The prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura)Â is one of the most easily recognized tropical plants due to its exquisitely ornamental leaves. The prayer plant grows slowly but finally reaches a height of up to one foot. They may be grown indoors at any time of the year and are relatively widespread as houseplants.
When it comes to unusual houseplants, prayer plants are the most vivid and attractive. This article will go through prayer plant benefits to persuade you to buy an amazing prayer plant for your house or office.Â
 If you are interested in houseplant benefits, you can also read
 <<Jade Plant Benefits>> and <<Syngonium Plant Benefits>> articles.
What are prayer plants?
The prayer plant, or Maranta leuconeura, is a perennial of the arrowroot (Marantaceae) family that grows slowly and is evergreen. All varieties of prayer plants are indigenous to Brazil’s tropical rainforests in South America. Due to their inclination to rise toward the sun as it sets and fall back toward the earth as it rises, their common name was given.
The remarkable structure of prayer plants features large, ovular leaves with distinct, multicolored veins. Typically, the color of the central vein differs from that of the veins that branch out to the leaf margins. These plants have matte, grey-green undersides and waxy, green foliage. The prayer plants have rigid, rubbery stems with elliptical-shaped leaves that alternate [1].
Why is this plant referred to as a prayer plant?
Prayer plants close their leaves at night to resemble folded hands in prayer. They open their leaves in the morning. This everyday movement is called Nyctinasty and is a really interesting phenomenon to observe.
Prayer Plant Care
Low-growing, spreading prayer plants do best in greenhouse-like settings, which include warm, wet, soft airflow and lots of fertilizer. Maranta plants that are kept in too cool or dry conditions are more prone to lose their leaves or get fungal infections, which can lead to the plant collapsing or dying from root rot [2].
source: Carol Von Canon
Prayer Plant Benefits
Fun and entertaining
The fact that Maranta plants may move is one of the main prayer plant benefits. Their leaves will curl up every night, appearing to be praying in the evening. By these movements, they produce nice entertainment as a result.
It is worth mentioning that these plants do close and open their leaves for food as the Venus flytrap does. Turgor pressure, produced by swelling and shrinking due to the plant’s intrinsic circadian cycle, causes the prayer plant’s leaves to move [3].
Unique, beautiful houseplant
Houseplants assist in unifying the design of any area, whether they are arranged on mantles, side tables, bookshelves, or worktops.
A prayer plant will go in with any home decor, no matter what it is. This plant has the dual benefits of making a space feel cozier and more finished. This lovely houseplant, comes in many vibrant colors, including Red, Lemon-Lime, Marisela, Kim, Green, and Black.
Easy to care
Although they favor greenhouse-like environments to grow more effectively, they are simple to maintain indoors. The Prayer plant only needs high humidity, bright indirect light, and soil that drains well.
Noise reduction
Another Maranta leuconeura benefit is that they can help lessen noise pollution in your home and workplace thanks to their lovely broad leaves. This is because houseplants can reduce noise in the place by absorbing, deflecting, and refracting the sounds. The noise reduction increases with the number of plants you own.
Stress relief
A study indicated that having plants in your house or workplace can help you feel more at ease, calm, and natural. Accordingly, having prayer plants around the house can help you feel less stressed and anxious, which also helps you be more productive.
Air purification
The first study to provide scientific backing for plants that remove pollutants from the air was carried out by NASAÂ in the 1980s.
According to the Nasa clean air study, some indoor plants can help to lower airborne volatile organic compound (VOC) contaminants like formaldehyde and benzene. However, the air purification ability of plants depends on factors such as the size of the plant, the size of the indoor space, and the amount of toxins in the air.
Although the prayer plant was not on NASA’s list of plants that purify the air, it is still very likely that it also removes harmful pollutants.
Perfect gifts
Houseplants may not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering gifts, but they are the perfect way to make someone smile on any occasion.
A plant gift delivery could be the perfect present for any special occasion, whether you’re celebrating a birthday, promotion, wedding, or holiday.
Prayer plants are among the best options for presents. They come in vibrant varieties, are simple to grow, and have a reasonable size.
More concentration
The potential of plants to increase concentration and focus is a side benefit of having plants indoors. Having plants near your desk can improve your focus, especially if you are studying or working from home.Â
It has been discovered that simply having a natural, green backdrop in your workspace has a therapeutic effect. This can refuel your “attention muscles,” keeping you more attentive and preventing fatigue.
Prayer plants are reasonable in size and are easy to grow. This means that they are perfect for being placed on the desks. This could increase your concentration and help you focus on your tasks.Â
source: pfly
Sense of accomplishment
The last prayer plant benefit is acquiring a sense of accomplishment. In a study, residents’ quality of life increased when they potted plants and learned how to take care of them at home. According to researchers, this might result from a sense of success or the companionship people experienced with their plants (some said they talked and sang to them).Â
According to Gwenn Fried, manager of Horticulture Therapy at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation, “Anytime someone takes ownership in something by doing it themselves, they express satisfaction in success.”
As previously stated, Maranta plants require little maintenance. As a result, everyone can keep them in their house and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.