Maranta 'Lemon Lime' (Lemon Lime Prayer Plant) care

Light

Maranta 'Lemon Lime' is what florists mean by "bright spot, no direct sun" — close enough to a south or east window to feel the brightness, with a sheer curtain or a few feet of distance keeping the sun off the leaves. Bright, indirect light is ideal — a north- or east-facing window or a few feet back from a brighter one. Direct sun scorches the foliage and bleaches the lime-green markings, while too little light dulls the variegation and slows growth. A phone lux-meter at the leaf surface should read 1,500-3,000 lux at noon.

Watering

Water maranta 'lemon lime' when the top 1-2 cm (about the top inch) of soil dries out, often roughly weekly. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Keep the soil consistently lightly moist but never waterlogged; water thoroughly and let excess drain. This species is sensitive to fluoride, chlorine and salts in tap water, so use filtered, distilled or rainwater at room temperature. Reduce watering in winter.

Soil and pot

Maranta 'Lemon Lime' grows best in light, well-draining, moisture-retentive peat-based or coco-coir mix. Use a rich, airy mix that holds moisture without staying soggy — for example coco coir or peat with perlite and a little compost. Slightly acidic, around pH 5.5-6.5. Always plant in a pot with drainage holes to prevent root rot. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Maranta 'Lemon Lime' sits happiest at around 50 percent and above humidity and 18-24 C (65-75 F). Prefers moderate-to-high humidity; below about 40 percent the leaf tips and edges turn brown and crispy. Boost humidity with a room humidifier, a pebble tray, or by grouping plants. Misting helps briefly but is not a reliable substitute for ambient humidity. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed maranta 'lemon lime' sparingly. Feed every 2-4 weeks during spring and summer with a balanced water-soluble houseplant fertiliser diluted to half strength. Stop or reduce to monthly in autumn and winter when growth slows. Over-fertilising, especially excess nitrogen, causes leaf-tip burn, so flush the soil occasionally to clear salt build-up. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on maranta 'lemon lime' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges — Usually low humidity or mineral/salt build-up. This plant is sensitive to fluoride and chlorine — switch to filtered, distilled or rainwater and raise humidity above 50 percent.
• Curling or rolling leaves — Most often underwatering or low humidity; can also signal direct sun, cold drafts or spider mites. Check soil moisture, increase humidity, and inspect leaf undersides for pests.
• Faded, washed-out variegation — Too little light dulls the lime-green markings. Move to brighter indirect light, but avoid direct sun, which bleaches and scorches the foliage.
• Yellowing leaves / limp stems — Commonly overwatering and soggy soil leading to root rot. Let the top inch dry between waterings and ensure the pot drains freely.
• Spider mites — Dry indoor air invites mites, seen as fine webbing and stippling. Raise humidity, rinse the foliage, and treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil if needed.
• Leaves not folding at night — Loss of the day-night prayer movement often points to inconsistent watering or insufficient light. Restore a regular watering rhythm and adequate indirect light.

Propagation

Easiest by division: in spring, unpot a mature plant and gently separate the rhizome clump into sections, each with roots and a few stems, then pot up separately. Stem cuttings taken just below a node also root in water or moist mix; keep warm, humid and in bright indirect light until roots establish. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Maranta 'Lemon Lime' is mildly toxic to pets. Maranta Lemon Lime (Maranta leuconeura 'Lemon Lime') is a prayer plant (family Marantaceae). It is not individually listed in the ASPCA database, and the ASPCA 'Prayer Plant' entry is filed under the related Calathea (Goeppertia), a different genus, so true Maranta/Ctenanthe is not ASPCA-confirmed. It has no known toxic compounds and is generally kept safely around pets, but treat it as mildly toxic and check with your vet to be sure. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Maranta 'Lemon Lime' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of maranta 'lemon lime' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Maranta 'Lemon Lime' watering schedule
• Maranta 'Lemon Lime' light requirements
• Best soil mix for maranta 'lemon lime'
• Maranta 'Lemon Lime' fertilizing guide
• When to repot maranta 'lemon lime'
• How to propagate maranta 'lemon lime'
• Maranta 'Lemon Lime' growth rate & size
• Maranta 'Lemon Lime' cold hardiness
• Maranta 'Lemon Lime' temperature & humidity
• Is maranta 'lemon lime' toxic to cats & dogs?

Related guides

Maranta 'Lemon Lime' is also known as Lemon Lime Prayer Plant, Lemon Lime Maranta, Prayer Plant, and Maranta.

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