Repotting guide

When & how to repot Maranta Arundinacea (Maranta arundinacea)

Also called arrowroot, West Indian arrowroot.

More about maranta arundinacea

About Maranta Arundinacea

Maranta arundinacea · also called arrowroot, West Indian arrowroot · edible

Maranta arundinacea, West Indian arrowroot, is a tropical rhizomatous perennial grown both as an edible crop and a leafy houseplant. Its starchy rhizomes are the source of culinary arrowroot powder, an easily digested thickener. Taller and plainer-leaved than ornamental marantas, it needs warmth, plenty of moisture and a long frost-free season to bulk up its rhizomes.

Mature size: Around 0.6-1.5 m tall, with rhizomes spreading underground.

Watch for — Root rot in waterlogged soil: Heavy, poorly drained ground rots the rhizomes. Plant in fertile, free-draining soil and avoid standing water.

How to tell maranta arundinacea needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For maranta arundinacea, watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot maranta arundinacea on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot maranta arundinacea

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Maranta Arundinaceais grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Upright, clump-forming herbaceous perennial growing from fleshy, starchy rhizomes; broad ovate green leaves on tall stems, with the rhizomes harvested for arrowroot starch..

What size pot to step maranta arundinacea up to

Pot maranta arundinacea on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot maranta arundinacea

Pot maranta arundinacea on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting maranta arundinacea

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check maranta arundinacea regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh rich, moisture-retentive, free-draining loam at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water maranta arundinacea in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for maranta arundinacea

Maranta Arundinacea wants rich, moisture-retentive, free-draining loam. Fertile, humus-rich soil that holds moisture yet drains; slightly acidic to neutral pH around 5.5-6.5. For container or houseplant growing, use a rich potting mix with added compost and a pot that drains. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting maranta arundinacea — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot maranta arundinacea?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for maranta arundinacea. Maranta Arundinacea is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into rich, moisture-retentive, free-draining loam so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does maranta arundinacea need?

When is the best time of year to repot maranta arundinacea?

Can you put maranta arundinacea straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing maranta arundinacea should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise maranta arundinacea after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting maranta arundinacea. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.