A guest blog post by Laura, one of our new plant staff here at Houseplant UK.
Everything started with a spontaneous meeting at a friend's flat warming party. In between the sound of Prosecco glasses touching and talks about the continuously rising prices for uk property, I noticed it: a plant with leaves that appeared to move like dance. When the evening light dimmed, its greenery elegantly bent upwards, as though it was praying. "My friend notice I am very interested. They say to me, 'This is prayer plant.' At that time, I did not understand this small meeting with the plant would become big interest for me. It change my love of plants and also how I see life".
Like everyone, figuring out adult life, I was attracted to houseplants & indoor plants as a means of caring for something real. The common fiddle-leaf fig had its time and Swiss cheese plant continues to dominate many apartments. However, it is the prayer plant that really connected with me due to its daily routine of activity. This turned into a symbol of my personal trip - understanding how to adjust, striving towards brightness, and discovering times for calm thinking amid the hustle-bustle of everyday life.
When I observed my first prayer plant, a humble Maranta leuconeura, opening its leaves every morning, I started to identify similarities with my personal life. Just like the plant adjusted to day and night patterns, I began craving for a more harmonious existence. The endurance of the plant despite my first awkward efforts at looking after it surprisingly stirred inspiration within me. It pardoned my excessive watering, endured the infrequent draft from a poorly sealed window and kept on performing its everyday display notwithstanding my gardening imperfections.
This plant turned into a kind of trusted friend for me. During the calm early morning times while I was enjoying my coffee and observing its leaves little by little open to welcome the day, I began thinking about my personal dreams and targets. The slow but consistent progress of this plant showed similarity with my own growth - sometimes not visible every day, yet clearly noticeable when seen over a period.
As I became more interested, my collection also expanded. It all began with one plant on a chaotic windowsill and soon turned into an area full of greenery, eventually taking over my entire home. Each new item added its unique personality and needed specific attention which transformed my living space into a lively indoor jungle. Looking into and taking care of these plants turned into a type of mindfulness. It was an approach to step away from the online world and reconnect with nature, even in the middle of our modern, doom scrolling lives.
I didn't realise before that this unintentional journey into taking care of plants would guide me to learn, not only about plant cultivation but also about my personal growth and role in the world. The prayer plant, with its calm motions and beautiful leaves, had unlocked a way towards a more eco-friendly and conscious lifestyle - I was excited for experiencing it.
A leafy love affair
When I explored more about prayer plants, I found out an entire family of these interesting indoor plants. From the traditional Maranta leuconeura with its herringbone design to the prominent purple bottom side of Calathea ornata, every kind looked much attractive than before. Then I started looking online and was keen to add more indoor plants into my collection and change my home into a true jungle.
The Calathea orbifolia swiftly turned into a preferred one. Featuring big, circular leaves that remind of lily pads, it offered an extraordinary spin to my normal plant collection. Its gentle silvery lines seemed to sparkle in the mild light of my sleeping room, providing soothing vibe during late-night job tasks or early morning yoga exercises. Next comes the Calathea makoyana, also known rightly as peacock plant. Its leaves - an enchanting array of green shades, always attracted peoples attention and frequently acted like conversation starter at uneasy house gatherings.
However, my passion for plants did not end there. The Calathea lancifolia, having its long leaves with wave-like edges and dark green spots increased the charm of my home office. Its playful design appeared to make fun of the seriousness present in my work emails, signalling me that life should not always be taken too seriously. The round leaves of the Calathea medallion, which have complex designs in light and dark green, it turns into my partner for meditation. Its circular form is a perfect concentration point for mindfulness activities.
When my collection started expanding, I also gained more understanding. I understood the crucial role of humidity and bought a humidifier which not only helped my plants but surprisingly improved my skin condition too - an unforeseen beauty advice from my green companions. The pleasure of 'bathroom botanicals' came to me as well by converting small downstairs toilet into relaxing haven using few moisture-favouring prayer plants.
