Light
Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux
Marantaceae
Ctenanthe burle-marxii
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Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
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Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Ctenanthe burle-marxii
Quick Care Guide
Watering
Water when ~20–35% dry
Substrate
Moisture-retentive but aerated • Evenly moist • Organic-leaning • Fine-medium
Temperature
Ideal: 18–27 °C • Avoid below: 10 °C
Humidity
Humid 60–80 % +
Growth habit
Upright clumping rhizomatous herbaceous perennial.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
Average
Max size indoors
Max. height: 50 cm • Max. spread: 40 cm
Toxicity & safety
Non-toxic
Origin & habitat
Native to Brazil (Espírito Santo)
Outdoor growing
Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Ctenanthe burle-marxii
Ctenanthe burle-marxii is a Brazilian Marantaceae species grown for its low, spreading clumps and fishbone-patterned foliage. The leaves are oval to oblong, softly green on top, marked with darker green bands that follow the side veins, and coloured purple to burgundy underneath. As the light changes through the day, the leaves shift position, making the darker undersides more visible in the evening.
This species grows from a rhizomatous base and gradually builds a rounded mound of foliage. In a pot, its slender petioles hold the patterned leaves just above the clump, giving the plant a calm, graphic shape for shelves, plant groups, vitrines and warm indoor displays.
Why Ctenanthe burle-marxii stands out
- Brazilian Marantaceae with a low, clumping habit
- Oval green leaves with dark fishbone-style markings along the veins
- Purple to burgundy leaf undersides visible during daily leaf movement
- Rhizomatous growth that gradually fills the pot into a dense foliage mound
- Suited to warm, bright shade and evenly moist, airy substrate
Ctenanthe burle-marxii habitat and clump growth
Ctenanthe burle-marxii is an accepted species in the family Marantaceae. Its native range is in Espírito Santo, south-eastern Brazil, where it grows as a perennial in a seasonally dry tropical biome. Indoors, it grows in warm filtered light with a lightly moist but airy root zone.
Mature clumps produce long-petioled leaves with entire margins and a smooth surface. In good indoor conditions, new shoots expand the clump from the base. Each leaf adds repeated dark-green vein markings, while the underside brings depth when the leaf angle changes.
How to care for Ctenanthe burle-marxii
- Light: Keep Ctenanthe burle-marxii in bright, filtered light or gentle bright shade. Distance from direct midday sun helps limit scorch and dry patches.
- Watering: Let the upper 20–30% of the substrate begin to dry before watering. Aim for a lightly moist rootball, then drain fully.
- Substrate: Make a moisture-retentive but airy mix with fine bark, coco coir or peat-free fibre, perlite and a little composted material.
- Humidity: This species keeps cleaner leaf edges with moderately humid, moving air. A humidifier, grouped plants or a vitrine can support it in heated rooms.
- Temperature: Aim for steady warmth around 18–27 °C. Cool, wet substrate increases root stress.
- Feeding: Use a diluted balanced fertiliser during active growth, followed by an occasional clear-water flush if mineral salts collect.
- Repotting: Move the clump into a slightly wider pot once roots fill the container or watering becomes hard to manage.
- Grooming: Remove tired outer leaves at the base. Older leaves may mark naturally as the plant replaces them with new growth.
- Propagation: Split mature clumps during repotting, keeping several healthy shoots and roots on each section.
- Summer placement: A sheltered outdoor position is possible in warm weather after nights stay above 18 °C, with full shade and gradual acclimation.
Ctenanthe burle-marxii problem signs
- Curling leaves: Check the rootball first. Very dry substrate, heat load or stressed roots can all reduce water movement into the leaves.
- Brown tips: Dry air, irregular watering or mineral-heavy water often shows first on the fine leaf edges. Improve humidity and review water quality.
- Yellowing lower leaves: Inspect the pot for cold, saturated substrate or poor drainage. Let the mix breathe between waterings.
- Pale patches or crispy areas: Increase distance from direct sun and check for heat reflected from glass.
- Fine webbing or speckling: Look under the leaves for spider mites, especially during dry indoor periods.
Ctenanthe burle-marxii home safety
Keep Ctenanthe burle-marxii away from pets and children that regularly chew houseplants. Chewed leaves can upset sensitive stomachs and damage the clump.
Ctenanthe burle-marxii family and name background
The name Ctenanthe comes from Greek roots commonly interpreted as “comb” and “anther,” referring to floral form. Burle-marxii honours the Brazilian landscape designer and plant collector Roberto Burle Marx. Botanically, this species is Ctenanthe burle-marxii H.Kenn. in the family Marantaceae.
In warm bright shade, Ctenanthe burle-marxii develops crisp fishbone markings, burgundy undersides and a rounded Brazilian prayer-plant clump.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
Ctenanthe burle-marxii
Sale price€13,50
FAQs about Ctenanthe burle-marxii
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