How to Care for a Prayer Plant

The prayer plant gets its name because it folds its leaves up at night like hands coming together. The plant stays compact and has small green leaves with bright yellow and red veins. This houseplant must receive good care to retain optimal beauty.

Instructions

1. Place the prayer plant in medium light away from a south window or in front of a west or east window. However, if direct light comes in the plant's window, filter it with a transparent curtain. If exposed to direct sunlight, the leaf color will fade.

2. Keep the temperature of the prayer plant's room below 65 degrees Fahrenheit or, if it rises higher, increase the humidity by misting it frequently with soft water and placing a tray of pebbles under the plant. High humidity is necessary for the plant to bloom.

3. Water the prayer plant enough so the potting mix stays moist during most of the year. However, allow the top half of the potting mix to dry out in between waterings during the winter. This will give the plant a needed dormant period.

4. Place the prayer plant in small, shallow pots which are as wide as or wider than they are tall. The roots of this plant are shallow. The plant can be given good care in rectangular pots which some other plants might not thrive in. It's best to use plastic or wood pots for prayer plants instead of clay or ceramic pots, which absorb water.

5. Repot prayer plants every spring using fresh potting mix. The best mixture is two parts peat moss combined with one part loam and one part perlite. Course sand can be substituted for the perlite. This mixture helps the plant retain water.

Tips & Warnings

• Group several plants in the same pot. This is easy to do because the plants are small and grouping will increase the humidity around the plants.

• Place prayer plants in terrariums. Prayer plants are good terrarium plants because they stay small, have shallow roots and like humidity.

• Grow prayer plants in unconventional containers such as shallow baskets or trays for decorative effects.

• Avoid placing the prayer plant in areas where drafts from doors of window air conditioners could reach it. The plant is susceptible to rapid fluctuations in temperature.