Is Ctenanthe burle-marxii a calathea?

Not botanically. It belongs to the genus Ctenanthe. The RHS groups Ctenanthe, Goeppertia and Stromanthe together under the gardening name "calatheas," and their care is similar. All are in the prayer plant family, Marantaceae.

Is Ctenanthe burle-marxii the never never plant?

Usually not. NC State Extension uses "never never plant" for Ctenanthe oppenheimiana, C. lubbersiana and C. amabilis. Ctenanthe burle-marxii is sold as the fishbone prayer plant, and the Chicago Botanic Garden calls it Burle Marx prayer plant.

How often should I water a fishbone prayer plant?

The RHS says to water freely from spring through summer and keep the potting mix moist in winter. Never let it dry out completely or sit in water. Use rainwater or tap water left to stand for 24 hours.

Is Ctenanthe safe for cats and dogs?

We could not confirm it. The ASPCA has no entry for the genus Ctenanthe, and NC State Extension does not state toxicity for its Ctenanthe species. Until a reliable source lists it as non-toxic, keep it away from pets.

Why are my Ctenanthe leaves curling?

For the related Ctenanthe oppenheimiana, NC State Extension says brown edges and curled leaves can mean underwatering. Dry air also browns the leaves of calatheas and their relatives. Check the soil moisture and raise the humidity.

Fishbone Prayer Plant Care (Ctenanthe burle-marxii): Light, Watering, Humidity and Division

Ctenanthe burle-marxii, usually sold as the fishbone prayer plant, has pale green leaves crossed by dark bands arranged like the bones of a fish. The undersides are purple, so the clump looks colorful even without flowers. Care is similar to a calathea, and the RHS describes a bushy plant about 2 feet tall.

How to identify Ctenanthe burle-marxii

The RHS describes it as a tender evergreen perennial about 60 cm (2 feet) tall, with a maximum height of 0.5–1 m and a spread of up to 0.5 m in its database. The stems are softly hairy and green with a purple tint. The leaves are oblong to oval and pale green, marked with dark green bands along the midrib that together form a fishbone pattern, and they are purple underneath. Small clusters of white flowers can appear at any time of year at the ends of long stems.

NC State Extension notes that plants in the genus Ctenanthe typically fold up their leaves at night and open them during the day. The RHS calls this movement nyctinasty and says many calatheas show it.

Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants accepts Ctenanthe burle-marxii and gives its native range as southeastern Brazil. It treats Ctenanthe burle-marxii var. obscura as a synonym. Many shops still label the plant “Calathea burle-marxii.” For how calatheas, marantas and their relatives differ, see calathea vs. maranta.

Fishbone prayer plant or never never plant?

Common names in Ctenanthe are a tangle. The Chicago Botanic Garden lists this species as Burle Marx prayer plant, and the trade name fishbone prayer plant comes from the leaf pattern. According to NC State Extension, “never never plant” belongs to other species: Ctenanthe oppenheimiana, C. lubbersiana and C. amabilis. If you are reading care advice for a “never never plant,” check which species it is actually about.

Light

The RHS recommends growing it indoors in bright, indirect light, and its database entry lists partial shade and an east- or west-facing aspect. Keep it out of direct sun: the RHS advises shading calatheas from direct sunlight, and NC State Extension lists direct sunlight as something the related C. oppenheimiana will not tolerate. In too little light, the RHS says calatheas in general make poor, weak growth.

Watering

The RHS species profile says to water freely from spring through summer and to keep the potting mix moist in winter. The RHS calathea guide adds that in winter the surface can dry slightly, but the whole pot should never dry out. In practice, water less often in winter without letting the mix go dry.

Always empty the saucer; standing water rots roots. For the whole calathea group the RHS recommends rainwater, or tap water left to stand for at least 24 hours. For the related C. oppenheimiana, NC State Extension warns that mineral and salt buildup from tap water can brown the leaf tips and recommends distilled or filtered water.

Potting mix and repotting

The RHS recommends a peat-free, loam-based potting compost (John Innes No. 2). Whatever you use, it should stay moist but drain well, and the pot needs a drainage hole.

Unlike most calatheas, which the RHS says need repotting only every few years, this species should be repotted every year in late spring or early summer, according to its RHS profile. NC State Extension advises against fertilizing C. oppenheimiana right after repotting.

Humidity and temperature

Ctenanthe needs high humidity. The RHS suggests standing the pot on a tray of moist gravel. A humidifier or grouping several plants together also helps. Indoor air is usually driest in the heating season, so watch humidity most closely in winter. See the houseplant humidity guide for more ways to raise it.

Keep the temperature steady and free of drafts. For calatheas, including Ctenanthe, the RHS gives 61–70°F (16–21°C) and recommends keeping plants away from heat sources such as radiators. NC State Extension says C. oppenheimiana will not tolerate temperatures below 60°F or cold drafts.

Fertilizing

The RHS recommends a general liquid fertilizer once a month from spring through summer. Skip feeding in fall and winter.

How to propagate Ctenanthe by division

The RHS lists division in spring and seed as ways to propagate this species. At home, division during spring repotting is the practical choice.

Water the day before so the root ball holds together.
Remove the plant from its pot and gently shake off some of the old mix.
Split the clump by hand or with a clean knife so each piece has roots and several leaves.
Pot each division into its own container of fresh mix and water it in.
Keep the divisions warm, humid and evenly moist until new growth appears, as the RHS advises for all calathea divisions. A clear plastic bag or dome over the pot helps.

Cultivars and leaf pattern

Every Ctenanthe burle-marxii has the fishbone pattern; it is a feature of the species, not a rare variegated form. The RHS database also lists the names C. burle-marxii var. obscura ‘Purple Tiger’ and ‘Amagris’, but without descriptions. Our sources do not list any variegated cultivars of this species.

Common problems

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Brown tips and edges	dry air, hard water, salt buildup	raise humidity, water with rainwater or filtered water
Curled leaves, brown edges	underwatering	water regularly, don’t let the mix dry out
Yellowing leaves	overwatering	empty the saucer, check the roots
Water-soaked patches (edema)	potting mix too wet	water more carefully, especially in winter
Scorched patches	direct sun	move back from the window
Weak, sparse growth	too little light	brighter spot without direct sun
White fluffy clusters on leaves and stems	mealybugs	remove by hand, isolate the plant

Curling, yellowing from overwatering and brown tips from hard water are described by NC State Extension for C. oppenheimiana; edema and weak growth in low light by the RHS for calatheas in general. For C. burle-marxii itself, the RHS names mealybugs as the pest to watch and calls it generally disease-free.

Is Ctenanthe toxic to cats and dogs?

We found no verified toxicity data for Ctenanthe burle-marxii. The ASPCA plant list has no entry for the genus Ctenanthe (checked September 25, 2026). The ASPCA does list related calatheas (Calathea spp.) and the prayer plant as non-toxic, but that does not automatically carry over to a different genus, and NC State Extension does not state toxicity for any of its three Ctenanthe species. For that reason we do not count it as pet-safe, and we suggest keeping it out of reach of cats and dogs. Our sources say nothing about toxicity to people.

If you want a relative that the ASPCA explicitly lists as non-toxic, look at the prayer plant or the peacock plant.