What's this and why's it dying?!?!

[FusionChefGeoff]

Did very well for a couple of years, fairly frequent but only a small watering. Used to bring its leaves up and into the centre at night and out again in the morning but stopped doing that.

Now one by one the leaves quite quickly shrivel completely to brown crisps and die so it's obviously very unhappy and I don't know why!

I'm going to try repotting - any other wisdom?

Pic

Did you mean to post a pic?

Oh and it doesn't usually live in front of the back door - it's usually in indirect sunlight.

I’m not sure what it is but repotting would be my first thought and don’t overwater

That is a malnourished fica elastics.
When was the last time you fed it?
Do you ensure it has at least 4hrs direct sunlight a day?

*ficus not fica. Autocorrect issue

*elastica not elastics. Damn you to hell autocorrect.

It’s a Calathea. That’s as much as I can say because I’m an indoor plant murderer 👌

I am woefully ignorant so didn't know it needed direct sunlight and I bung a bit of baby bio in the water every 6 months or so

I also think it now needs a bigger pot; some yummy compost and some water.

Actually, I think it's a Calathea. The description of opening up its leaves is spot on (until I moved it) so I'm going to repot and try it in the bathroom for a bit.

Yup. Calathea. They don't like to be moved and they like to be next to other plants - Pref other calathea. Put it on a plate with gravel and pour water on the gravel. This will create humidity around the plant as it evaporates & they enjoy that.

I am woefully ignorant so didn't know it needed direct sunlight - ignore that advice - that was based on the idea that it was a Ficus elastica. Calathea is a plant of the jungle floor, the leaves are designed to absorb as much light as possible in low light conditions, so it won't appreciate bright sunlight - don't put it in a S facing window in summer, for example.

Ooh I know

It’s a calathea and they need a bathroom style humid environment

Lovely plants but difficult to keep

If you Google Prayer plant ( called that as leaves close up as in praying )
My mum inherited her mum's one in the 80s and kept it going.
My mum died and I took it in , by then it must have been at least 27 years old.
A few months in my house, it died 😟

looks like a calathea.
they are pretty forgiving imo but don't like too much water. I water it every 2 weeks or so.

Just to qualify my earlier Calathea response:

it's actually a Maranta amabilis prayer plant, closely related to calathea

care conditions remain as I indicated above

Take a peek at it at night time

Here is a (detailed) guide to their care
smartgardenguide.com/prayer-plant-care/