Among the rich splendor of exotic flowers, one of the most striking representatives is arrowroot. This plant can decorate any interior thanks to its original, sophisticated appearance. Large velvety leaves from pale green to greenish-blue colors are decorated with intricate patterns, veins, and spots.
The plant was named after the scientist and healer Bartolomeo Maranta, who discovered this amazing flower in search of antidotes. Due to its ability to lift and curl the leaves in the evening, as if joining palms in prayer, arrowroot received the name - prayer grass. Arrowroot is especially respected by the British, due to the presence of ten spots on the leaf of the plant, which is associated with the “Ten Commandments”; one of the types of arrowroot was called Kerkhoven’s Maranta.
It is believed that by getting this flower, you can attract happiness, prosperity and prosperity into your life . Along with such unusual properties of this delicate flower, the signs and superstitions associated with it are also unusual.
Popular beliefs
- Maranta is considered a flower of monetary well-being, a magnet for attracting finance. The appearance of arrowroot in the house can contribute to promotion on the career ladder, receiving a sudden bonus, a large gift, winning the lottery, and it can also prevent unnecessary spending.
- There is also a belief that for financial well-being, the flower must be looked after by the person who earns the most in the family. There is also an opinion that praying grass needs to be propagated; each family member must personally plant a cutting of the plant.
- Maranta helps strengthen family relationships, drives away thoughts of adultery, and strengthens marriage. If you place a flower in the bedroom, it will contribute to harmony in the relationship between spouses, a surge of passion, and satisfaction from intimacy.
- The flower also has a beneficial effect on children. If a child is too conflicted, lazy, or disobedient, then close proximity to the arrowroot will allow these problems to be resolved. It helps teenagers smooth out rough edges in communication during the period of personality formation and decide on the choice of a future profession. Maranta corrects behavior, creates a favorable creative environment, reveals talents, thanks to which creative individuals will experience a surge of inspiration.
- Arrowroot helps strengthen the immune system due to its ability to bring clean air into the house, which improves health. The proximity of arrowroot is beneficial for older people who have health problems - the flower will help them recover quickly, give them a new surge of strength and the desire to live. Arrowroot is able to stabilize the energy situation, relieves stress and promotes good sleep.
- There is also a sign associated with the general condition of the flower. The withering of the plant signals that a negative atmosphere has developed in the house, despondency has settled, an unwillingness to forgive, make concessions, and listen to the wishes of loved ones. Sometimes the poor condition of a plant promises large financial losses and damages. As soon as the situation improves, the health of the flower will be restored.
Diseases and pests
The appearance of diseases and parasites on a plant is usually a consequence of violation of plant maintenance recommendations.
Diseases
| Disease | Signs | Cause | Treatment |
| Anthracnose | Brown spots with a gray border appear on the leaves, in the center of which red or dark orange bumps with spores of the causative fungus are noticeable. | Increased soil acidity. | Remove damaged leaves and shoots, treat the plant with a fungicide. |
| Sooty fungus | Dark gray plaque, growing and merging into one spot. | Infestation with parasites. | Apply insecticides and keep the plant outdoors. |
| spotting | Formation of yellow spots on both sides of leaves. | Lack of fresh air and gaps between leaves. | Use fungicides and ventilate the room regularly. |
Pests
Arrowroot is often attacked by pests - mealybugs, scale insects and red spider mites.
Mealybug
The presence of the parasite is indicated by a white, cotton-like, sticky discharge. To get rid of the pest, you need to wipe the leaves with a mild soap solution and then give it a warm shower. If the infection was detected at a late stage, you should resort to the use of insecticides (Fosfamida, Aktary, Nurella-D, Rogora or Calypso).
Shields
Scale insects are brown insects, as a result of whose vital activity the arrowroot leaves turn yellow and fall off. The flower should be wiped with a cloth soaked in soapy water, left for 40 minutes, then rinsed in the shower. Then use “Aktellik”, “Fitoverm”, “Metafos” or “Aktara”.
Red spider mite
Leaves affected by red spider mites turn yellow, dry out and fall off early, with a thin cobweb appearing on them. If traces of the parasite are detected, the plant must be immediately treated with Actellik and its condition must be closely monitored over the next 2-3 weeks.
Why do you dream?
