prayer plant
noun
plural prayer plants
: a maranta (Maranta leuconeura of the family Marantaceae, the prayer plant or arrowroot family) that is native to Brazil and has several varieties (such as M. leuconeura var. kerchoveana and M. leuconeura var. erythroneura) that are widely grown as houseplants for their ornamentally patterned oval leaves that turn upward in evening
The red-veined prayer plant has a herringbone design of red veins over light to olive green leaf surfaces and silvery green along the center vein.—Georgia Tasker
The leaves of the prayer plant bend up at nightfall, resembling hands clasped in prayer.—Barbara Arnold
Prayer plants have striking leaves, with brightly colored veins (usually red or yellow).—Lesley Chan
Cite this Entry
“Prayer plant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prayer%20plant. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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