Prayer plants, or Maranta leuconeura, are popular tropical houseplants that are easy to take care of. The leaves may curl, though. Known for their stunning brightly colored foliage, youll want to resolve this common issue. As long as you catch it early, this problem can be easily fixed. These four things are most likely making the leaves on your prayer plant curl, and here’s what you can do about each one.
When new leaves emerge on a prayer plant they are curled until they unfurl and mature. Before you panic about curled leaves make sure they arent simply new growth emerging. You should be concerned if mature leaves begin to curl inward from the edges.
With their stunning striped foliage that folds up at night, prayer plants (Maranta leuconeura) are mesmerizing houseplants But those fanciful leaves also make prayer plants prone to problems if their needs aren’t met. Curled up leaves are the most common prayer plant issue
When healthy prayer plant leaves extend outward on short stems. But various stresses cause the leaves to curl up into tight rolls. Don’t panic – with a few simple fixes you can get your prayer plant back to its happy, uncurled state.
What Causes Prayer Plant Leaves to Curl?
The tropical prayer plant thrives in warm, humid conditions with bright filtered light. Replicate those rainforest origins, and your plant will thrive. But less-than-ideal conditions trigger leaf curling. The main causes are:
- Underwatering – Dry soil leads to rolled leaves.
- Low humidity – Dry air causes leaves to curl up.
- Insufficient light – Weak light leads to compact growth.
- Cool temperatures – Anything below 60°F can cause curling.
Leaf curling due to improper care usually starts at the leaf edges and moves inward Make sure to identify and address the underlying issue, or the damage can become permanent
How to Fix Curled Prayer Plant Leaves
Getting to the root cause of curled leaves is key. Here are tips to uncurl your prayer plant and prevent future curling:
Water thoroughly – Feel the top few inches of soil daily. Water whenever it’s partly dry. Soak until water drains from the bottom.
Increase humidity – Prayer plants prefer at least 50% humidity. Use a humidifier, pebble tray, or group with other plants.
Provide bright, indirect light – Aim for several hours of sunlight filtered through sheer curtains each day. Rotate the plant if growth gets lopsided.
Maintain ideal temperatures – Keep the plant around 70°F. Move away from cold drafts and hot vents.
Fertilize regularly – Use a balanced liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks in spring and summer. Stop in fall and winter.
Check for pests – Insects can damage leaves and cause curling. Treat any infestations.
With attentive care tailored to its preferences, your prayer plant will bounce back quickly from leaf curling. Keep it happy and you’ll enjoy uncurled, vibrant leaves.
What Does Healthy Prayer Plant Growth Look Like?
When you provide ideal care, your prayer plant will showcase:
- Flat, outward extended leaves during the day
- Leaves folded upright at night
- Deep green leaves with bright variegation
- No brown tips, spots, or curled edges
- Perky, upright stems and new growth emerging
- Moist but not soggy soil
As long as you tend to its preferences, your prayer plant will grow strong and healthy with no curled leaves in sight.
Troubleshooting Severely Curled Leaves
If your prayer plant’s leaves remain tightly curled even after you address care issues, more intensive revival methods may be needed:
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Remove curled leaves – Prune off any shriveled and damaged leaves to focus the plant’s energy on new growth.
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Propagate healthy leaves – Take stem cuttings of any healthy leaves to start over with a fresh plant.
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Try water propagation – Remove the entire plant and place the root ball in a vase of water until new roots form. Then repot in soil.
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Repot in fresh soil – If roots have rotted from overwatering, repot in new, well-draining soil. Trim off any mushy roots first.
With time and TLC, even severely curled prayer plant leaves can unfurl and grow strong again. Patience through the rehab process is key.
How to Prevent Future Leaf Curling
Once you get your prayer plant back on track, keep it there by:
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Watering properly – Check soil daily and water when partly dry.
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Mist leaves – Increase humidity by misting leaves regularly with a spray bottle.
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Monitoring for pests – Watch for signs of insects and treat promptly.
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Providing good air flow – Allow space between plants for air movement to prevent fungal diseases.
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Using filtered water – Chlorine and fluorine in tap water can damage leaves.
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Fertilizing regularly – Feed every 2-4 weeks during spring through summer.
By caring for your prayer plant’s preferences, you can avoid stressful conditions that lead to leaf curling.
Enjoy Your Prayer Plant’s Dazzling Foliage
The prayer plant’s stunning variegated leaves make it a popular houseplant, but also prone to leaf curling issues. Thankfully, a few simple adjustments to its care will get your plant back to health. Focus on increasing humidity, providing adequate sunlight, maintaining ideal temperatures, and watering properly. With attentive care, you’ll be able to enjoy your prayer plant’s beautiful flat foliage for years to come.
Lack of Humidity
Prayer plants can grow in normal home humidity levels, but they do best in at least 200% humidity (normal home humidity levels can be between 30% and 50%). It’s possible for your plant’s leaves to curl if you put it in a dry spot in your home, like next to a heater or a vent that lets in a lot of air. If you think it’s because of too little humidity, here are some things you can try.
This is the first thing you should do: move your prayer plant to a different spot. It should be in a dryer room or bathroom. Second, you can get a humidifier and place it nearby. There are many small humidifiers made just for plants that are stylish, easy to hide, and small enough to fit almost anywhere. You can also try using a pebble tray to increase humidity. Fill a shallow tray with pebbles and some water and place the pot on top of the pebbles. The water will create some extra humidity in the air directly around the plant. Just remember to refill the pebble tray as the water evaporates over time.
Underwatering
Prayer plants prefer soil to stay consistently moist. If the soil dries out too much between waterings the leaves will begin to curl. An underwatered prayer plant also will display drooping leaves that are soft and limp to the touch. This problem should be fixed by giving your plant a good drink of water, as long as you keep doing it. If you water your prayer plant and the leaves don’t return to their original shape in a day, the plant may have become so dry that the roots have died and can’t take in water properly. Since this is the case, taking your plant out of the ground and putting it in water will help its roots grow back. You can put the plant back in soil once the new roots are at least an inch long, which should be in a few weeks.
If you are prone to underwatering your houseplants, you may find a tool like plant watering globes helpful. These small orbs can be filled with water and then inserted into the soil. The plant will draw out the water as it needs it until the globe is empty. Since the globes are raised above the ground, it is easy to see when they are empty and need to be filled again.
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FAQ
What does an underwatered prayer plant look like?
Why do Prayer plants fold up?
Why are my prayer plants curled?
When new leaves emerge on a prayer plant they are curled until they unfurl and mature. Before you panic about curled leaves make sure they aren’t simply new growth emerging. You should be concerned if mature leaves begin to curl inward from the edges. Prayer plants prefer soil to stay consistently moist.
How do you know if a prayer plant has a curling leaf?
Until the new leaf is completely unfurled, it may appear to have curling edges. It is usually easy to identify new leaves as their color will be pale compared to the more mature parts of the plant. This type of curling leaf is just part of a Prayer Plant’s natural growth and does not indicate any problem.
Do prayer plant leaves uncurl?
Yes, your prayer plant leaves will definitely uncurl if you treat the problem that’s causing it. The following are various methods that you can try in order to make your prayer plant leaves uncurl: If you see holes and discolorations in the foliage aside from curling, then your plant might be experiencing pest infestation.
Why do prayer plant leaves curl at night?
Prayer Plant Leaves Curling At Night Again, prayer plant leaves that curl only at night is nothing to worry about. This behavior is actually what earned Maranta leuconeura its common name since the folded leaves resemble praying hands. Prayer plants curl up in response to a lack of light.
