The Maranta leuconeura, also known as the ever-popular Prayer Plant, can quickly change from appearing healthy and cheerful to looking droopy and depressed. But why on earth does this occur? These natives of Brazil thrive in hot, muggy weather with lots of sunshine. Even while it could be difficult to replicate their natural habitat inside, doing so can greatly improve your Prayer Plant’s usually lifeless appearance.
Droopy Low humidity, too dry or damp soil, or excessive sunlight are frequently the causes of prayer plants. A Prayer Plant that appears wilted, shriveled, and depressed could be the consequence of any one of these factors. Prayer Plants enjoy humid weather, evenly moist soil, and bright, indirect sunlight because they are tropical plants.
Don’t worry if your prayer plant is wilting. The most frequent reasons why Marantas are unhappy are covered in this article, along with solutions. A lot of the issues that can make a prayer plant droop can be resolved with little to no tools.
My prayer plant is drooping; why?
Soil that is continually moist is best for your prayer plant. Make sure your plant is not being overwatered or overgrown. Keep a regular watering schedule and water when 25% of the soil is dry.
You might see weak, drooping, and perhaps even beginning to brown and curl leaves on your Prayer Plant if you unintentionally allow the soil to totally dry out. A thorough soak is necessary if the soil is very dry over the entire container.
How to soak-water your prayer plant is as follows:
- Without the saucer, put your plant in the sink or bathtub. Pour roughly 3 to 4 cups of water into your basin. Check to see if the water is warm.
- Give your plant at least 45 minutes to absorb water through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot.
- After giving your plant a soak, feel the soil’s top to see if the water has gotten to the top 2-3 inches.
- Water your prayer plants softly from the top of the soil to help hasten soil saturation if not all of the soil feels soaked.
- Drain the sink or tub once the soil of your plant is evenly moist, and then leave it to rest while it completely drains. Put the plant back in its proper place on the saucer.
Another typical cause of your Prayer Plant’s leaves curling could be your tap water if it doesn’t stop after you’ve established a watering regimen. Salts, chlorine, minerals, and fluoride found in tap water can accumulate in your plant’s soil and cause the tips of its leaves to burn, turn brown, and curl up. Using a water filter system is one solution to this. If you don’t have a filtering system, you can reduce the chlorine in your water by letting it sit in an open container or sink overnight before using.
Verify that your plant is not near any drafts or air-conditioning vents. If the plant is too chilly or too dry from continuous warm airflow, the leaves will curl.
Being a tropical plant, your Prayer Plant will flourish in more humid conditions. By regularly spraying the leaves of your plant, using a pebble tray, or placing a humidifier close by, you can raise the humidity level in the area around it.
If you see leaves that are tightly curled, this can be typical. Curled leaves that gradually unfold into mature broad leaves are the first signs of new growth.
How can a prayer plant that is wilting be saved?
Now that you know what is making the leaves on your Prayer Plant droop, you want to be sure that anything you do next actually fixes the issue and doesn’t make things worse.
You don’t need to do anything if the drooping is simply a result of your Prayer Plant’s usual praying motion; in fact, this is a sign of a healthy Prayer Plant.
Reintroduce watering slowly
But you must be careful to reintroduce watering in the proper manner if your Prayer Plant’s leaves are drooping from repeated underwatering. Your initial reaction could be to immediately water your wilting Prayer Plant, but if the soil fluctuates from one extreme to the other, this could be damaging to the plant. Instead, you should start watering your plants once or twice a day for a week or two. This should fix the issue. Be cautious when resuming watering because doing so could result in a variety of more significant problems than just drooping leaves. The last thing you want to do is go the other way and overwater your plant. A moisture meter is an excellent tool for controlling irrigation.
Use the right potting mix
Prayer Plants should thrive in a range of potting mixtures because they aren’t overly picky about their environment. Making sure the mix is of a good caliber will guarantee that it contains the correct nutrients and pH level for your plant, among other things. If you notice that your Prayer Plant is frequently drooping due to underwatering, you may wish to add some peat moss to the mixture even if you do want the mix to be well-draining (as this will assist to avoid the dreaded overwatering). This aids in holding onto some of the moisture and gradually releasing it to the plant. This Miracle Gro potting mix, which is sold on Amazon, comes highly recommended.
