The Maranta genus includes a few dozen low-growing plants native to the American tropics. Maranta have some of the most beautiful, most decorative leaves in the plant kingdom. The popular M. tricolor has deep green, velvety leaves with yellow splotches down the midrib and arching red veins traveling to the leaf margins. They are fairly common as houseplants, but not necessarily easy to keep growing over the long-term. They require plenty of warmth and humidity, and are susceptible to a number of pests. That said, however, some people have more luck with Maranta species than with the closely related Calathea, which also feature beautiful leaves but can be a bit more tempermental. In terms of display, Maranta are all fairly low-growing plants, with none reaching over about 8 inches tall, making them excellent for grouped displays of low plants on a windowsill.