Grey Star Ctenanthe

Grey Star Ctenanthe (Ctenanthe setosa 'Grey Star') brings silver into shade, which is harder than it sounds. Each broad leaf is a soft pewter grey banded with darker green, held on upright stems to about 1m tall and 80cm wide. It is not toxic to cats or dogs, and it does its best work in the shaded positions most plants refuse.

Why you'll love it

• Silver foliage for a shaded spot. The pewter banding reflects what little light reaches a dark bed or a south facing courtyard, so the planting does not read as flat green.
• Pet friendly. Not toxic to cats or dogs, so it can sit at floor level in a home with animals.
• Upright rather than sprawling. At about 1m by 80cm the clump stays tidy and fills a pot without flopping over the rim.
• Very little to do. No flowering to manage, no pruning beyond removing old leaves, and it clumps slowly instead of running through a bed.

Where it works best

Indoors. Bright indirect light near a window, away from heaters and draughts. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which counts for a plant this frost tender.

Shaded beds and courtyards. Outdoors it wants full or dappled shade with shelter from wind, in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens only. Frost ends it.

Pots and balconies. A pot 300mm or wider suits a single clump. Group three on a shaded balcony for a fuller effect than one plant can give.

Growing Grey Star Ctenanthe in Australia

Position and climate. Shade and shelter. Direct sun bleaches the silver banding and burns the leaf edges. In cooler southern gardens grow it indoors or under cover, because it will not take frost.

Soil. Free draining and rich in organic matter, but able to hold some moisture. Work compost through garden beds, and use a quality indoor mix with added perlite in pots.

Water and feed. Keep the mix evenly moist without letting it sit wet, roughly weekly in summer and fortnightly in winter. Liquid feed at half strength monthly through the warm months.

Pruning. Cut old or damaged leaves off at the base rather than trimming the blade, since a cut leaf never regrows its tip. Divide a crowded clump in spring if you want more plants.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in six sizes: tube stock, packs of ten 140mm, six 175mm, six 200mm or three 250mm pots, and single 300mm plants. Tubes and 140mm plants are young, usually two or three leaves, and fill a 200mm pot within a season. The 300mm plants arrive as established clumps ready to drop straight into a decorative pot.

Broad soft leaves can crease or bruise in transit, and this settles as new leaves open. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a fortnight of stillness after unpacking, then fresh growth from the centre of the clump. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse pet friendly indoor plants
• Compare the full indoor plant range
• Plants for full shade outdoors

Common questions

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. Ctenanthe is not toxic to cats or dogs, so a floor level pot is fine in a home with pets. Chewed leaves will still upset a stomach, as any foliage would.

Why are the leaf edges going brown and crisp?

Dry air, or heavily treated tap water, rather than underwatering. Group plants together to raise humidity, keep the plant away from heaters and air conditioning outlets, and use rainwater where you can.

Can I grow it outdoors in a cooler southern garden?

Only under cover or indoors. It is frost tender and wants warmth and humidity, so in cool temperate and Mediterranean districts it belongs in a sheltered pot you can move.