Maranta leuconeura gets its common name, Prayer Plant, from the way its leaves move in the evening. Depending on the time of day, you may see the leaves horizontal and relaxed, trailing over the side of the pot, or lifted and standing straight up. This plant is grown for its beautiful foliage featuring vibrant pinstripe-style ribs on a dark, bold background.
Prayer Plant leaves constantly move during the day, but most dramatically when they shift up in a vertical “praying hand” position in the evening. The motion comes from the movement of liquid in special cells at the base of each leaf. Prayer Plants move in reaction to the amount of light in their environment, but no one is 100% sure why they evolved to move this way.
With a basic background on why and how Prayer Plants move their leaves and stems, you will understand these plants better. Once you know the triggers and mechanisms for this movement, you can identify how they play out in your individual plant. It can also help you troubleshoot in case your Prayer Plant stops moving.
How Do Prayer Plants Move?
Marantas and their relatives display nyctinastic movement (sometimes called sleeping movement) in response to light levels. These movements function on a 24-hour clock and occur in all the leaves regardless of their size or age.
There are various types of nastic movement – nyctinasty is specifically a reaction to darkness. For example, a Venus Flytrap exhibits a thigmonastic (not nyctinastic) response when it closes around an insect because the stimulus for the movement is contact. A plant that moves to maximize the amount of light, as with sunflowers, displays photonastic (or phototropic) movements.
The mechanism behind nyctinasty in Prayer Plants is called the pulvinus. Pulvini are located at the base of leaves and are joint-like collections of cells. These cells either swell or contract depending on the amount of liquid present in each. As the size of those cells changes, it creates pressure that results in the leaf movement.
Why Do Prayer Plants Move?
There are various theories about why Prayer Plants move their leaves, but no clear consensus. We have to assume there is a significant evolutionary advantage for these plants, or they would not have developed this habit, but scientists can only hypothesize. The number of species that exhibit nyctinastic movement make up only a fraction of all plants, so it is difficult to account for why it evolved in some plant species and not others.
Since we know that Marantas open their leaves during the day and fold them up at night, it seems likely that they are adjusting their movement to control the amount of sunlight the leaves absorb during the brightest hours of the day. So why fold up at night? One theory is that the folding action keeps dew or rain from sitting on the leaves when it’s cool at night and prevents fungus from developing on the leaf surface.
Other ideas about the evolutionary benefit of nyctinastic movement include temperature regulation and nighttime protection from animals or insects. We can only guess the true reason for this unique habit, but the mystery is part of these plants’ charm.
When Do Prayer Plants Move?
Prayer Plant movement follows a circadian rhythm, just like the wake/sleep cycles observed in humans, animals, and even many other plants. This rhythm isn’t related to the time of day but the presence or absence of light. A Prayer Plant could be manipulated to move at any time by putting it in a dark room or providing a grow light.
Most people talk about the change in the evening – from flat leaves on horizontal stems to elevated stems and raised or even vertical leaves. However, this change is more gradual than the one that happens as the sun rises – when morning light starts streaming into your window, the upright leaves drop down and flatten out.
You might sometimes see Prayer Plants referred to as “nocturnal” since they seem to show some more active behavior at night. Plants cannot be diurnal or nocturnal, as those terms only correspond to animal behavior. And in fact, Prayer Plant leaves move far more during the day than they do at night. Once they reach their upright evening position, they more or less stay there until morning.
In addition to the noticeable change at sunrise and sunset, Maranta leaves adjust their position continually throughout the day as the angle and amount of light on their leaves change. Although the movement is generally too slow to be observed just by watching it, you can see the change in leaf position by taking photos throughout the day from the same angle and comparing them.
Some people have heard the rustling of this plant moving or even seen a sudden change in leaf position. This doesn’t happen because the plant is moving quickly – instead, it’s because one leaf is resting on top of or against another. As they gradually move, the point comes where that supported leaf succumbs to gravity and falls into place.
Do All Prayer Plants Close Up at Night?
Maranta leuconeura are members of the Marantaceae family of plants, which includes other popular houseplants like Calatheas and Stromanthe. All of them show some degree of nyctinastic movement, which sometimes leads people to refer to any of the Marantaceae as Prayer Plants. Calathea species, in particular, are often mistakenly called Prayer Plants, but only Maranta leuconeura technically has that common name. (For more information on the differences between Marantas and Calatheas, click here).
As for the question of whether or not all Prayer Plants close up at night, the answer is that all of them have the potential to perk up at night and fold back open during the day. Depending on their growing conditions, though, an individual Maranta can move a lot or not much at all.
