Fishbone prayer plants
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Not yet rated How forgiving it is has not been judged here yet.
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
- From spring to summer, water generously and feed monthly with a general liquid fertiliser.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Repotting
- Repot each year, in late spring or at the start of summer.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Propagation
- Sow seed or divide in spring.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pruning
- Pruning 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 burle-marxii, commonly known as the fishbone prayer plant, is a species of plant in the genus Ctenanthe native to Brazil. Its common name derives from the alternating pattern of stripes on its oval, pale green leaves, while its scientific name is honor of landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx. Similar to other plants in the family Marantaceae, it also has a propensity to close up its leaves at night, which is why it is also called a "prayer plant" like Maranta leuconeura. It grows well as a form of tropical ground cover, often in shade.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · read 13 September 2026
- Native range
- Brazil (Espírito Santo)World Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026BrazilRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Climate
- seasonally dry 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 2026Bushy (evergreen)RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Size
- Height 0.5-1 metres; spread 0.1-0.5 metres after 5–10 yearsRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Flowering
- Flowers white in spring, summer, autumn and winterRHS · read 13 September 2026
Other Ctenanthe
More of the Marantaceae family
Peacock plantLeaf tips go crisp and brown
Prayer plantLeaf tips go crisp and brown
Alberta Prayer PlantSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
ArrowrootSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
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Sources
- ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Kew WCVP · 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.