Prayer Plant Light Requirements: The Ultimate Guide
In the world of houseplants, Prayer Plants are a well-known favorite among both beginner and experienced plant enthusiasts. These beautiful plants originate from South America’s tropical forests, where they often grow horizontally as a ground cover on the forest floor. Prayer plants come in different varieties and are easy to care for. Still, when grown as indoor plants, these beauties need some attention to thrive.
In this post, we’ll focus on the Prayer Plant light requirements and the type of light these plants need. Providing them with enough sunlight is an important aspect of their care routine.
So, how much light do Prayer Plants need? Let’s find out.
About Prayer Plants
Prayer Plant is a common name for Marantas and Calatheas. They feature bright, patterned leaves that move in a specific way (they open in the day and fold at night). Called ‘nyctinasty’, the movement of the leaves resembles hands in prayer, hence the name. These popular tropical varieties come from the warm, humid forests of Brazil and South America and do best in USDA zones 11-12. With the right care indoors, they’ll reward you with healthy growth and color all year.
Some popular Maranta varieties include the stunning Lemon Lime Prayer Plant with its light green veins and the Red Maranta Prayer Plant, featuring deep red lines across dark leaves with red undersides. Their close relatives, the Calatheas, look quite similar but are usually a bit easier to care for. Marantas can be a little more finicky and sensitive about light and humidity, but both kinds are stunning and bring life to any room.
So, the big question now is: how much sunlight do Prayer Plants really need?
How Much Light Does a Prayer Plant Need?
Do Prayer Plants need a lot of light? Prayer Plants require about 8-10 hours of natural light daily to thrive, depending on the season. Too much direct sunlight, however, can cause their bright color to fade and leaf edges to become brown and crisp.
Prayer Plant Light Requirements: Type of Light, Issues, and Solutions
Both Maranta and Calathea Plants need bright, indirect light, as sufficient light exposure is what keeps their striking, patterned leaves colorful and prevents them from fading or curling.
What Kind of Light Does a Prayer Plant Need?
What type of lighting does a Prayer Plant need? These beauties need bright, indirect sunlight to stay healthy and vibrant. In their natural tropical environment, the tree canopy filters the bright sunlight, providing comfortable conditions and natural protection.
But can Prayer Plants grow in low light? Let’s find out!
Can a Prayer Plant Tolerate Low Light?
Compared to Calatheas, Maranta plants are more tolerant of low light. This makes Prayer Plants from the Marantaceae family a good choice for low-light rooms, like bathrooms and north-facing bedrooms. Still, make sure you don’t keep them in low-light areas for too long, as this may slow down their growth or make them leggy.
Prayer Plant Low Light: Issues
Your Prayer Plant is probably getting too little light if it shows any of the following signs:
- Smaller leaves
- Leggy growth
- Less vibrant leaves
- Faded patterns
- Low volume of foliage
Too Little Light: How Do I Make My Prayer Plant Happy?
If your Prayer Plant isn’t getting enough light, firstly, move it closer to an East-facing window where it gets gentle, bright, and indirect light in the morning. In the afternoon sun in a west- or south-facing room, ensure to filter the light with sheer curtains. You can also use a small grow light for a few hours a day in the cooler, darker months. Once your Prayer Plant gets the right kind and amount of light, its colors will brighten up, and growth will pick up again.
Do Prayer Plants Like Direct Sunlight?
Can Prayer Plants tolerate full sun? Not at all! Prayer Plants may struggle in direct sunlight. It can scorch or bleach their leaves, cause sunburn that results in unsightly brown spots, and crisp edges.
How to Tell If a Prayer Plant Is Getting Too Much Light
It’s pretty easy to tell if your Prayer Plant is getting too much light.
- Curled leaves
- Brown spots
- Crisp leaf edges
- The soil is drying too fast
- Faded foliage
Prayer Plants: Dealing With Overexposure to Light
If your Prayer Plant is getting too much light, move it to a spot with softer, indirect light, somewhere bright but not too sunny. Use sheer curtains to filter the bright light. Trim any damaged or burnt leaves and keep the soil slightly moist to help your Prayer Plant recover. Over the next few weeks, you’ll see new, healthy growth coming back.
How to Care for a Prayer Plant
Prayer plant care is all about keeping things balanced. Correct watering, maintaining the right humidity and temperature, and feeding, repotting, and pruning your Maranta or Calathea are all key aspects of your prayer plant care routine.
How Often to Water Prayer Plant
Water a Prayer Plant when the top inch of soil feels slightly dry; it likes moist soil but never soggy. Don’t overwater your green companion to prevent root rot. In summer, you might need to water two to three times a week, while in winter, once is often enough.
Prayer Plant Humidity and Temperature Tolerance
Coming from the tropics, Prayer Plants love warmth and humidity between 50 and 70%. Maintain temperatures around 65-85°F and mist the leaves occasionally or use a humidifier. Avoid cold drafts or dry air from heaters to prevent the leaves from curling or drooping.
Repotting Prayer Plant
To repot a Prayer Plant, gently remove it from its old pot and loosen the roots a bit with your fingers. Choose a slightly bigger pot with drainage holes, and fill it with fresh, well-draining soil. Place the plant inside, add more soil around it, and water lightly. Finally, keep it in a well-lit spot with indirect sunlight and allow it to settle well.
Pruning Prayer Plant
To prune a Prayer Plant, use clean scissors and cut just above a leaf node to remove old, yellow, or leggy stems. This helps new growth come in fuller and healthier. Trim gently any damaged leaves, and your plant will stay neat, lush, and full of fresh green leaves.
Prayer Plant Light Requirements: FAQs
Q: Do Prayer Plants do well in shade?
A: Yes, Prayer Plants actually like partial shade more than bright sunlight, as in the wild, they grow under the canopy of trees. Too much direct sunlight can burn their delicate leaves or cause them to curl. Instead, a nice spot with soft, filtered light works best, such as near a window with sheer curtains or in a room that gets daylight but no harsh sun.
Q: Does a Prayer Plant need to be by a window?
A: It helps, but it’s not mandatory! A Prayer Plant loves gentle, indirect light, so keeping it near a window is a great idea. However, move the plant 3-4 ft. back or behind a light curtain if your window gets harsh afternoon sun.
Q: Can Maranta grow in low light?
A: Maranta plants can tolerate low light for a while, but their colors may fade, and growth might slow down gradually. If your space is dimly lit, you can use a small grow light to help keep it happy and colorful.
Q: Where is the best place to put a Prayer Plant?
A: The best place to put a Prayer Plant is somewhere bright but away from direct sunlight, maybe near an East-facing window or in a room that stays naturally lit. Avoid spots right under air vents or near heaters to protect your plant’s foliage from damage.
Q: Can you use a grow light on a Prayer Plant?
A: Definitely! Prayer Plants do well under grow lights, especially if your home doesn’t get enough natural light. Provide around 10-12 hours of artificial light a day. Winter is the best time to use grow lights when natural sunlight is scarce.
Conclusion
Prayer Plants grow best in bright, indirect light that keeps their leaves colorful and healthy. While too much sunlight can burn them, too little light can slow your Prayer Plant’s growth; the leaves will also lose their prized patterns. It’s worth noting that Maranta Prayer plants are more tolerant of low-light conditions than their ‘cousins’, the beautiful Calatheas. With the right lighting, your Prayer Plant will stay vibrant, lush, and happy all year long.