How to Root a New Prayer Plant
Prayer plants, or Maranta leucoreura, are dark green evergreen plants with large, oval leaves. The leaves have markings of white or light green down the center of each leaf, and veins of white or red. The underside of each leaf is marked with red. The plant is so named because it folds in half each night at dusk, resembling hands folded in prayer. It is possible to root pieces of the prayer plant to create new plants.
Cut a piece off of the existing prayer plant. Use gardening shears or sharp scissors to take the cutting, so that the wound will be smooth. Take a cutting that has a leaf as well as a length of stem that is at least 2 inches long.
- Prayer plants, or Maranta leucoreura, are dark green evergreen plants with large, oval leaves.
- The plant is so named because it folds in half each night at dusk, resembling hands folded in prayer.
Fill a jar or small glass with distilled water. Use a clear glass container, so that you can keep an eye on the root development process.
Place the prayer plant cutting into the water, with the cut end down. Prayer plants take root in water easily. If you'd like to hasten the root development, you can dip the cutting into rooting powder before placing it in the container of water.
Drain out the water every other day, and replace it with fresh distilled water. Check the cutting often, to see if roots are developing.
- Fill a jar or small glass with distilled water.
- Check the cutting often, to see if roots are developing.
Wait until the roots are at least 1 inch long. You can plant the cutting before the roots reach 1 inch, but cuttings with roots that are at least an inch long establish themselves into strong plants sooner than those with shorter roots.
Fill a flower pot with potting mix. Once the roots are at least an inch long, plant the cutting into the potting mix. Tamp the soil down gently, and water the cutting thoroughly. Thereafter, keep the soil moist to avoid plant stress.
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Elizabeth Balarini is a freelance writer and professional blogger who began writing professionally in 2006. Her work has been published on several websites. Her articles focus on where her passions lie: writing, web development, blogging, home and garden, and health and wellness. Balarini majored in English at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
