PlantParlourStromanthe (Stromanthe sanguinea) care
Prayer plants · fussy to keep
Last updated
Stromanthe (Stromanthe sanguinea) wants bright indirect light — the pink needs more than a calathea does. Water it every 5 days. Keep evenly damp — never soggy, never dry — and use rainwater or filtered water if you can. Tap water is the most common cause of the brown edges this family is famous for. Pot it in peat-free compost with perlite, moisture-retentive but not heavy. A balanced feed at quarter to half strength monthly in spring and summer. They are sensitive to over-feeding, and repot once a year. Humidity: above 60%. Below that, the edges brown and it will not stop. Not on the ASPCA's list of toxic or non-toxic plants, so we don't call it pet-safe: not being listed is not the same as being tested.
Almost always sold as 'Triostar': leaves splashed in cream, green and white on top and a solid shocking pink underneath, so the plant flashes pink whenever it moves. It needs more light than a calathea to hold that variegation, and the same humidity.
Quick facts
- Water
- Water every 5 days. Keep evenly damp — never soggy, never dry — and use rainwater or filtered water if you can. Tap water is the most common cause of the brown edges this family is famous for.
- Light
- Bright indirect light — the pink needs more than a calathea does.
- Humidity
- Above 60%. Below that, the edges brown and it will not stop.
- Soil
- Peat-free compost with perlite, moisture-retentive but not heavy.
- Feeding
- A balanced feed at quarter to half strength monthly in spring and summer. They are sensitive to over-feeding.
- Repotting
- Repot once a year.
- Toxic to pets
- Not on the ASPCA's list of toxic or non-toxic plants, so we don't call it pet-safe: not being listed is not the same as being tested. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews.
- Difficulty
- Fussy.
- Mature size
- 50–80 cm tall.
- Native to
- Brazil.
Watering a Stromanthe
Water every 5 days. Keep evenly damp — never soggy, never dry — and use rainwater or filtered water if you can. Tap water is the most common cause of the brown edges this family is famous for.
That cadence is the one PlantParlour sets for this species when you name it, and it is deliberately on the cautious side — a plant that asks a day early is safer than one that asks a day late. Log each watering and the reminder moves with the plant rather than with the calendar.
Light
Medium indirect light. Prayer plants grow on a forest floor and direct sun bleaches the pattern out of them within days. They are one of the few genuinely good plants for a north-facing room.
Humidity and temperature
Above 60%. Below that, the edges brown and it will not stop. Central heating in winter is what turns a comfortable room into a dry one, and it is the usual reason an established plant suddenly browns at the edges or picks up spider mites.
Soil and potting
A light, moisture-retentive mix — compost with perlite and a little bark. The roots are fine and shallow, so a wide shallow pot beats a deep one.
Feeding
A balanced feed at quarter to half strength monthly in spring and summer. They are sensitive to over-feeding. Stop feeding in autumn and start again when you see new growth in spring — feeding a plant that isn't growing just builds up salts in the pot.
Repotting
Repot once a year. Every spring, into a shallow pot. Divide the clump at the same time if it has spread.
Common problems
-
Brown crispy edges on every leaf
Dry air, or minerals in tap water. Usually both.
Fix: Get the humidity above 60% and switch to rainwater or filtered water. Existing damage will not heal.
-
Leaves curling inward
Thirsty, or the air is too dry.
Fix: Water and raise the humidity; the leaves uncurl within a day if that was it.
-
Leaves staying folded up all day
Stress — too dry, too cold, or too dark.
Fix: The folding is normal at night. All day means something is wrong: check water, warmth and light in that order.
-
Fine webbing under the leaves
Spider mites, which love this family.
Fix: Shower the plant and treat weekly for a month; raise the humidity or they return.
Propagation
Divide the clump at repotting, giving each piece roots and several leaves. Stem cuttings with a node also root in water.
A cutting taken in PlantParlour keeps its link to the plant it came from, so a propagation years later still traces back to the mother plant — which is the point if you ever sell or trade it.
Toxicity and safety
Not on the ASPCA's list of toxic or non-toxic plants, so we don't call it pet-safe: not being listed is not the same as being tested. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews.
If your pet has eaten a plant, call your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Both are open around the clock and may charge a consultation fee. Take the plant or its label with you.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. We don't test plants: what we say about toxicity follows the ASPCA's published plant list as it stood on 26 October 2026, and that list can change. "Non-toxic" means not poisonous — a pet that eats enough of any plant can still vomit, and fertiliser, pesticide or leaf shine on a plant can harm it. It also only helps if the plant is what you think it is. It covers cats and dogs only; ask your vet about rabbits, birds, reptiles or anything else, and a doctor about children. Read our terms.
Every houseplant in the library the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs
Named cultivars and variegations
Stromanthe sanguinea is sold under several cultivar names. Care is the same unless noted; variegated forms carry less chlorophyll, so they grow more slowly and want more light than the plain species.
| Cultivar | Also sold as | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 'Triostar' | Triostar, Tricolor stromanthe | every 5 days |
Where the variegated forms are grown differently from the plain Stromanthe sanguinea:
'Triostar'
Cream, pink and green leaves with magenta undersides. The cream and pink tissue burns and crisps more easily than the green.
Light: Medium to bright indirect light: brighter than a plain prayer plant, to keep the pink, but never direct sun, which bleaches and scorches the cream within days.
Watch for: Brown, dry patches on the cream and pink parts of the leaves. The cream and pink tissue is the weakest part of the leaf and fails first: sun through glass, dry air, or a plant shedding what it can't support. Move it out of direct sun and raise the humidity. The damage doesn't recover; trim it off with clean scissors once it covers much of a leaf.
Questions people ask
How often should you water a Stromanthe?
Water every 5 days as a starting point — that is the cadence PlantParlour sets for Stromanthe sanguinea. Keep evenly damp — never soggy, never dry — and use rainwater or filtered water if you can. Tap water is the most common cause of the brown edges this family is famous for. Light, pot size and the time of year all move that number, so treat it as a reminder to go and check rather than a rule.
How much light does a Stromanthe need?
Medium indirect light. Prayer plants grow on a forest floor and direct sun bleaches the pattern out of them within days. They are one of the few genuinely good plants for a north-facing room.
Is Stromanthe toxic to cats and dogs?
Not on the ASPCA's list of toxic or non-toxic plants, so we don't call it pet-safe: not being listed is not the same as being tested. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews. If a pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 straight away.
How do you propagate a Stromanthe?
Divide the clump at repotting, giving each piece roots and several leaves. Stem cuttings with a node also root in water.
Related plants
- Maranta leuconeura
- Goeppertia orbifolia
- Goeppertia concinna 'Freddie'
- Goeppertia makoyana
- Goeppertia roseopicta
- Goeppertia lancifolia
- Goeppertia zebrina
- Goeppertia rufibarba
Or browse every plant in the library.
Keep this plant's record
PlantParlour gives your Stromanthe its own page: a photo timeline, reminders set to the cadences above, and every watering, feed, repot and problem written down. Trade or sell it and the whole history goes with it.
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