Calathea (Marantaceae) are known for their very diverse, colorful, and beautifully patterned leaves. You can grow these plants in low light, which makes them very popular for the home or office (plus they are safe for pets and kids). Calatheas come from the jungle floors of South America and Africa. They can grow with different kinds of light, but they need a lot of moisture. Luckily, putting Calatheas together makes them more humid and gives you a reason to buy more (in case your partner asks).
One of my favorite things about Calatheas is their nightly movement. Their name, “Prayer Plant,” comes from the way their leaves move with the sun. At night, they go up, and during the day, they go down. Called nyctinasty, this is done by altering the water pressure in their stalk. Many people freak out when they see this because they think their plants are dying because they look like they’re shutting down. But don’t worry, they’ll be fine in the morning.
There are so many types of Calathea and I recommend them all! Here are five of my favorites:
If you’re a new plant parent trying to navigate the wide world of houseplants, you may have heard the terms “prayer plant” and “calathea” used interchangeably. However, while they are closely related, prayer plants and calatheas are actually different types of plants. In this article, we’ll clarify the difference between prayer plants and calatheas, explain why the confusion exists, and give tips on identifying and caring for both of these beautiful houseplant varieties.
What Are Prayer Plants?
First let’s start with the prayer plant since this is the plant most widely referred to by the common name.
True prayer plants belong to the genus Maranta, which is part of the Marantaceae family. There are several Maranta species but the most common by far is Maranta leuconeura also known as the fancy-leaf prayer plant.
Some key features of prayer plants:
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Oval-shaped leaves with striking patterns and veining. Most prayer plant varieties have green leaves with colored veins, such as the classic red-veined Maranta leuconeura.
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Perform nyctinasty closing their leaves at night. This characteristic earned them the “prayer plant” nickname.
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Lower light houseplants that thrive in bright indirect sunlight. Direct light can scorch their leaves.
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Appreciate warm temperatures between 60-80°F.
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Require humid conditions. Low humidity causes browning leaf edges.
What Are Calatheas?
Now let’s look at calatheas. While commonly called prayer plants, Calathea are not true prayer plants at all. Here’s what to know:
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Calatheas belong to the genus Calathea, which is in the Marantaceae family along with Maranta. They are “prayer plant cousins.”
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There are multiple popular Calathea species, like the rattlesnake plant (Calathea lancifolia) and peacock plant (Calathea makoyana).
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Calatheas are identified by their ornate, painted-looking leaves in shades of green, pink, silver, purple and more.
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They do not close their leaves at night like prayer plants.
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Require very similar care to prayer plants – indirect light, warm temps, and humidity.
So while calatheas share the same family and many care needs as prayer plants, they are a distinct genus without the actual praying habit that earned prayer plants their nickname.
Why Are Calatheas Called Prayer Plants?
If calatheas technically aren’t prayer plants, where did this confusion come from? There are a few reasons calatheas and prayer plants are used interchangeably:
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They belong to the same plant family (Marantaceae) and share similar traits. This makes their care virtually identical.
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They both have stunning brightly patterned leaves that really stand out as houseplants.
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Inexperienced houseplant owners simply assume the common name “prayer plant” applies to both groups.
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Some less scrupulous sellers may call calatheas “prayer plants” even though they know this is technically incorrect.
Overall, their close relation and shared family name seems to have led to calatheas inheriting a nickname that is botanically inaccurate. But the mislabeling is now so commonplace that you’ll often hear calatheas referred to as prayer plants in casual conversation.
Tips for Identifying Prayer Plants vs. Calatheas
Now that you know the key differences, here are some tips for telling prayer plants and calatheas apart:
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Look for nyctinasty. If the plant’s leaves close upward at night, it is definitely a prayer plant. Calatheas do not fold their leaves.
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Check the botanical name. True prayer plants will be from the Maranta genus, while calatheas belong to the Calathea genus.
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Note the veining. Prayer plants have colored veins against green, while calatheas have more freeform patterns.
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Consider the leaf shape. Prayer plant leaves are oval. Calatheas have more variegated leaf shapes.
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Observe the leaves. Calatheas have some leaves with purple undersides. Prayer plant undersides match the upperside.
With practice, you’ll be able to easily distinguish these two types of plants. But when in doubt, go by the genus name on the plant tag or description!
Caring for Prayer Plants and Calatheas
While prayer plants and calatheas aren’t the same, they both thrive under similar care:
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Light: Bright indirect light is essential. Avoid direct sun, which can burn their leaves.
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Temperature: Both require warm conditions between 60-80°F. Keep away from drafty areas.
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Humidity: High humidity levels of 50% or higher are ideal. Use a humidifier or pebble tray to increase moisture.
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Soil: A peaty, fast-draining potting mix works well to prevent soggy soil.
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Water: Water whenever the top inch of soil becomes dry. Take care not to overwater.
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Fertilizer: Use a balanced houseplant fertilizer at half strength every 4-6 weeks in the growing season.
Providing warm, humid, indirect light along with frequent moisture is the key to thriving prayer plants and calatheas. Their shared needs make them perfect plant pals!
