Lemon Lime Maranta Green My Space

A reasonably new addition to the Australian plant market. Maranta lemon lime is similar to the very common red vein maranta….except it’s not so common and has striking yellow veining along each leaf. 

The plants you see pictured are representations of the plant you will receive. They are all a similar size (4 – 6 leaves) and are growing in 80 mm pots. 

About the Genus  

Maranta is a genus of plants that are collectively referred to as ‘prayer plants’ (calathea are also often given this name). At night, these plants fold their leaves upwards, resembling praying hands.

Prayer plants can also move their leaves regularly throughout the day. They’ll position their leaves to receive an ideal amount of light. This plant has been growing under bright grow lights, and hence has its leaves angled downwards to ensure they do not receive too much light. If you place this plant in lower light, you’ll find that it will angle its leaves towards the light. The ability to move their leaves throughout the day allows prayer plants to thrive under various lighting conditions. In very low light, a prayer plant can track the light as it moves across a room throughout the day.

Care information

Maranta love moisture and should ideally be kept in environments with  > 60 % humidity, however they will cope just fine in regular household humidity. Although it’s not ideal, they can even tolerate the low humidity typical of a heated home throughout winter. 

The key to keeping a maranta happy is to never let their potting mix dry out, however sopping wet soil will cause root rot. Best way to keep these plants is in a well draining soil mix (eg. 50% perlite and 50% potting mix) and a self-watering pot. They also grow well in passive hydroponics, but their very fine roots make them difficult to convert from soil to hydro. If you want to grow them hydroponically, you are best to take a cutting, root it in water, and then grow the rooted cutting hydroponically. 

As mentioned earlier, maranta’s ability to move their leaves make them tolerant of a wide variety of lighting conditions. Bright indirect light is ideal, but they can also thrive in lower light environments or with some direct morning sun. 

Maranta are not prone to pests. Their leaves will curl if they are not happy; for example if they are receiving too much light, not enough water, or are experiencing root rot. They are prone to browning on the tips of their leaves, which can be prevented with good airflow and regular application of a fungicide such as Myclobutanii.