Prayer plants — Marantaceae

Most prayer plants are pet-safe. Of the 144 prayer plants we cover, 139 are non-toxic on the ASPCA list and 5 carry a toxic or mildly-toxic rating. Even in a mostly-safe family, confirm the individual species before trusting it around pets.

Most prayer plants want bright, indirect light — 85 of the 144 in our library do best there. If yours stretches toward the window or loses its variegation it needs more light; scorched or bleached leaves mean it is getting too much.

Prayer plants are moderate to grow: the one real requirement is a genuinely bright spot out of harsh midday sun. Get the light right and most of the rest of their care follows.

The Marantaceae family — the prayer plants — groups 144 species across 5 genera in the Growli library, most prominently Goeppertia, Maranta, Ctenanthe. Members share a broadly similar light, water and soil pattern, which is why it pays to learn the family before the individual plant.