prayer plant

Prayer Plant Moranta

/ Leland Olson Hoel / Leave a comment

We have had this plant in our house close to 30 years, it has been one of the best houseplants we’ve ever had. It has been re-potted several times, there have been many different cuttings taken from it through the years. Several large pieces were taken off just a few weeks ago, it was in need of some pruning. It will probably grow like crazy again. You’ll notice in the first picture there are a few tiny white blossoms. That is new growth starting, within about a week a large leaf will unwind at the end where that blossom is at.

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This picture was taken around 10 PM with the overhead light on. You’ll notice nearly all of the leaves, are pointing up where the name praying hands comes from. They start raising up near sundown and continue all night long.

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This last picture was taken around 10 AM, the morning sun is coming through the window. You’ll notice most of the leaves are now laying back down, close to horizontal.

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Plants and Cats

/ Leland Olson Hoel / Leave a comment
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Praying Hands Plant

I would like to share our Prayer Plant or Moranta with the plant lovers out there. We brought this plant back from a funeral in Michigan about 30 years ago. That must prove it is a fairly hardy plant. All the leaves start to raise up into the air in the evening as the sun starts to go down. It is like they are praising the Lord and praying every night. They stay raised in the air all night, after sunrise they slowly lay back down for the rest of the day. I have thought, “if I spent that much time in prayer I might have a lot less problems in this world”.

This is Wideload

This is Wide Load

I will also introduce you to a cat that came home with us from Michigan. This cat belonged to an undertaker and his wife. They got a divorce and my sister-in-law got the cat dumped ‘temporarily’ at her house. Several years went past, it was evident the cat is not going to his original home anymore. The name on his registration papers was Toetag, a fitting name for a funeral parlor cat. Before we got Toetag he was very spoiled with treats on a daily basis, he did have a weight problem, almost 34 pounds at one time. He acquired the name Wide Load at that time. He lived with us over 10 years and lost about 10 pounds, he was very active. Wide Load would run across the floor from one room to the other and you would think it must be a pony running. He passed away from liver problems on Father’s Day three years ago. He was quite a Cat. Wide Load’s cat box was another story!