The Prayer Plant, Maranta leuconeura, is a captivating houseplant cherished for its ornamental foliage and dynamic behavior. Its broad, velvety leaves display intricate patterns of deep green, red, and cream, providing a striking visual texture to any indoor space. The plant is best known for its nyctinastic movement, where the leaves fold upward at night, resembling hands clasped in prayer. Choosing the right neighboring plants is important for its long-term health, as its tropical origins require a specific, consistent environment. Selecting companions that share these preferences simplifies care, ensuring a thriving, cohesive indoor garden.
Environmental Needs of the Prayer Plant
The Prayer Plant’s requirements originate from its natural habitat on the floor of the Brazilian rainforest, dictating a preference for consistently bright, indirect light. This light mimics the dappled sunlight filtering through the dense canopy above. Direct sun exposure is detrimental, often leading to leaf scorch and a faded appearance. Consistent moisture in the growing medium is necessary, requiring a well-draining, peat-based potting mix that remains moist but never waterlogged. High ambient humidity is the most demanding requirement, with a minimum of 60% relative humidity recommended to prevent the leaf edges from turning brown and crispy, so any compatible companion must share this need for filtered light, continuously moist soil, and elevated atmospheric moisture.
Top Companion Plant Recommendations
The best companions for Maranta leuconeura are species that mirror its need for high humidity and low-light tolerance. The Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) is a suitable choice, as it prefers medium to low light and consistently moist soil. It is known for its high transpiration rate, which naturally increases local humidity levels. The glossy, dark green leaves of the Peace Lily offer an appealing contrast to the Prayer Plant’s matte, patterned foliage.
Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) is another partner because it tolerates low-light conditions well and appreciates the same consistently moist, well-draining soil. The Heartleaf Philodendron is also more tolerant of average household humidity than the Prayer Plant, meaning it will not compete heavily for the moisture it helps generate.
Ferns, particularly the Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), are highly compatible, as they are native to similar environments and actively release moisture into the air through transpiration. Plants from the same family, such as certain Calathea varieties, are also suitable as they share the same need for high humidity and protection from harsh sunlight. When selecting a Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), choosing a darker-leaved variety is preferable because the highly variegated types require more light to maintain their color.
Grouping for Health and Humidity
The physical arrangement of the Prayer Plant and its companions is important, as grouping plants closely together is an effective strategy for creating a localized humid microclimate. As each plant releases water vapor through transpiration, the collective moisture output becomes trapped within the immediate area. This collective transpiration elevates the humidity level higher than the ambient room air, which is beneficial for the moisture-sensitive Prayer Plant. To further boost this effect, the pots can be placed on a shallow pebble tray filled with water. As the water evaporates, it humidifies the air immediately surrounding the plants, without risking root rot since the pot bottoms are elevated above the water line.
Plants to Keep Separate
Placing the Prayer Plant near certain species can introduce stress or pests. Any plant that thrives in conditions opposite to the Prayer Plant’s needs should be kept at a distance. Cacti and most succulents, such as Echeveria or Sansevieria, are incompatible because they require bright, direct sun exposure and a period of drought between waterings. Trying to meet the needs of both a desert-dwelling plant and a rainforest plant in the same location leads to either root rot for the succulent or leaf damage for the Prayer Plant.
Certain plants are magnets for houseplant pests that can easily transfer to the Prayer Plant’s sensitive foliage. Plants with thin, textured, or velvety leaves, like certain types of Begonia or Alocasia, are vulnerable to spider mites, which thrive in the dry air that the Prayer Plant already struggles with. Introducing a pest-prone plant into the humid grouping increases the risk of a widespread infestation of spider mites, thrips, or scale insects, all of which are difficult to eradicate from the delicate leaves of the Maranta leuconeura.