Botanischer_Garten_Freiburg_-DSC06336.JPG)  
Photo: Daderot / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maranta_leuconeura_-_Botanischer_Garten_Freiburg_-DSC06336.JPG))

## Sources

- [RHS: Maranta leuconeura](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/119598/maranta-leuconeura/details)
- [NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Maranta leuconeura](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/maranta-leuconeura/)
- [ASPCA: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Prayer Plant](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/prayer-plant)
- [ASPCA: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Maranta](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/maranta)
- [RHS: How to grow calatheas (tap water and nyctinasty)](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/calathea/growing-guide)
- [RHS: Leaf damage on houseplants](https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/leaf-damage-on-houseplants)
- [RHS: Best bathroom plants for humid spaces](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/houseplants/best-bathroom-plants)
- [University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Houseplant humidity](https://lancaster.unl.edu/houseplants-humidity)
- [University of Maryland Extension: Watering indoor plants](https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-indoor-plants)
- [Murtagh et al. (2022): Living with air-conditioning in Dubai, Chongqing and London — Buildings & Cities](https://journal-buildingscities.org/articles/10.5334/bc.147)
- [Plantsworld: indoor plants collection (price, checked 7 October 2026)](https://plantsworld.ae/collections/indoor-plants)