She enjoys lots of light but not direct sun (it makes her colour fade). Her leaves will turn darker in shadier spots.
She likes her soil to stay moist, not soggy, so water her whenever the top two inches of soil feel dry.
A great way to keep her leaves fresh and bright is to mist her regularly to keep the air around her humid.
Botanical name
Ctenanthe amagris
Nickname
Never never plant
Plant type
Indoor
Plant height (including pot)
20-30cm
Pet/Baby safe?
Mildly toxic if eaten
Nursery pot size
14cm
Because saying ctenanthe amagris is a struggle for almost everybody, this plant is commonly known as the never never plant. It’s not clear how it got that name. Perhaps because people could never never say its real name properly.
Whatever you call it, it’s a lovely, and pretty easy, houseplant, with loads of leaves that have a bold fishbone pattern on their upper side and dark purple underneath. If you have any calatheas, it needs similar care. It likes bright, but not harsh, light, so near a window but not in the path of direct sun. It can deal with shadier spots, but its leaves will lose much of their pattern and turn darker green.
It’s from a family of plants, ctenanthe amagris, that are typically found in Brazil, where the weather is hot and steamy. That means it likes moist conditions. It likes soil that’s kept lightly moist and a humid environment. A bathroom would be ideal, but regular misting would also be great. It will also appreciate a feed once per month in spring and summer.
Did you know?
Although descended from Brazil, this variety was developed by (happy) accident in Belgium.
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