Lemon Lime Maranta - Care Advice

This stunning Lemon Lime cultivar of the Prayer Plant family has beautiful, variegated, slightly velvety leaves. The striking flash of yellow veins differs from the more common red variety. Not only is it pretty to look at but it behaves with a characteristic unique to prayer plants. During the day, you will notice that the leaves lay out flat and when the light fades, the leaves start to close upwards, as if in prayer.

Maranta are ground cover plants in nature and will spread as they grow rather than remain upright. 

Light: Although prayer plants are found on the forest floor in nature, they will appreciate a spot in your home where they can see the sky. A windowsill with a little morning or late afternoon sun is ideal. In the summer, when the sun is at its strongest, you may need to move the plant back a metre or so to avoid any leaf scorch. Many find success with this plant in a lower light spot too.

Water: The soil should remain lightly damp, but never waterlogged. Get to know the weight of your pot and water when it feels like it has dried out by half. If in doubt, let it go without! Under watering is always preferrable to over watering. Let excess water drain away and do not leave any water sat in the bottom of the decorative pot.

Soil: Oxygen is as important to roots as water and therefore, a well-draining soil mix such as our Chunky Houseplant Soil is ideal. We add worm castings for added nutrients and bark and perlite to allow for good drainage.

Temperature: General household temperature is fine for most houseplants. In our cooler seasons, you may notice that growth slows down and at this time of year you can water less frequently.

Nutrients: Using a balanced feed during the spring and summer is a good idea to encourage healthy growth. Once a month is enough, we don’t recommend fertilising every time you water.

A few last notes; Maranta are safe if ingested by any pets. It’s advisable to pot on your plant every 2 years or so to provide a fresh supply of nutrients and improve airflow around the roots. Propagations can be taken by stem cuttings or division at the roots. If taking a cutting, use clean scissors and cut below a node (where a leaf meets the stem) and allow it to dry for 24 hours before putting it in water or soil. Once roots have established it will continue to grow!