Fishbone Prayer Plant

Ctenanthe setosa Compact Star (also known as Fishbone Prayer Plant) is an excellent indoor house plant. The Fishbone Prayer Plant has silver leaves with a lovely bold, dark grey-green, herring-bone striped pattern and purple undersides. Ctenanthe setosa Compact Star plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children.

Scientific Name: Ctenanthe setosa Compact Star
Common Name: Never-Never Plant or Fishbone Prayer Plant.

How to care and grow Fishbone Prayer Plant (Ctenanthe setosa Compact Star)?

Light:

It thrives best in bright, indirect light. Will tolerate some degree of shade, however, insufficient light may cause loss of variegation in the leaves. If there is too much light, the colors in the leaves fade.

Soil:

Prayer plant thrives best in a well-aerated, peat based, indoor potting soil that retains water yet still drains quickly.

Temperature:

A Prayer Plant prefers normal temperatures between 60 degrees Fahrenheit – 80 degrees Fahrenheit, avoid temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius / 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures can damage the leaves of a Fishbone Prayer Plant.

Water:

Water your Fishbone Prayer plant regularly during the growing season and always keep the soil moist but never allow your plant to sit in water. During the winter season, reduce watering and you can allow the topsoil to become slightly dry between each watering.

Fertilizer:

Fertilize your plant every two weeks with a half-diluted liquid fertilizer during the active growth period (spring and summer). It’s not necessary to fertilize a Fishbone Prayer plant in the winter and fall.

Propagation:

Fishbone Prayer Plant can be easily propagated by division of rooted offshoots or by cuttings. In spring take cuttings 4 – 5 inches long with three or four leaves and trim off any leaf-stalk sheaths that would be below the soil surface when planted.

Humidity:

High humidity is very important for these plants. If the air is dry, place your Ctenanthe on a pebble tray filled with water. Be sure the plant is sitting on the pebbles and not in the water.

Re-potting:

Re-pot during spring season once every 2 years, just in a somewhat bigger pot if the roots have consumed all the space with the resent pot.

Pests and Diseases:

There are no serious pest and disease issues. Watch for Mealy Bugs, Spider mites, and Aphids. Treat spider mites with insecticidal soap.