Growli

Container guide

Growing fishbone prayer plant in a pot

Verdict
Ideal in pots
Pot size
15-20 cm (6-8 in) across
Mature size
Indoors typically around 30-50 cm (12-20 in) tall and roughly 40 cm (16 in) wide; RHS gives an ultimate height of 0.5-1 m and spread of 0.1-0.5 m over 5-10 years.

Compost and drainage

Fishbone Prayer Plant needs sharp drainage, so this matters more in a pot than in the ground. Use a free-draining mix (add perlite, grit or bark to standard compost), always pick a container with drainage holes, and never let it stand in a saucer of water.

Watering fishbone prayer plant in a pot

Containers dry far faster than open ground, so fishbone prayer plant in a pot needs checking more often than the general guidance of "When the top 1-2 cm (about half an inch to an inch) of soil feels dry, roughly weekly in summer" — especially in summer, wind, or a heated room. Check the top few centimetres with a finger rather than watering on a fixed day.

Potting on

Pot on when roots show through the drainage holes or growth slows noticeably — usually every 1-2 years for a plant this size. Move up one pot size only; jumping several sizes leaves wet compost the roots cannot reach, and that is what rots them.

More fishbone prayer plant care

Growing fishbone prayer plant in containers — FAQ

Can you grow fishbone prayer plant in a pot?

Fishbone Prayer Plant is well suited to container growing — at about 50 cm mature it is comfortably pot-sized. A container around 15-20 cm (6-8 in) across gives it room without leaving the compost sitting wet, which is the usual mistake when people over-pot a small plant.

What size pot does fishbone prayer plant need?

Aim for a container 15-20 cm (6-8 in) across. Pot on when roots show through the drainage holes or growth slows noticeably — usually every 1-2 years for a plant this size. Move up one pot size only; jumping several sizes leaves wet compost the roots cannot reach, and that is what rots them.

What compost and drainage does fishbone prayer plant need in a container?

Fishbone Prayer Plant needs sharp drainage, so this matters more in a pot than in the ground. Use a free-draining mix (add perlite, grit or bark to standard compost), always pick a container with drainage holes, and never let it stand in a saucer of water.

How often should I water fishbone prayer plant in a pot?

Containers dry far faster than open ground, so fishbone prayer plant in a pot needs checking more often than the general guidance of "When the top 1-2 cm (about half an inch to an inch) of soil feels dry, roughly weekly in summer" — especially in summer, wind, or a heated room. Check the top few centimetres with a finger rather than watering on a fixed day.