Ctenanthe setosa - Never never plant

Ctenanthe setosa, nicknamed the "peacock plant", is a tropical houseplant with refined silvery foliage. Its long, narrow leaves are pearly grey, crossed by tender green veins and backed with a purple underside, bringing a beautiful green light into the home. In a pot, this Ctenanthe suits contemporary décors and elegant jungle atmospheres, in a living room, bedroom or bright bathroom. Provided it is given good humidity.

This botanical species belongs to the Marantaceae family, alongside calatheas and marantas. Ctenanthe setosa, first described under the names Maranta setosa, Stromanthe setosa or even Thalia setosa, is today the name retained by botany. Native to eastern and southern Brazil, it grows in the warm, humid undergrowth of the Atlantic forest.
Indoors, this rhizomatous perennial develops a compact clump with an upright then slightly arching habit, reaching 60 to 80 cm in height and about 60 cm in width. The oblong to lanceolate leaves measure 25 to 35 cm long and about ten centimetres wide. The upper surface is silvery grey washed with green, crossed by parallel green veins creating a herringbone pattern, while the underside displays red to purple tones more visible in the late afternoon when the foliage lifts. The finely hairy petioles explain the epithet "setosa", meaning "silky or bristly". The creamy white, small flower spikes are insignificant and do not compete with the foliage. Ctenanthe setosa is considered non-toxic to humans, cats and dogs.

Indoors, this species appreciates bright light without direct sun, a humidity of 50 to 70% and regular temperatures of 18 to 26 °C, avoiding cold draughts. It is accessible to a somewhat knowledgeable amateur: its beauty depends mainly on the stability of its growing conditions, the plant quickly deteriorating if the air is too dry or there are strong temperature fluctuations.
It will thrive in a bright living room, an east or north-facing bedroom, or a well-lit bathroom where the air humidity remains naturally high.

At home, place your Ctenanthe setosa in an off-white, taupe or olive green glazed ceramic pot, set on a small stool or side table near a window filtered by a sheer curtain. Its silvery foliage will be enhanced by darker or velvety foliage: pair it, for example, with a Calathea warscewiczii, a Syngonium ‘Confetti’, a Syngonium wendlandii and a Philodendron ‘Florida Ghost’. By playing with heights, with your Ctenanthe slightly elevated and trailing or climbing plants in the background, you create a sophisticated little tropical landscape.