Every new plant I added to my collection came with its unique care guidelines, making me feel like a beginner botanist. With as much excitement as I used to talk about the newest Netflix shows before, now it's all about soil pH and benefits of various potting mixtures. At first, my friends were surprised by this sudden interest in plants but soon they started asking for suggestions on how to take care of their own plants too.
This trip into the realm of prayer plants was not only for beauty or home decoration. It turned into a method to bond with nature, to care for something alive in an usually detached urban setting. Every fresh leaf, each successful multiplication, seemed like a tiny win - signifying that growth can occur even in most unexpected places.
Nurturing Growth
Looking after prayer plants can be a bit challenging to learn, but the result is very satisfying. These plants do well in humid conditions, hence they are great for bathrooms. I have discovered that frequently spraying them with water or putting them on a tray of pebbles helps keep them content in rooms which lack humidity - something necessary because most houses here in the UK with central heating often lack moisture in air.
These plants like the light but not direct sunlight - too much sunlight directly can burn their sensitive leaves. This makes them perfect for people who have windows facing north or rooms with low natural light, whether it's a blessing (or bad luck). Regarding watering, I found out to let top soil dry up until one inch before water again and always use room temperature water so as not to surprise the roots. It is a sensitive equilibrium - too less water and the leaves will hang significantly, too much and you could cause root rot.
Maybe the most important lesson I learned from my prayer plants is to be patient. As with any relationship, understanding their needs and oddities takes time. However, by giving them a bit of attention and care, these beautiful indoor plants will give you back in return with their daily movements and rich green leaves. This tolerance has overflowed into different parts of my life - I see myself more prepared to wait for outcomes, whether it's related to my job or personal tasks.
Taking care of a prayer plant also importantly includes nourishing it. I prefer to utilise balanced, water-dissolvable nutrients every several weeks while the plant is in growth time and do so at half strength. It's very interesting observing how a small enhancement of nutrition can produce bigger leaves with brighter colours. This usual feeding schedule has turned into a sort of routine, it's a method to monitor each plant and evaluate its general health.
Owning a prayer plant brings great pleasure, especially when it comes to propagation. It is truly extraordinary to care for and see such a small cutting transform into an entire plant. From my primary plants, I have been able to populate my apartment with their offspring - something that has brought me immense joy. Moreover, distributing cuttings amongst friends has also been deeply satisfying. This is a beautiful method for sharing affection towards plants and building relationships with other people.
Another expertise I have acquired is pest control. Prayer plants can often get affected by spider mites and mealybugs. My ability has developed in noticing the initial indications of an infestation, and handling it using neem oil or insecticide soap. It has educated me about the importance of continual checkups and early action - a teaching that is applicable to many facets of life.
Finally, I have understood how crucial it is to generate the appropriate surroundings. Not only humidity and light, but prayer plants also favour constant temperatures and shield from drafts. It has increased my consciousness of the small weather zones in my house and their impact on not just my plants but also on my comfort level.
Taking care of prayer plants has been an adventure of finding, waiting and benefit. It gives me important teachings about fostering development – in my green friends as well as within myself.
Q&A: Your Prayer Plant Queries Answered
Q: My prayer plant's leaves are curling. What's wrong?
A: When leaves start to curl, it is usually a sign of insufficient watering or low moisture in the air. You could attempt to mist more frequently or use a tray filled with pebbles. Furthermore, make sure that your plant isn't placed where cold wind can hit it directly.
Q: Can I propagate my prayer plant?
Surely, the most simple way is dividing at repotting time. You should carefully divide the plant into portions, verify each has roots and put them in separate pots.
Q: Why aren't my plant's leaves moving?
A: If your plant doesn't receive the natural light cycle, it might not shift so dramatically. Make sure it is getting periods of darkness during night time. In addition, plants that are young usually move less compared to those which are mature ones.
Q: Where can I find high-quality prayer plants?
A: Here at Houseplant.co.uk we provide many high quality indoor plants, including different types of prayer plant species. You can order online for express UK delivery.
Whether you have much experience with plants or are just starting to show interest, I highly recommend prayer plants. These are not simply indoor plants; they serve as a constant symbol of the attractiveness in adjustment and significance of identifying your unique pace within the dance that is life.