Use a self-watering pot
There are ways to water your plants without you having to remember or even be present if you frequently forget to do so, travel frequently, or can’t constantly be home and follow a regular schedule.
The best course of action is to purchase a self-watering pot. They are reasonably priced and guarantee that your plants receive the appropriate amount of water at the appropriate time. They are absolutely worth it to prevent your drooping Prayer Plant leaves from developing into something more serious because they help to avoid both under and overwatering.
While there are a few do-it-yourself self-watering strategies and techniques you can employ (such as the plastic bottle or wet string procedures), we don’t frequently encourage them because they are less dependable than self-watering pots. And when it comes to taking care of our indoor plants, we don’t like to take any chances!
Propagate your plant
If you are unable to save your Prayer Plant and all attempts to revive it have failed, you might want to consider spreading it in order to preserve some of the healthy stems. The ideal method for doing this is to divide the plant or take a stem cutting, then grow some of the healthiest pieces in water until you see roots emerging. After that, plant the new plants in fresh soil and enjoy them!
If you quickly notice your Prayer Plant’s drooping leaves and there are no other indications of major issues, you should be able to restore it to full health very fast by using the advice we’ve provided above!
For more information on maintenance, typical issues, and propagation, see our complete prayer plant care guide.
How can a Prayer Plant be revived?
A while back, my cousin gave me a Prayer plant. Up until the point when it started to show signs of dying, everything was going very smoothly. It would be disastrous, so I devised a scheme to resurrect it.
It would be unfortunate if this plant perished due to bad environmental conditions and other strange occurrences. Overwatering, bugs, and other issues can bring prayer plants to their knees.
Remove the dead leaves, let the soil to completely dry, spray the plant with pesticide, and raise the humidity as quickly as possible to resuscitate the Prayer plant.
You must correctly pinpoint the signs and reasons for your plant’s decline. It would be simpler to continue the resurrection process in this manner.
Do prayer plants wilt in the sunlight?
For its magnificent leaves, which lie flat during the day and lift and fold at night as if they were praying, prayer plants (Maranta leuconeura) are produced. These plants come in dozens of different types, but only a select number may be grown indoors.
Like any plants, prayer plants experience a variety of problems, such as droopiness, which lessens their beauty. Read on to learn how to prevent and treat the issue with your plants as I go over the causes of drooping in Maranta.
These plants droop by limply leaning downward; this condition is distinct from their “prayer” actions.
How frequently do prayer plants need to be watered?
Water once every 12 weeks, letting the soil half-dry in between applications. In brighter light, water more frequently, and in less-bright light, less frequently.
Marantas are susceptible to the effects of hard water. Use filtered water if possible, or let water sit out overnight before using.
How much sun is required by a prayer plant?
For the nooks of your house that seldom receive direct sunshine, prayer plants make fantastic indoor plants. They flourish in full shade or in moderate indirect light. In fact, prayer plant leaves can get big brown blotches and finally fall off if they are exposed to a lot of natural light.
A prayer plant’s leaves will frequently totally wither during their dormant season, which typically occurs throughout the winter, but this does not imply that the plant is dead. The leaves will most likely regenerate in the spring if intense light is provided.
The Solution:
Use the same procedures as those outlined above to save a prayer plant that has been overwatered. It’s a good idea to check the roots as well because brown leaves may indicate decay. Repot the plant in a new container with fresh potting soil after pruning any unhealthy roots. Brown, soft leaves should be removed since they could attract bugs.
How can you tell if a prayer plant is on its last legs?
The first signs of too much sunshine are withering or curling leaf tips and edges. Without treatment, the entire leaf surface wilts, looks dry, and eventually becomes brown. If the prayer plant is placed close to a window or another source of direct sunlight during the summer, hang a light curtain there.
Where should a prayer plant be placed?
Your prayer plant should be hung or placed close to a window so it may get some filtered light. Never place your plant in direct sunlight as this may cause the leaves to burn, develop spots or blotches, or lose color intensity. In general, prayer plants can tolerate locations with less light.
Will a prayer plant grow in the bathroom?
Don’t overlook one humid haven, the bathroom, in your haste to bring warmth to your interiors during the quarantine gardening boom.
According to Annette Gutierrez of the Los Angeles plant shop Potted, bathrooms are a fun category.
In mine, there’s a whole hoya thing going on. I adore the way they hang. In bathrooms with little counter space, hanging plants work well because most houseplants are tropical species that thrive in damp environments.
