The Maranta 'Fascinator', better known as the Red Prayer Plant, is grown for some of the boldest foliage of any houseplant. Each deep green leaf is marked with vivid red veins and pale green feathering in a herringbone pattern, with softly purple undersides that show when the leaves fold.

True to its name, the leaves fold upward in the evening and open flat again by morning, a natural movement called nyctinasty that gives prayer plants their common name. It is a low, spreading grower, better suited to a shelf, windowsill or plant stand than a tall display.

It arrives as an established plant in a 12cm pot, ready to settle into a warm room. Keep it out of direct sun, which scorches the leaf markings, and give it a spot with medium to low indirect light instead. Water regularly to keep the compost evenly moist without letting the pot sit in water, and reduce watering a little over winter. The leaf edges brown quickly in dry air or hard tap water, so stand it on a pebble tray or mist it regularly, and feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser through spring and summer.

This is an indoor plant only. It needs warmth all year and will not tolerate temperatures below about 15°C, so keep it away from cold draughts and air conditioning.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Prayer Plant, Red Prayer Plant, Herringbone Plant
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 20-30cm tall and 30-45cm wide (variety dependent)
• Growth Habit: Low-growing, spreading, clump-forming evergreen perennial
• Perfect For: Shelves, windowsills, bathrooms and kitchens where humidity is naturally higher
• Foliage: Deep green leaves with vivid red veins, pale green patterning and soft purple undersides
• Planting Position: Medium to low indirect light, never direct sun
• Hardiness: Not frost hardy, indoor plant only, needs a minimum of around 15°C all year
• Maintenance: Keep compost evenly moist, raise humidity with misting or a pebble tray, feed monthly through spring and summer
• Seasonal Interest: Evergreen foliage all year round
• Type: Tropical evergreen perennial houseplant