Ctenanthe amabilis
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Not yet rated How forgiving it is has not been judged here yet.
Also called Stromanthe.
Toxicity is partly unassessed
- Not assessed for cats. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Not assessed for dogs. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Not assessed for people. RHS publishes no harm statement for this plant. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
What the sources say about its care
- Light
- Partial shadeRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Water
- Moist but well-drainedRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
No source read publishes a humidity figure for any plant on this site. What follows is general guidance for foliage plants.
ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60% 30–60%Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026- Temperature
How cold this tolerates, not what it prefers. No source read for this site publishes a preferred range for a plant indoors.
H1B — 10–15°C 10–15 °CRHS · read 13 September 2026- Soil
- Loam; pH Acid or Alkaline or NeutralRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to cats
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to dogs
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Harmful to people
- No statement of harm to people is published for this plant; that absence is not evidence it is safe.RHS · read 13 September 2026
Routine care
- Watering
- From spring to summer, water generously and feed monthly with a general liquid fertiliser. In winter, water enough to keep the compost moist, and keep the plant out of draughts at a steady temperature.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Feeding
- Monthly feeding is advised while the plant is in active growth.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026From spring to summer, water generously and feed monthly with a general liquid fertiliser.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Repotting
- Repot each year, ideally between late spring and early summer.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Repot each year, in late spring or at the start of summer.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Propagation
- Reaching its full height of 20 inches can take 5 to 10 years. Propagate by division and stem cuttings.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026In spring sow seed at 19 to 24°C once ripe, or divide in spring.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pruning
- Pruning is not needed.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Pruning is not needed.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pests and diseases
- Mealybugs can occur. Diseases: usually none.RHS · read 13 September 2026
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Photographs
About the plant
Ctenanthe amabilis, called the beautiful ctenanthe, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Ctenanthe, likely native to Brazil, and introduced into Costa Rica. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as a subtropical hothouse ornamental.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · read 13 September 2026
- Native range
- SE. Brazil (?)World Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026BrazilNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026SE BrazilRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Climate
- wet tropicalWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- Growth form
- perennialWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026Perennial; habit denseNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Bushy (evergreen)RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Size
- Height 4–20 in; width 4–20 inNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Height 0.1-0.5 metres; spread 0.1-0.5 metres after 5–10 yearsRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Flowering
- Flowers whiteNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
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Sources
- ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Wikipedia · read 13 September 2026
What this does not cover
The figures above are what published sources say, not measurements of the plant in your room. They say nothing about your pot size, your water, the season, or how far from the glass the plant stands, and those decide more than any figure here does.
Humidity has no species figure because no source read for this site publishes one, and the only temperature published for this plant is a cold floor. The simulator fills those gaps with general figures for its kind of plant, marked as general and listed on how we read sources. Where a toxicity row says the plant was not assessed, that is the absence of a finding and not a finding of safety.
If something is already wrong, the diagnosis tool asks about the soil, the window and the watering, which is where the answer usually is.