Never Never Plant (Ctenanthe oppenheimiana)

The never-never plant (Ctenanthe oppenheimiana), also called the giant bamburanta, is a striking houseplant celebrated for its bold, patterned leaves. Native to Brazil’s tropical rainforests, it thrives in bright, indirect light, making it an excellent choice for indoor gardening. One of its unique features is its ability to fold its leaves at night, adding a touch of movement and intrigue to your space. Aside from its aesthetic appeal, this perennial plant is known for its air-purifying qualities, making it a functional and decorative addition to any home.

Common name	Giant Bamburanta, Never Never Plant
Botanical name	Ctenanthe oppenheimiana
Family	Marantaceae
Species	oppenheimiana
Origin	Brazil
Life cycle	Perennial
Plant type	Herbaceous Perennial
Hardiness zone	10, 11
Sunlight	Partial Shade
Maintenance	Medium
Soil condition	Clay
Soil ph	Acid
Drainage	Well-Drained
Growth rate	Medium
Spacing	12 in. – 3 ft.
Height	1 ft. 8 in. – 3 ft. 3 in.
Flower color	Gold, Yellow
Leaf color	Gray, Silver
Leaf benefit	Showy
Uses	Container

I. Appearance and Characteristics

Ctenanthe oppenheimiana, the giant bamburanta or never-never plant, is a species of flowering plant of family Marantaceae and is a native of Brazil. It is an evergreen perennial. This plant can grow to more than 1 m (3.3 ft) tall and broad, with long narrow leaves up to 40 cm (16 in) in length. The leaves are adorned on the secondary veins with dark green bands, which meet and merge in the margins. In between are cream coloured bands.

The undersides of the leaves have a red-ish colour. The cultivar ‘Tricolor’ is a common ornamental variety, which as a houseplant in the UK has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. (confirmed 2017). This cultivar is visually very similar to Stromanthe Sanguinea ‘Triostar’, and the two are often confused. The difference between the two lies in the lack of regular banding on the leaves of the Sromanthe, and the generally more rounded shape of the leaves in Ctenanthe.

Ctenanthe Oppenheimania is a nontoxic plant and is pet friendly. Due to its bright colors and aesthetic look, your pets might consider it edible. Also, the children might get attracted to its hues. If ingested more than the safe limit, it might cause vomiting or nausea.

So to avoid any ambiguity, you should place it away from the reach of pets and children. It might also cause some allergic reactions, but they are mild to negligible in most cases.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

Ctenanthe Oppenheimiana prefers medium to bright indirect light as they are used to that forest canopy of the jungles in Brazils. These plants grow on the forest floor, where they don’t get bright light. For Giant Bamburanata to grow appropriately, put it near a window with curtains. It helps the plant get filtered light to develop its characteristic vibrant hues.

Situate your Never Never Plant near windows facing east or north. Shady places need less moisture to keep up with life, while properly lit areas need more water.

Too much exposure to the sun can cause dry and scorching leaves, ultimately becoming dull-colored. Low light intensity may cause them to be devoid of their silver or white bands and the growth hindrance. Moreover, the plant will become less bushy and leggy and have long stems extending for light.

The leaves of the Never-Never plant show nyctinasty, i.e., responding toward the change in light. Therefore, they curl and uncurl according to night and daylight, respectively.

If you don’t have any bright spot in your house you might need grow lights to provide the required amount of light.

Humidity and Temperature

Never-never plant grows best in relatively humid and warm surroundings, so giving them a moderate to a high level of humidity will be perfect for this Never Never Plant. If you want it to thrive well, provide a stable and moist environment. The margin and edges of leaves turn brown and curl up in a relatively less humid climate. The new leaves turn yellow.

For better growth, keep the humidity level up to 50%. To maintain moisture level, keep misting the leaves over time and provide ventilation. Moreover, you can use a plant humidifier or pebble tray or group your plants to achieve the desired humidity for this plant.

Ctenanthe grow in a warm, humid environment in the tropical rainforest, but indoors it survives only within a narrow range of temperature. The ideal temperature range for this plant is 55-85 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature goes below 55 or above 85, your Tricolor is in danger.

A single blow of frost can damage it to an irreparable extent. Keep a digital thermometer to check the range of temperature.

Soil

The Giant Bamburanata grows best in moist, chunky well-draining soil. But if the soil is soggy with poor drainage, the plant becomes vulnerable to root rot due to water logging. To get rid of this situation, use a well-draining potting soil mix.

