How to Care for Maranta

September 18, 2026

Time to read 4 min

Maranta is the original prayer plant, and it is one of the most charming houseplants you can own. Every evening the leaves fold upwards as if in prayer, then open flat again by morning. That movement is real and you can watch it happen over the course of an hour.

There are around forty species in the genus and they come from the tropical Americas, with most growing in the rainforests of Brazil. Maranta lives right down on the forest floor, spreading sideways across the leaf litter in deep shade, warmth and constant damp. It is a low, trailing plant by nature rather than an upright one, which is why it looks so good in a hanging pot or spilling off the edge of a shelf.

How Much Light Does Maranta Need?

Maranta prefers low to medium indirect light, which makes it a great choice for rooms that never get much sun. A north-facing window suits it, as does a spot set back from a brighter window.

Direct sunlight is the one thing to avoid. Growing up in deep forest shade means the leaves have no defence against strong light, and a few hours of sun through glass will fade those beautiful markings and leave scorched brown patches. If your Maranta looks washed out compared with when you bought it, move it somewhere gentler and the new leaves will come through with much better colour.

How Often Should You Water Maranta?

Keep the compost lightly and evenly moist, watering as soon as the very top of the soil starts to feel dry. In spring and summer that often means twice a week, dropping to once a week or less over winter.

Maranta has fine, shallow roots and it does not enjoy drying out completely, but it likes sitting in sodden compost even less. The type of water matters too. Like its Calathea cousins, Maranta is sensitive to the chlorine, fluoride and minerals in tap water, and these gradually burn the leaf edges brown. Rainwater or filtered water makes a noticeable difference. If you only have tap water, leave it to stand uncovered overnight before using it.

What Humidity Does Maranta Need?

Maranta wants humidity of 60% or above, and it is one of the plants where this genuinely changes how it looks.

It evolved on the floor of the Brazilian rainforest, where the air stays saturated almost all year, and its thin, wide leaves lose moisture quickly. Most homes sit around 40% to 50%, and in winter with the heating running that can drop below 35%. At those levels you will see crispy brown edges and curling leaves. A humidifier is the most effective answer. Grouping plants, standing the pot on a tray of damp pebbles or keeping it in a bathroom all help too.

What Temperature Does Maranta Need?

Maranta grows best between 18°C and 27°C and prefers that warmth to stay steady.

The lowest temperature it can withstand is around 15°C. Below that growth stops and the leaves yellow and go limp, and prolonged cold will damage the plant permanently. Cold draughts are particularly bad for it, so keep it away from doors to the outside, letterboxes and chilly windowsills in winter.

How Do You Propagate Maranta?

Maranta is easier to propagate than Calathea, because unlike its relative, it will root from stem cuttings as well as by division.

For cuttings, look along a trailing stem for a node, which is the small swollen point where a leaf joins the stem and where roots often already show as tiny bumps. Cut just below a node with clean scissors, taking a piece with two or three leaves, then remove the lowest leaf. Stand it in a jar of water with the node submerged, somewhere warm and bright but out of direct sun, and change the water weekly. Roots usually appear within two to four weeks. Pot the cutting up once they reach around 5 cm, and plant several together for a fuller result.

For division, lift the whole plant out of its pot in spring and gently pull the clump apart into sections, making sure each has both shoots and a good share of roots. Pot them up separately, keep them warm and humid, and expect a couple of weeks of sulking before they settle.

Why Are My Maranta Leaves Turning Yellow?

The most common cause is watering, and it can go either way with this plant. Soft yellow lower leaves with compost that stays wet for days mean the roots are waterlogged, so let the top of the pot dry before watering again and check the drainage. Yellowing with dry, shrunken compost and limp, papery leaves means it has been left too long, so soak it thoroughly.

Cold is the other frequent culprit. A Maranta kept below 15°C or sitting in a draught will yellow and droop quite quickly, so move it somewhere warmer and more sheltered.

Brown crispy edges are a separate classic Maranta complaint, and they point to dry air or to mineral build-up from tap water rather than to a watering mistake. Raising the humidity and switching to rainwater fixes it going forward, although the existing damage will not heal. Trim the brown edges off with clean scissors, following the natural shape of the leaf.

A few habits keep a Maranta looking its best. Use rainwater where you can, keep it warm and humid, and feed at half strength once a month in spring and summer only, because it is easily overfed. Pinch back long bare stems to encourage bushier growth, and pot the trimmings straight back in as cuttings.