Ctenanthe amabilis: Country Or Region Of Origin
Brazil
Plant Profile: Ctenanthe amabilis
Names
Never Never Plant, Stromanthe
Phonetic Spelling:te-NANTH-ee a-MAH-bih-liss
Genus:Ctenanthe
Species:amabilis
Family:Marantaceae
This perennial evergreen plant, native to South America, thrives indoors and can reach a height of up to 3 feet. It prefers warm, sheltered, and shaded environments. Valued for its striking, patterned upright leaves, which bear a resemblance to a tuft of wheat, it is characterized by its truncated leaves and the distinctive green wheat-like pattern on its long-petioled, silver-gray-green foliage.
Quick Identification
Ctenanthe amabilis Feature Summary
Ctenanthe amabilis Image Gallery
Tags
#houseplant
#showy leaves
#interiorscape
#fantz
Similar Plants
Ctenanthe amabilis is often confused with:
Ctenanthe amabilis Feature Summary
Attributes
Perennial
Flowers
Inflorescence (rare in cultivation)is a raceme with leathery bracts subtending stalked, bracteolate cymules. Flowers are white, small, fleshy.
White
Raceme
Cyme
Leaves
Leaves are crowded, in basal rosettes, oblong-elliptic, apex truncate with short sharp acumen, base rotund. They are entire, upper side silver-gray with alternating short and long bands of dark green in the direction of the veins; the long dark green bands extend into the margin. The underside is purple; petiole long, sheathing.
Green
Gray/Silver
Purple/Lavender
Simple
Rosulate
Elliptical
Oblong
Entire
Stem
Stems are short and rhizomatous.
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Houseplant
Cultural Conditions
Moist
Landscape
Houseplants
Ctenanthe amabilis Image Gallery
Ctenanthe amabilis Attributes
Ctenanthe amabilis: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Ctenanthe amabilis Flowers
Ctenanthe amabilis: Flower Description
Inflorescence (rare in cultivation)is a raceme with leathery bracts subtending stalked, bracteolate cymules. Flowers are white, small, fleshy.
Ctenanthe amabilis: Flower Color
White
Ctenanthe amabilis: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Ctenanthe amabilis Leaves
Ctenanthe amabilis: Leaf Description
Leaves are crowded, in basal rosettes, oblong-elliptic, apex truncate with short sharp acumen, base rotund. They are entire, upper side silver-gray with alternating short and long bands of dark green in the direction of the veins; the long dark green bands extend into the margin. The underside is purple; petiole long, sheathing.
Ctenanthe amabilis: Leaf Color
Gray/Silver
Green
Purple/Lavender
Ctenanthe amabilis: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Ctenanthe amabilis: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Ctenanthe amabilis: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Ctenanthe amabilis: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Ctenanthe amabilis: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Ctenanthe amabilis Stem
Ctenanthe amabilis: Stem Description
Stems are short and rhizomatous.
Ctenanthe amabilis: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Ctenanthe amabilis Whole Plant Traits
Ctenanthe amabilis: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Ctenanthe amabilis Cultural Conditions
Ctenanthe amabilis: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Ctenanthe amabilis Landscape
Ctenanthe amabilis: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
