NEVER-NEVER PLANT

CTENANTHE BURLE-MARXII

This plant will happily grow under much larger houseplant specimens. It thrives in a shady room with high humidity but must be kept out of direct sunlight, which fades its fancy, fishbone-patterned foliage. The decorative leaves will inject sparkle and interest into even the gloomiest areas.

HEIGHT 24in (60cm)

SPREAD 18in (45cm)

FLOWERS Insignificant

FOLIAGE Fish-bone patterned

LIGHT Filtered sun/light shade

TEMPERATURE 50–76°F (10–25°C)

CARE Easy

PLACE OF ORIGIN Brazil

CARE

To keep the impressive, silvery-green, oblong foliage of the never-never plant in prime condition, mist it regularly. Make sure that the potting mix remains moist between the spring and fall months. Reduce watering in winter, increase it again in springtime, and start feeding your plant monthly, until fall, with a balanced fertilizer. If the air in your room is too dry for this plant, which flourishes in high humidity, sit its container on a tray of expanded clay granules and be sure to keep them moist.

As the never-never plant ages, it tends to lose its neat, compact shape. If this happens, remove any shoots that spoil the silhouette. Repot the plant every other year in commercial potting mix and if it becomes pot-bound divide the plant in spring to create the next generation.

PROBLEM SOLVING If never-never plants become too dry, their leaves will start to curl up. They’ll soon suffer during the summer months if they have been allowed to dry out between watering. Avoid placing your plant in a cold draft, as this can cause it to shed leaves. Red spider mites can also become a problem if the air is too dry around the plant.

The never-never plant has a dense habit with a generous amount of foliage.

DISPLAY

A shade-lover with a neat, compact shape when young, the never-never plant is perfect as a tabletop specimen or for positioning in front of a larger plant that’s in an ugly container you may want to conceal. Alternatively, plant it under a larger specimen such as a kentia palm or a Swiss cheese plant.

Houseplants A–Z | NEVER-NEVER PLANT

ALSO TRY

For similar striking foliage plants, look to relatives of the never-never plant such as goeppertias or marantas. All of them enjoy similar growing conditions to the never-never plant, including:

• Herringbone plant (Maranta leuconeura var. leuconeura ‘Fascinator’), height 12in (30cm). Ideal for a hanging basket, the herringbone plant has spectacular light and dark green leaves with distinctive red leaf veins. It’s an undemanding, easy-to-grow plant.

The herringbone plant is grown for its magnificently intricate foliage.