Bathrooms are the perfect place for houseplants that thrive in humidity since they are so moist, but humidity should not be used as a substitute for watering.
Gutierrez continued, “You still have to water your plants.”
Joyce Mast, a Bloomscape plant expert, enjoys experimenting in the restroom. (And when is a long-lasting epidemic the best time?) They can hang from a tension rod, be mounted on tile with adhesive-backed hooks, or be placed on a shelf. Mast advised people not to be frightened to put plants in the shower. “They will enjoy the added moisture and steam, and the light rain will clear the dust and debris off their leaves.
Although they may thrive in high humidity, plants still require light. I was given an asparagus fern terrarium a few months ago. However, due to inadequate lighting, the fern in my bathroom after two months turned yellow. Therefore, before putting a plant in the bathroom, consider what kind of lighting it needs.
1. Fern
According to Mast, several ferns, like the Kimberly queen fern, bird’s nest fern, and blue star fern, thrive in additional wetness and flourish nicely in a bathroom habitat. Despite the fact that many ferns naturally grow at the base of trees, it’s a good idea to provide them with medium light or brilliant filtered light indoors to promote growth.
Gardenia 2.
Beautiful gardenias thrive in direct sunlight and enjoy the high humidity found in bathrooms. Mast advised adding a gardenia to a bathroom window that receives at least four hours of sunlight, such as a south or west-facing window.
3. The lipstick tree
Because it requires high humidity, the long-stemmed Aeschynanthus radicans, often known as the lipstick plant, makes a great hanging plant for the bathroom. It will grow brilliant red, 2-inch flowers that peek out of 1-inch calyxes, or tubes, that resemble small lipstick tubes if you provide it with bright light, moderate water, and misting.
Four. Orchid
According to Brandon Tam, an orchid specialist from the Huntington Botanical Garden, Trader Joe’s phalaenopsis will thrive in a bathroom with a window. Higher humidity is definitely an advantage, but it’s not required, he added. If you have the space, I advise keeping a few orchids in the bathroom. The more observations a person makes, the more successful they will be. One of the rooms that gets the most use is the restroom. I advise people to put them where they can check on them during the day because of this.
Fifth-parlor palm
Chamaedorea elegans thrives in warm, humid environments, like the majority of tropical plants, therefore misting them or setting them on a tray with wet stones can assist. You need not be concerned that the tiny palm will encroach onto the restricted space of a bathroom because it is a slow-growing plant that can develop to a height of around 3 feet.
6. A prayer tree
Calathea, often known as the “prayer plant,” thrives in medium to low light and the additional humidity that a bathroom would offer. This is because of the way its leaves open during the day and close at night. Calathea may be a diva and need regular watering, pruning, and feeding despite its stunning, dramatic leaves.
7. Nerve tissue
Although fittonia plants might be picky, they thrive in warm, humid environments with adequate illumination. Simply keep them out of direct sunlight to prevent their delicate leaves from turning brown and breaking. Always keep the soil very slightly damp, mist it frequently, or set it on a tray of wet stones. Pinch the stems for denser growth if you want them to appear fuller.
No. 8 Monstera
Swiss cheese plant, also known as Monstera deliciosa, is fashionable (see # MonsteraMonday on Instagram), and for good reason: It’s a striking, beginner-friendly houseplant. Monstera grows well on pebble trays and in bright, filtered light. Given that monstera grows quickly, a tiny plant is a wonderful choice for the bathroom. Use a moss-covered pole to train it if it grows too quickly.
Spider plant 9.
Spider plants, or Chlorophytum comosum, are interesting, simple houseplants that look wonderful in bathrooms because they can tolerate low light and thrive in more humidity.
Mast suggested using spider plants as a stunning hanging plant above a bathtub. If you’re short on shelf space, make use of unutilized areas like the space above a vanity or behind the toilet. Due to their ability to create plantlets at the ends of their stalks, spider plants are simple to reproduce. Just cut a plantlet and submerge it in water. Transfer the plant to potting soil once the roots are about an inch long.
No. 10 Snake Plant
Another plant that can survive in low light levels is the sansevieria, which is ideal for a bathroom with little to no natural light. Snake plants are an excellent addition for someone who is new to plants or requires a plant that doesn’t mind being neglected occasionally because they require very little water and thrive on neglect, according to Mast.