It is always a pleasant surprise when a houseplant blooms. Did you know that Maranta leuconeura, or the common “prayer plant”, can bloom indoors? Learn everything you wanted to know about prayer plant flowers in this article, as well as some practical tips to ensure that your plant can thrive in your home.
FLOWERS OF THE PRAYER PLANT
Maranta leuconeura is a species of flowering plant native to Central and eastern Brazil.
Like any plant in the Marantaceae family, prayer plants are known for their leaves that bend and “pray” at night, then relax during the day.
1. what does a prayer plant flower look like?
Although it is a flowering plant, the reason we all grow this plant is its striking foliage. The flowers are very small and are usually white and purple.
Depending on the species and variety, the amount of white and purple in the flower varies, as well as the coloring of the foliage.
The flowers have 3 petals and two larger staminodes.
2. are prayer plant flowers rare?
Many online sources call them rare, but I can tell you from personal experience that they are not. Like everything, of course, it depends on your ability to provide good conditions for your plant.
I once had a prayer plant in an earlier house that bloomed regularly all year round.
He lived in a warm bathroom right in front of a north-facing window that received bright but indirect light.
He was even watered with ordinary tap water and did not receive special treatment. Read my section on water quality later in this article, as it can have a big impact on your plant over time.
3. when does a prayer plant bloom?
Flowering most often occurs during the active growing season in spring and summer.
4. How to make a prayer plant bloom
Providing good conditions, similar to the growing conditions in their original habitat, will help promote flowering. Here is a brief summary of the general care for prayer plants:
Light
Prayer plants are plants that inhabit the rainforest floor, so a window with bright light (without direct sunlight) works well. A little direct sunlight indoors won’t hurt you, but you don’t like it too much.
If your plant is in a place that is too dark, growth will suffer and you will probably not get flowering. Sufficient light is important to encourage any flowering plant to produce flowers.
Temperature
It is important to provide constant warm temperatures for these plants. They do not tolerate cold temperatures or cold drafts.
Make sure that your installation is not in areas where it can receive cold drafts from vents or doors that open and close in cold weather. They constantly prefer warm temperatures.
Watering my prayer plant in the sink
Moisture
These plants will appreciate high humidity. If you can put them in a naturally wetter bathroom, that would be ideal.
If not, invest in a great humidifier so that you have the best chance of being happy in your home.
Irrigation
Prayer plants constantly love humid conditions.
Never let the soil dry completely, otherwise, you will quickly get a lot of curly and brown leaves. I have a separate blog post in which I discuss the topic of curling, brown leaves in prayer-plants.
Do not allow more than about the top inch of the soil to dry out before watering again.
Fertilization
Be sure to fertilize regularly during active growth. I like to use Dyna-Gro Grow for most of my plants. It is a complete urea-free fertilizer that contains all the micro and macronutrients that plants need to thrive.
Water quality
Maranta plants do not like tap water and can develop brown tips over time due to fluoride and other additives in tap water. Use rainwater or distilled water if you can. (Please note that the brown edges of the leaves are often caused by the fact that their soil is too dry.)
If the foliage is wetted with hard water, it can leave mineral deposits on the leaves.
Hard water deposits on the leaves of my prayer plant
5. do I need to cut flowers from prayer plants?
If your prayer plant has bloomed and you were satisfied with the (insignificant) flower show, it is probably better to cut the bulbs.
This simply allows your plant to redirect its energy to focus on the growth of foliage compared to the production of flowers.
That being said, your plant won’t necessarily suffer if you let the flowers grow. At the very least, I would make sure that all worn flowers and flower stalks are removed after flowering to keep your plant neater.
Has your prayer plant bloomed for you? Comment below. I would love to hear!