Some people get concerned if their Prayer Plant doesn’t close up at night, but it is not necessarily an indicator that the plant is unhealthy. In the next section, I’ll cover some reasons that the plant might not be moving and some possible solutions.
What To Do If Your Prayer Plant Isn’t Moving
Be sure to read through the section below on what to expect from a healthy Prayer Plant. You don’t want to try to diagnose a problem that doesn’t exist. Some people hear the name “Prayer Plant” and expect that the leaf movement looks like actual praying hands. Maranta leaves don’t fold in on themselves at night, but instead, the stems are usually elevated, and the leaves move into a vertical (but still straight) position.
Check your Light Levels
If your Prayer Plant doesn’t move, the first thing to evaluate is lighting. Since Marantas respond to light and darkness, they may not move much if the light is consistent. For example, if you keep this plant under a grow light with no change in the position or amount of light it receives, it probably won’t move. The stimuli of light and darkness are what trigger the leaves to shift positions.
A Maranta that doesn’t get enough light will not move its leaves up at night (although it will probably still move around a little in the daytime). To absorb as much light as possible, it will keep the leaves flat and open, just like they are during the day. Prayer Plants like filtered, indirect light but will suffer if the room is too dark.
Water Thoroughly
A thirsty Maranta may show little to no motion. Since we know that the mechanism to move the leaves has to do with specific cells filling up with water, it is logical to think that the plant will forego this movement if there’s insufficient moisture available. If the potting mix feels dry and the leaves look shriveled and limp, it’s time to water. The dry leaves may also develop brown, crispy edges.
Could Your Plant be in Shock?
This is the likely culprit if you have repotted your Maranta recently. This plant is sensitive to sudden changes in its environment, including being moved into a larger pot. Some Prayer Plant owners find that their plant stops or significantly reduces the amount of moving it does in the weeks after repotting. If the plant otherwise seems healthy, give it some time to adjust, and it should return to normal soon.
In general, a healthy Maranta leuconeura will move and pray, but nyctinastic movement is not a requirement for the plant to be healthy and happy. Still, if your plant stops moving, it’s a good reason to inspect it carefully for problems,
For more information about why your Prayer Plant’s leaves have stopped moving and some possible solutions, read my other article: 5 Reasons Why Your Prayer Plant May Not Be Praying.
What To Expect From Your Prayer Plant
A healthy Maranta leuconeura is truly beautiful, but they can be particular about their care and conditions. Some people say this plant is easy, while others find it almost impossibly demanding. If your Prayer Plant gets suboptimal care, it will soon show its displeasure in one or more obvious symptoms.
Because Prayer Plant leaves are so thin, they are not very tough or resilient. They can dry or burn easily, and once a leaf is damaged, it usually can’t be saved. It is better to anticipate a Maranta’s needs instead of reacting to them to keep it looking its best.
One of the main ways a Prayer Plant will show that there is a problem is with curling leaves. Make sure you don’t confuse curling leaves for the plant’s natural praying movement. You can read more about what to do if your Prayer Plant’s leaves are curling in this article: What to do When Your Prayer Plant Leaves Start Curling.
Once you find the right balance of light, humidity, temperature, and water, try to minimize changes to your routine. Prayer Plants dislike sudden changes in their environments. The best location for them is in a temperature-controlled room that isn’t too drafty, near a north- or east-facing window that is bright but doesn’t get direct sun.
Prayer Plants love humidity (and their leaves will get brown and crispy if there’s not enough of it), so a bathroom or kitchen suits them well. Otherwise, grouping plants together or using a humidifier can help to increase the humidity around your Prayer Plant.
The average household temperature usually works well for Maranta leuconerura, anywhere between 60-85 degrees. Protect them from extreme temperatures and cold drafts as much as possible.
Correct watering habits are crucial to keeping your Prayer Plant in good shape. This plant does not like to dry out too much between waterings but still doesn’t want to be in potting soil that is too moist. They have shallow root systems, so a wide, squat pot works well to make sure they don’t sit in too much wet soil.
A healthy Prayer Plant will reward you with rapid growth during the spring and summer and bold, deeply colored leaves. If lighting conditions are correct, you should see leaves and stems shifting up and down and leaves changing angles over the course of 24 hours. Remember that the leaves should not curl in on themselves. They should be primarily flat regardless of whether they are in the horizontal or vertical position.
Final Thoughts
Maranta leuconeura is not just attractive but also offers a fascinating glimpse into a botanical mystery – why do some plants move at night while others don’t? What is the evolutionary benefit of nyctinasty? Prayer Plants demand more attention than some other houseplants, but they repay the attentive owner with a show-stopping foliage display that changes as the plant shifts and moves. This constant motion can be even more captivating now that you know the science behind it!