Mature size & growth rate

How big does Maranta Arundinacea (Maranta arundinacea) get?

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.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Maranta Arundinacea reaches its full size within one growing season — there is no "long-term" size, just how big it gets before you harvest or it dies back. Indoors and in a pot, expect around 0.6-1.5 m tall, with rhizomes spreading underground.. A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

It sizes up fast and once, racing from seedling to full size in a single season; after cropping it is finished, so size is a within-season question.

Growth rate and years to mature

Maranta Arundinacea is a fast grower. Realistically, expect a single growing season — it reaches full size in one year, then is done. Its feeding profile backs this up: feed a fertile crop generously: work compost or a balanced fertiliser into the soil at planting and side-dress or liquid-feed through the growing season. for houseplants, a balanced feed monthly in spring and summer.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the maranta arundinacea repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast maranta arundinacea grows.

How to keep maranta arundinacea smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For maranta arundinacea specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Choose a compact or dwarf variety of maranta arundinacea from the start — that is the most reliable size control for an annual.
Grow it in a smaller container to naturally limit how large it gets.
For some crops, pinching or pruning the growing tips keeps the plant shorter and bushier.
Sow a little later or space plants closer if you specifically want smaller individual plants.

How to grow maranta arundinacea bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for maranta arundinacea the accelerators are:

Full sun, warm soil and steady water are what drive a crop to full size fastest.
Sow at the right time for your zone so it gets the whole season to size up.
Feed appropriately for the crop and never let it check (stall) from drought or cold.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The maranta arundinacea light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When maranta arundinacea outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for maranta arundinacea:

It sprawls beyond its bed or container before harvest — usually a spacing or support issue.
It flops or needs staking once it hits full height.
Once it has fruited or bolted, it is at its final size for good — the next plant is a new sowing.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the maranta arundinacea repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the maranta arundinacea propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Maranta Arundinacea size — frequently asked questions

How big does maranta arundinacea get?

Maranta Arundinacea reaches around 0.6-1.5 m tall, with rhizomes spreading underground. when grown indoors. It sizes up fast and once, racing from seedling to full size in a single season; after cropping it is finished, so size is a within-season question.

Is maranta arundinacea slow or fast growing?

Maranta Arundinacea is a fast grower. Expect a single growing season — it reaches full size in one year, then is done. Maranta Arundinacea reaches its full size within one growing season — there is no "long-term" size, just how big it gets before you harvest or it dies back.

How long does maranta arundinacea take to reach full size?

Roughly a single growing season — it reaches full size in one year, then is done. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep maranta arundinacea smaller?

Choose a compact or dwarf variety of maranta arundinacea from the start — that is the most reliable size control for an annual. Grow it in a smaller container to naturally limit how large it gets. For some crops, pinching or pruning the growing tips keeps the plant shorter and bushier. Sow a little later or space plants closer if you specifically want smaller individual plants.

How can I make maranta arundinacea grow bigger or faster?

Full sun, warm soil and steady water are what drive a crop to full size fastest. Sow at the right time for your zone so it gets the whole season to size up. Feed appropriately for the crop and never let it check (stall) from drought or cold.