Although the name might be a mouthful, everything else about this Maranta is easy going and a joy to grow. Typically nicknamed 'prayer plant' due to the movement of its leaves in the morning and evening, this is a delicate but dramatic edition to those who have just started with plants, or those with plants in the triple digits.

Growing from thin purple and green stems, these plants produce paddle-shaped, pale green leaves, painted with dark brown splotches (which look like brush strokes), on each leaf. This variety is variegated, meaning it produces sporadic patches of white and cream, (and sometimes pink and orange), on the leaves as well as, and often over the top of the dark brown splotching. This variegation makes every new leaf a surprise, and can create some fun pops of colour on each individual leaf.

Marantas, known for their moisture-loving tendencies, natively grow in the humid forests of Brazil, where they grow bushy along the floor, receiving very gentle dappled light. When growing as a houseplant, make sure the soil is consistently moist but never water-logged. Place away from radiators or draughts, where the air can be very dry, and avoid intense direct sun.