If arrowroot is present in your dream, then changes in your personal life await you, the imminent appearance of a person with whom only happy and unforgettable moments will be associated. The presence of people in such a dream means that you will become a participant in a wedding or birthday party. The presence of animals near the arrowroot promises a meeting with old friends.
A plant endowed with only positive characteristics is undoubtedly a must-have in your home. It will attract happiness and harmony to you, help improve your quality of life, get rid of negativity, protect you from quarrels and eliminate aggression. Think positively and praying grass will help you cope with all adversities.
Caring for arrowroot at home. Details
House arrowroot is considered a living barometer. When bad weather approaches, the leaf plates fold, like the hands of a praying person.
This feature is provided by nature so that the plant does not suffer from large raindrops. When the sun comes out from behind the clouds, they spread out again to catch the rays that naturally break through the crowns of tall trees.
Bloom
The crop is not grown for its buds. However, many try to achieve their blossoming as an experiment. The phase most often occurs in mid-summer.
The petals are small, lavender or creamy white. Some plant growers cut off the flower stalks immediately after they appear, so that the flower does not waste energy on their formation. The period can last up to 2 months.
Temperature
“Praying grass” is thermophilic, despite the fact that it does not tolerate bright light. In summer, the temperature must be maintained at 19-24 ˚C, in winter it should not fall below 15 ˚C. The plant does not tolerate sudden changes. The presence of drafts is also extremely undesirable for him.
Therefore, pots should not be placed near open windows.
It is not recommended to place a pot of arrowroot on surfaces with high thermal conductivity (iron, steel pallets).
Spraying
In its natural environment, the plant lives near swamps and ponds.
When placed near heating radiators, the tips of the leaves quickly begin to dry out. Therefore, humidity must be maintained at a level of at least 60%. The plant should be sprayed daily with soft water. Placing dishes with flowers on wet expanded clay will help keep the parameter at the proper level. You can place the pot in a large tray and then spread sphagnum moss moistened with water around it.
Lighting
The best place for arrowroot at home is a shelf located at a distance of 1-1.5 m from the east or west window. In winter, the pot can be moved closer to the light source. This shade-tolerant plant must be protected from direct sunlight by gluing a reflective film to the glass or installing blinds.
If there is not enough light, the shoots may stretch and the leaves become smaller. Such symptoms are often observed when grown on northern windowsills. In this case, a phytolamp can help, which should be turned on every evening for 3-4 hours.
Watering
To moisten the soil, use only settled water at room temperature.
The arrowroot flower at home needs abundant watering. The plant suffers from a lack of fluid especially painfully in the summer. Therefore, the surface of the substrate should not be allowed to dry out completely: it should always remain slightly damp. Since stagnation of water leads to rotting of the roots, it is better to water the “praying grass” often, but in small portions. In summer, the procedure is carried out 2-3 times a week, in winter – once every 6-7 days. 35-40 minutes after moistening, the liquid collected in the pan must be drained.
Pot
It is better to choose a round-shaped container, wide and not too deep. As it develops, the bush will gradually grow in different directions. The root system will not require much space, so the pot should be medium in size.
It is undesirable to use ceramic dishes, since they retain moisture worse than plastic ones. The soil dries out very quickly, which the plant does not like.
Feeding and fertilizer
The period of intensive growth begins at the end of February. From this time, you can begin to gradually apply liquid fertilizers (once every 3 weeks). With the onset of summer, arrowroot is fed every 2 weeks. In the fall, the introduction of nutrients is again reduced, and in the winter it is suspended for 2.5-3 months. Suitable products for flowers:
- "Kemira-lux";
- "A Nerd's Dream"
- "Florika";
- "Fasco".
In the hot season, drugs are diluted according to the instructions. During transition periods, twice as much liquid is added to the composition as provided by the fertilizer manufacturer.
Transfer
Caring for arrowroot at home includes periodically updating the depleted substrate.
In the first three years of life, the bush must be moved to a new pot every spring. In this case, choose dishes whose diameter is 3-4 cm larger than the previous one. To compare containers, just place one inside the other. After removing the earthen lump, the root system is freed from excess soil and carefully inspected for decay. If damaged areas are identified, they must be trimmed. A drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the new dish, the thickness of which should be 3-3.5 cm. Then it is sprinkled with substrate.
