Cared for with love.

Maranta leuconeura. Characteristics include its oval variegated, veined and finely patterned leaves. It’s commonly known as the prayer plant. The leaves turn up at night, (like hands in prayer), and they lower again at dawn, when the plant has flat outstretched leaves during the day. This circadian movement is known as nyctinasty.

Marantas have a sprawling growth habit. In the wild they spread across the tropical forest floor of Brazil, Central and South America; here it is less spectacular - the plant sits on top of the stereo equipment! I have grown one before in a hanging basket and also another along a high shelf unit. Eventually red spider mite saw them both off after a number of years. They like humidity, indirect light and don’t like drafts. Apparently they don’t like minerals in tap water… but this one doesn’t object to that provided by Scottish Water at the sink!