Maranta leuconeura 'Kerchoveana variegata' ('Beauty Kim', 'Fiesta')

Origin and discovery

‘Beauty Kim’ began as a whole-plant mutation found by Brian Gold at Oro Farms in Guatemala in 1997. Its cream-white variegation remained stable through multiplication, and the plant was established as a named selection of Maranta leuconeura var. kerchoveana.

‘Kerchoveana variegata’ is a descriptive horticultural label. ‘Fiesta’ is also used for similar variegated forms, so it is not a dependable synonym for ‘Beauty Kim’.

The species behind the selection comes from central and eastern Brazil, where it forms low rhizomatous growth on the wet-tropical forest floor. Guatemala marks the nursery discovery of the mutation, not the wild geographical origin of M. leuconeura.

Care for humidity-sensitive foliage

• Settling in, propagation and repotting: Give Maranta ‘Beauty Kim’ consistent warm conditions and softly filtered brightness after delivery. Avoid immediate division or repotting while the variegated leaves are adjusting.
• Light: Provide bright indirect light without hot direct sun, which damages the cream sectors first. Very low light slows growth; protect the pale leaf sectors from direct sun.
• Water: Keep the interior of the root ball lightly moist while allowing the surface to begin drying. Do not alternate severe wilting with heavy watering or leave the rhizomes saturated.
• Water quality: Low-mineral water and occasionally running plenty of water through the pot help where fluoride or dissolved salts cause persistent edge burn.
• Climate and feeding: Keep the plant warm and protected from frost, with humid air and gentle air movement. Feed weakly while new leaves are forming, then reduce feeding when growth slows.
• Propagation: Divide the plant or root stem sections that include a node to preserve the cultivar. Seedlings will not reliably reproduce the cream variegation.

When problems need attention

• Cream sectors: Stable cream variegation is genetic. Entirely green shoots may be returning to the plain green form, while completely white shoots lack enough chlorophyll to survive long term; neither is caused by fertiliser.
• Pale tissue scorching: Direct sun damages the cream areas first. Move ‘Beauty Kim’ to filtered light and retain partly green leaves until they are no longer useful.
• Evening leaf lift: Normal day-night leaf movement changes the angle of healthy leaves. Water only after checking the substrate.
• Rolling during the day: Drought, excessive sun, dry air or damaged roots may be responsible. Examine the root ball before assuming that more water is needed.
• Brown margins: Review moisture consistency, mineral salts, fertiliser strength, humidity and root health. Low-mineral water helps when salts or fluoride are implicated.
• Soft yellow leaves with wet roots: The roots and underground stems are beginning to decline because they lack air. Drain the pot and allow the surface to dry slightly.
• Novel mosaic or spreading spots: Cream splashes vary by leaf but belong to the established variegation. Isolate unfamiliar mottling accompanied by distorted or stunted growth. Water-soaked or brown lesions that expand separately from the cream pattern suggest leaf spot; remove affected foliage and improve gentle air movement.
• Sap-feeding pests: Fine stippling and webbing indicate mites, silver scars with black dots indicate thrips, and cottony deposits indicate mealybugs. Confirm the pest on the lower surfaces and joints, isolate the plant and use a treatment labelled for mites, thrips or mealybugs as identified.

Maranta leuconeura ‘Kerchoveana variegata’ is non-toxic to people and pets

• This plant is non-toxic to people, cats and dogs.
• Chewing a large amount can still cause an upset stomach.
• If a large amount is eaten and symptoms continue, contact a veterinarian or medical professional.

Where does the name Maranta leuconeura come from?

Maranta commemorates Bartolomeo Maranta. Leuconeura combines Greek leukos, meaning white, with neuron, meaning nerve, and refers to pale venation.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Maranta in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 2; Charles Plumier had proposed the name.

Charles Jacques Édouard Morren first described Maranta leuconeura in 1874 in Annales de l’Horticulture Belge et Étrangère, volume 24, page 323.