The Takeaway
Hopefully this article cleared up some of the confusion surrounding prayer plants and calatheas. While commonly mistaken for the same plant, prayer plants are Maranta genus while calatheas belong to Calathea. Both make incredible houseplants but only the Maranta prayer plants display the iconic “praying” leaf-closing behavior that earned them their nickname.
No matter what you call them, bringing one (or both!) of these eye-catching plants into your home is sure to liven up any space. Just be sure to give them the warm, humid conditions they need to continue showing off their colorful foliage. Happy growing!
How to Care for your Calathea
LIGHT: A Calathea can grow many places in your home with very few exceptions. They don’t do well in direct sunlight because it can bleach the leaves and make them crispy. Place your calathea in a part of a room that has low to indirect bright light. If it has to be a window, North facing should do just fine. Calatheas with darker leaves, such as the Pinstripe, do well in even lower light.
HUMIDITY: Now this is the part I struggle with the most, keeping moisture in the air. How old your home is, where you live, and the type of heating and cooling you have all play a big role in this.
Either way Calatheas want humidity of 50% or higher with some varieties preferring more than 65%. If you are like me and you need to supplement your humidity, you can purchase a humidifier (this is mine), place your calatheas in your bathroom (hot shower excuse!) for the best results or other humid rooms like the laundry room or kitchen, and lastly keep them on a tray of pebbles filled with water.
WATER: Because Calatheas can be picky, I like to give them dechlorinated water or, if you have a house, fresh water from a rain barrel. It’s easy for me to get rid of chlorine from my water because I leave my water jugs out overnight. When you water, make sure to keep these babies moist, but pour out any extra water that gets in the tray. If the pot doesn’t have drainage holes, the plant will get root rot if it sits in water. Keep an eye on how dry the soil is and add water when you feel it beginning to crack.
TEMPERATURE: Not surprinsgly, these jungle plants are not cold hardy, let alone cool hardy. They want temperatures over 60°F (15°C) in your house. If you have drafty windows, heating vents, radiators, fans etc. you need to make sure your Calatheas stay clear. Drafts can not only take away the humidity in the air but also make the temperature uneven, which makes Calathea unhappy. They are pickly little friends.
SOIL: Calatheas prefer a well-draining potting mix. You should look for bags at the store that have worm castings, compost, perilite, charcoal, orchard bark, pine bark, coco coir, and orchard bark. There are some stores that even sell specific Calathea and Maranta soil.
FERTILIZER: It is best to fertilize your Calatheas in the growing months with an even balanced fertilizer solution. This will help them remain dense and expand their root system. I like to use a water soluble fertilizer like this so I can control how much I am giving my plant.
CURLING LEAVES: Curling leaves are a very common issue with Calatheas. If your plant is sitting in too much light it will start to burn and curl inward. Move it farther away from the light. The other, more likely reason is that it is drying out, so it is curling up to save water. Water it immediately and you will see it unfurl soon.
BROWNING: Brown leaves and tips are also a common issue. That could be because of low humidity, which is my main problem with this plant. Increase your humidity using the methods listed in the humidity section above. The other reasoning could be that your water has too many chemicals and minerals in it. Try using distilled water and see if that helps.
TERRACOTTA, PLASTIC, OR CERAMIC: You might not think terracotta is the best choice because it dries out soil faster, but it can work out well for you. The porous pot lets the soil stay moist without being wet. If you tend to under-water or live in a dry area, stick with ceramic or plastic pots.
GNATS: These damn things amirite? While you can use those fun fly traps for your plants, you need to address the reason they are there. With the moistness that Calatheas require, it can make an ideal home for fruit flies. Allow the top of your soil to dry out and instead water from the bottom for awhile.
Ranging from velvet textures to geometric patterns and magenta undersides, there are so many amazing forms of Calatheas and I hope this inspires you to fill your home with a couple. Tag me on Instagram with your babies @thegreenmadhouse and let me know if you have any questions below.
Calathea Care Tips Prayer Plant Care Guide TIPS + TRICKS Houseplant 101
FAQ
What else is a prayer plant called?
How do you care for a prayer plant Calathea?
What is another name for the Calathea plant?
What’s the difference between Maranta and Calathea?
How do you know if a prayer plant is a Calathea?
The easiest way to tell if your plant is a true Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura) or a Calathea is to look at its leaves. Marantas generally have oval leaves, while Calathea leaves run the gamut – round, oblong, and lance-shaped. Maranta leaves have strong symmetrical patterns, and some types have brightly colored veins and ribs.
Why are Calatheas called prayer plants?
Since Calatheas are closely related to Marantas and exhibit similar movement (leaves that move up and down depending on the time of day), it is easy to understand why the name Prayer Plant often gets misused as a blanket term covering this group of plants.
What is a prayer plant?
Prayer Plant is the common name of Maranta leuconeura. Marantas and Calatheas are both members of the arrowroot family, the Marantaceae, so they are closely related and easy to confuse.
Are Calatheas a houseplant?
Calatheas are also referred to as prayer plants, a common name that other species use as well. Calatheas can be found outside in tropical environments, and they cannot tolerate cold temperatures. So elsewhere they are typically grown indoors year-round as houseplants.