Ctenanthe lubbersiana 'Golden Mosaic'

Cultivated name and botanical identity of Ctenanthe lubbersiana 'Golden Mosaic'

‘Golden Mosaic’ has been sold under several botanical names, including Ctenanthe lubbersiana ‘Golden Mosaic’ and Ctenanthe pilosa ‘Golden Mosaic’.

The name ‘Golden Mosaic’ has remained consistent even as the species name has varied in the plant trade.

Care for Ctenanthe lubbersiana 'Golden Mosaic'

• Light and colour: Give ‘Golden Mosaic’ bright filtered light across the whole clump. Gentle direct sun early or late in the day can be introduced gradually.
• Temperature: Keep temperatures around 20–26 °C. Avoid prolonged temperatures below 15 °C. A consistently warm room suits ‘Golden Mosaic’ while new leaves and shoots develop.
• Humidity: Aim for 50–60% humidity. A humid room helps the long leaves open smoothly. Gentle airflow helps the dense centre dry evenly after watering.
• Water: Water when the surface of the mix begins to feel lightly dry. Wet the root ball evenly, then let excess water drain. Keep the mix evenly moist while the plant is growing.
• Potting mix: Use a loose organic blend with coir or peat, fine bark and perlite or pumice. A broad pot gives new shoots from the base room to develop.
• Feeding: Feed lightly while new leaves and shoots are forming. As the plant slows down, increase the time between feeds.
• Repotting: Repot when roots and rhizomes crowd the container, or when old mix becomes compacted and different parts dry at very different rates.
• Propagation: Separate rooted sections of the clump.
• Pruning: Remove spent or damaged shoots close to the base of the clump. Divide established rooted sections for propagation; cutting a single leaf stalk above a node does not reliably encourage branching.

Diagnosing colour, leaf and root problems in ‘Golden Mosaic’

• Green shoots lose some yellow pattern: Individual leaves vary naturally, and lower light can reduce contrast. Gradually increase filtered light if needed. A consistently all-green shoot may be removed at its base if you want to preserve the pattern.
• Brown tips or dry pale patches appear: Repeated drought, hot air, mineral deposits or sudden direct sun can produce similar marks. Check root moisture, light and drainage before changing care. Avoid harsh sun on cream sections and try appropriate lower-mineral water if deposits persist.
• Leaves yellow and stems soften: Check drainage and root-ball moisture. If decline continues in wet mix, preserve all firm roots and rhizomes, remove only confirmed mushy decay with disinfected tools and replace degraded substrate in a draining pot.
• New speckles, webbing or cottony nests appear: Check both leaf surfaces and stem joints for living spider mites or mealybugs before treating. Isolate a confirmed infestation and remove accessible pests. Use only a locally authorised product labelled for the pest on indoor marantaceous ornamentals if needed.

Ctenanthe lubbersiana ‘Golden Mosaic’ is non-toxic to cats and dogs

• This plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
• Its effects on people are unclear, so keep it away from young children who may chew it.
• Eating a large amount can still cause an upset stomach. Seek medical or veterinary advice if symptoms continue.

When was Ctenanthe lubbersiana first published, and what does it mean?

Ctenanthe combines Greek kteis, meaning comb, with anthos, meaning flower. The epithet lubbersiana honours Belgian horticulturist Louis Lubbers.

August Wilhelm Eichler established the genus Ctenanthe in 1884 in Abhandlungen der Königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, volume 1884, page 81.

Charles Jacques Édouard Morren first described it as Stromanthe lubbersiana in 1882 in Annales de Botanique et d’Horticulture, volume 32, page 21. Otto Georg Petersen later placed it in Ctenanthe as Ctenanthe lubbersiana in 1890 in Flora Brasiliensis, volume 3, issue 3, page 159; August Wilhelm Eichler had proposed the name.