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Prayer Plant

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2004
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by Merme on October 30, 2004 04:07 AM
I was recently given a Prayer Plant that I like very much. But it seems a little "stringy" to me, as though it should have been somehow cut back a long time ago so that it would be more bushy or full? Or is the Prayer Plant supposed to be more like a vine? And if I'm supposed to trim it, how do I root the cuttings? The leaves are in lovely tri-color and it seems to like my kitchen so far. Thanks. Merme

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"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)
by afgreyparrot on October 30, 2004 05:33 AM
Merme...
I don't know what Prayer Plants are actually SUPPOSED to look like, but mine look like this.
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I got it in an arrangement from the florist and it keeps multiplying, so I take some out every now and then and pot them and give them away.

One of the hostesses of the forum will probably move this to the "Houseplants" forum and someone will be able to give you an answer.

Welcome to the forum!

So nice to meet you!

Cindy

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Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
by catlover on October 30, 2004 06:01 AM
Welcome to The Garden Helper Merme [wayey]
Cindy was right [thumb] going to move your post to houseplants and see if anyone else would like to help answer your question.
Catlover [kitty]

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by Jiffymouse on October 30, 2004 03:20 PM
ok, here is your prayer plant answers...

they will get viney/stringy if they don't get enough light (i have that problem with mine, i only have one "good" plant window) if you want to cut it back, and root the cuttings, it will do fine. it will bush some, and the cuttings are very easily rooted by placing them in a small vase of water. make sure that you leave enough stem on it tho have one or two leaf nodes under the water. other than that, its really easy.

oh, and the "spots" or coloration on the leaves comes from a combination of the variety of plant and the amount of light it gets. mine frequently only have just a hit of the spots, but it's mother plant (which gets lots of light) has nice spots on it.

also, the proper name for it is marantha and it gets it's common name of prayer plant from the habit the leaves have of "folding" upward like hands in prayer in the evenings. the folding is different from that of the mimosa type plants, in that the whole leaf changes it lateral orientation to a near vertical one after dark. and the plant's leaf tops will all be facing each other, so that the plant only has 2 "sides" when it is folding "in prayer".

this link has some good information for you.

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