Buzz
The Striped Arrowroot (scientific name Maranta leuconeura) is a perennial plant known for its vibrant, eye-catching colors. It's an ideal choice for indoor environments, especially in rooms facing east or north, where light levels are typically lower. The plant features oval-shaped leaves adorned with bright green or pink stripes and patches. You can grow it in hanging baskets or place it on a table. During the evening or on cloudy days, the leaves of the Striped Arrowroot close together as if in prayer, resembling two hands clasped. While it can thrive outdoors in USDA zones 11 and 12, it is most commonly grown indoors in various regions.
Steps
Creating a Favorable Environment for the Plant
Plant in a shallow pot with drainage holes at the bottom. The Striped Arrowroot has a shallow root system, so if it's planted in a deep pot with excessive soil below, the soil could become waterlogged, leading to root rot. When planting the Striped Arrowroot, it is essential to choose a pot with drainage holes to prevent water from accumulating around the roots in the soil.
Place the plant in indirect sunlight. You can hang or place the Striped Arrowroot pot near a window where the plant will receive indirect sunlight. Never place it directly under the sun, as direct sunlight can cause the leaves to lose their color and become faded.
Hang the plant from the ceiling in a west or south-facing room. Find a corner of the room where sunlight doesn’t directly hit and hang the plant so that it gets the right amount of light and grows well.
- When receiving the proper light, the Striped Arrowroot will have dark green stems and vibrant, colorful leaves.
- If the plant doesn’t get enough light, the stems will elongate and become weak as they stretch to reach more light.
Maintain room temperature between 18 to 26°C and humidity levels. The Striped Arrowroot is a tropical plant, so it doesn’t grow well if the temperature drops too low, especially below 21°C. Cold temperatures and dry air will cause the leaves to curl and turn brown. High temperatures above 26°C can cause the stems to become long and spindly.
- Use a humidifier or place a dish of pebbles with water beneath the pot to increase humidity in the room.
- Avoid placing the pot near hot or cold air vents or in areas with frequent temperature fluctuations, like doorways or air-conditioned spaces.
Plant Maintenance
Water the plant when the soil in the pot begins to dry out. Never allow the soil to dry out completely. Both under-watering and over-watering can cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off.
- If the leaves start to yellow, water less frequently when the soil feels moist or water more often when it feels dry between waterings.
Chai Saechao
Founder of Plant Therapy
Founder of Plant Therapy
Like other arrowroot plants, the Striped Arrowroot requires high humidity. While this plant can be challenging to care for, it will thrive if you ensure the soil remains consistently moist. Some Striped Arrowroot plants may even fold and unfold their leaves at night, displaying a unique movement.
Water the plant in the morning with room-temperature water. This ensures that the water droplets on the leaves will dry before nightfall. Cold tap water can chill the roots and stress the plant, leading to leaf drop.
- Wet leaves combined with cold temperatures at night create an ideal environment for leaf spot diseases. If you notice brown or black spots on the leaves, it's essential to cut off the affected leaves at the base and dispose of them.
Fertilize the plant every two weeks from early spring to late fall. Use a water-soluble fertilizer for indoor plants, diluted to half strength. The typical dilution ratio is about ½ teaspoon per 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water, although this may vary slightly. Always check the product label for specific dilution instructions and adjust accordingly.
- Choose a balanced fertilizer designed for indoor plants, such as a 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 formula.
- Using too little fertilizer can stunt the plant's growth, while too much can cause root burn and leaf edges to dry out and turn brown. When fertilized properly, the Striped Arrowroot will flourish with vibrant, healthy leaves and stems.
Mix your own potting soil. Use a peat-based potting mix with a pH level between 5.5 and 6.0, or combine 2 parts sphagnum peat moss, 1 part compost, and 1 part perlite or coarse sand for an ideal potting mix.
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly. You can find sphagnum peat moss, compost, perlite, and coarse sand at most garden centers.
- Always purchase clean, pre-packaged materials that have been industrially treated to be free from pests and weed seeds.
Only repot the plant in spring or summer if it becomes root-bound. When the roots fill the pot, the soil dries out very quickly, slowing down the plant's growth. This condition is known as root bound.
- The new pot should only be about 2.5 cm to 5 cm larger in diameter than the old pot. Add 2.5 cm of soil to the bottom of the new pot, then carefully remove the plant from the old pot and place it into the new one, filling in the soil around it. Water the plant thoroughly after repotting to settle the soil around the roots.
Divide the plant into smaller plants after repotting. You can separate the Striped Arrowroot into smaller plants by gently removing the soil from the roots and dividing it. Each plant should have a good amount of roots and several leaf stems.
- Plant each small division in its own shallow pot.
Prune the plant 2-3 times a year to encourage healthy growth. Use sharp scissors or handheld pruning shears to trim back several centimeters from some stems. Cut just above the leaves.
- New stems and leaves will sprout from the nodes below the cut, where the remaining leaf is growing, so you will have more Striped Arrowroot plants to decorate your home.
What You Will Need
- Shallow pots with drainage holes
- Humidifier or pebble tray (optional)
- Water-soluble fertilizer
- Peat-based potting mix
- Sharp scissors or handheld pruning shears
