terrestrialeasyFreshwater

Prayer Plant

Maranta leuconeura

Also known as maranta

Plantae›Tracheophyta›Liliopsida›Zingiberales›Marantaceae

Grown emersed as a riparium plant with its roots in the tank water, taking up nitrate as a biofilter. Low-to-medium indirect light and humidity; roots with foliage kept above the surface.

Terrestrial / emersed plant

Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air: a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.

Where it's from

Native to Brazil Northeast, Brazil Southeast and Brazil West-Central

Recorded as introduced in Colombia and Mexico Gulf

At a glance

Light: Low to medium indirect
Growth: Moderate
Placement: Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air

Tanks growing this

Growing in 1 tank

1 tank shared publicly.

Rocky Nano

@KyWillums

Member photos

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by @KyWillums

Legality

No state or federal restrictions on record.

Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.

The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).