The plant is placed vertically on the resulting “cushion”, after which the space around the roots is filled with fresh soil.
The soil is carefully compacted by hand, then its surface is watered with pre-prepared water.
Trimming
Arrowroot almost does not require pruning. Cutting off fragments may be necessary if signs of disease, rotting or drying out of the above-ground parts are detected. Some gardeners do not like elongated shoots that stand out from the general mass, on which there are 5-6 leaves.
However, this is a feature of the growth of some varieties of crops. If the plates are healthy, it is better to install a vertical support than to remove them.
Rest period
The phase begins at the end of October and ends in February. The growth of arrowroot slows down during this period of the year. In winter, watering is reduced and the crop is protected from dry air caused by the operation of heating radiators.
The plant tolerates low temperatures well, but in the heat, on the contrary, it feels uncomfortable. Therefore, it is better to transfer it to a cool room for “wintering”.
Is it possible to leave arrowroot without care during the holidays?
Since a decrease in the concentration of water vapor negatively affects the decorative qualities of the leaves, before leaving it is better to ask someone to turn on the humidifier for 3-4 hours every day. If this is not possible, you can place a bucket filled with liquid next to the flowers.
It will gradually evaporate, saturating the air.
You can also do wet cleaning the day before departure.
To wet the substrate, wick irrigation is installed. Hydrogel is also suitable for this purpose. This is a polymer that is capable of absorbing an amount of water several times greater than its own weight. It is placed in liquid for 8 hours, then laid out on the soil and covered with moss on top.
Benefits of the flower
Arrowroot benefits adults and children. This low-maintenance flower with positive reviews can be an excellent gift for home and office.
Give arrowroot:
- For friends who have a child , the baby will be obedient and talented.
- For elderly relatives , the plant will protect them from serious diseases.
- Newlyweds and married people - to strengthen their family ties.
- For singles , the gift will serve as a wonderful decoration for their home and will increase their budget, and maybe they will finally meet their soulmate.
Due to its chemical composition, arrowroot has a number of medicinal properties . Flowers are used as a dietary and tonic, treatment and prevention of vein disease. The root is used to prepare baby food for children suffering from carbohydrate metabolism disorders.
Arrowroot roots are widely used in cooking . The roots of one of the subspecies of this flower are ground into flour (arrowroot) and used not only as a dietary food, but also as thickeners for sauces and jellies.
Even in ancient times, Indian tribes used Arrowroot powder as an antidote against poisoned arrows.
Feng Shui meaning
Recently, growing plants according to the teachings of Feng Shui has become popular. Representatives of this teaching are sure that each plant has its own energy, and arrowroot is the flower that should be in every home, without exception. A flower will help you find the meaning of life :
- the unemployed will find their dream job;
- the lonely will meet the love of his life;
- the teenager will make a choice;
- the talented will reveal their talents.
This miracle flower seems to guide and push you to make the right decisions .
In the teachings of Feng Shui, arrowroot is considered one of the most significant symbols of well-being. Due to its ability to lift and curl the leaves in the evening, like palms in prayer, this type of arrowroot calms and pacifies, and promotes relaxation.
Is arrowroot poisonous or not?
This plant has several unusual features. Arrowroot is able to raise its leaves if a thunderstorm approaches or there is not enough light in the room.
There is a false belief that the plant or some of its species are poisonous, but this is not true.
This belief comes from the fact that the naturalist scientist from Venice, Bartalameo Marante, studied plants in search of antidotes and found arrowroot. Arrowroot flower turned out to be such a powerful antidote and cure for many diseases that it is still in demand today.
Where is the best place to put it?
With a lack of lighting or bad weather, the leaves of the flower rise vertically and fold, like palms in prayer. Therefore, it is recommended to place the flower in a place that is sufficiently lit.
For the flower to bring you prosperity and good luck, place the pot where the family spends the most time . The ideal place is the living room - the main thing is that the flower is sufficiently illuminated.
In conclusion, we can say that Maranta is a very popular flower. According to signs, it enriches its owner and the place where it lives. Along with this, she acts as the keeper of the home, creates a wonderful atmosphere of comfort and warmth for everyone living in the house, relieves irritability and insomnia, giving peace and tranquility. There is not a single negative review about this flower; it is beautiful both aesthetically and exotericly. With proper care, it will help you realize all your goals.