It must contain elements capable of retaining moisture like coco coir, peat, or sphagnum moss, along with those that can help drain excess water out, like perlite, orchid bark, or pumice.

Fertilizing

Never-Never plant appreciates an adequate amount of nutrients being fed to it once in a while. You can boost its growth by applying fertilizer monthly during the spring and summer growing seasons. If you have repotted your plant, don’t give it fertilizer. A diluted houseplant fertilizer is recommended to boost the growth of Ctenanthe since it contains iron for better development.

Applying fertilizers in the winter can cause your plants to have damaged roots. If you are over-fertilizing or the soil is already rich in nutrients or minerals, your plant is at risk of mineral toxicity. Before applying fertilizer, it is advised to check the soil nutrient profile.

Pruning and Maintenance

Ctenanthe Oppenheimiana is a low-maintenance plant. Pruning is only done to eliminate dead and dull leaves and maintain the plant’s size. This trimming is a standard maintenance tactic to keep indoor houseplants tidy and attractive. The beauty of Ctenanthe lies in its stunning leaves, and for new ones to develop, trimming the old dead leaves is crucial. This is nothing to worry about until the plant is shedding its leaves.

For pruning and trimming, imply the sharp pruner so that the stem remains intact and no damage is done to the other leaves. Before making contact with the plant, ensure that the pruner you are using is correctly sterilized so that no germs touch the plant’s skin.

Propagation

Division propagation is the most successful and common method to propagate the Ctenanthe Oppenheimiana. The best time for this type of propagation is spring. Ctenanthe Oppenheimiana grows on Rhizomes. A fully grown clump develops an offshoot under the soil, which later gives out another shoot- the offset plant. You can separate the offshoot when it reaches a height of almost 8 inches. For offset/rhizome division, follow the step-by-step guide.

• Brush the soil away from basal shoots so that you can have a better grip on the roots.
• Loosen up the root ball.
• Gently pull out the Rhizome/ offshoot with roots and some leaves. You can use a sterilized knife or cutter to cut the rhizome from the rest of the root ball.
• Let soak the rhizome in a water bucket for half an hour.
• Now plant the rhizome into a separate pot with proper drainage.
• Maintain moisture level and temperature.

Repotting

Ctenanthe is a gorgeous plant spreading beautifully along the horizontal plane when grown outside as bedding. This makes it a potential subject to division. If you don’t want to repot your Never Never Plant you can pull out the offshoots and plant them in separate pots.

But if you want your Ctenanthe to enjoy the full swing, repotting it once a year or two is good. If you observe that the soil doesn’t hold the moisture for long and the roots are peeking out of the drainage hole, it’s a sign that the root is bound and the plant needs repotting. To repot this Brazilian Snow plant, you should:

• Choose a pot, one sizer larger with proper drainage, and the best compost mixture for adequate growth.
• Water it a day before repotting to nullify the transplant shock.
• Gently pull your plant out and examine the roots. Check if there is any root rot, pest, or fungal attack.
• Please fill the new pot to its quarter with your fresh soil mixture.
• Place the root ball in it and start filling the edges.
• Don’t pat your soil downward, as it can damage the roots and compact the soil.
• Tap the pot on the ground for the compost to reach all areas between soil and roots
• Water the new potted plant thoroughly and keep the plant in a warm, humid place.

Pests and Diseases

Pests

Ctenanthe Oppenheimiana faces pests like mealybugs, spider mites, or thirps. Mealybugs are insects that feed on sap, leave behind a sticky fluid on the foliage and weaken their host plant. Symptoms of mealybug attack include white wax over the leaves and black mold. Always inspect the underside of the leaves, and if you find any insects or eggs, you can use an organic spray or insecticides to get rid of pests.

To get rid of mealybugs, you can make the following mixture.

• Take a cotton swap dipped in rubbing alcohol and remove any visible mealy bugs on the plant’s leaves.
• Mix 1 cup of rubbing alcohol with a few drops of dishwashing soap and 1 quart of water.

Spray this solution on the plant leaves. Make sure to spray the underside of the leaves. If you notice any mealybugs in the soil, spray the soil also.

Spider mites are also sap-sucking insects that cause the plant leaves to turn yellow, with dark spots. You will find spider mites under the leaves, where they produce silky white webs. To get rid of spider mites, you can wipe the leaves with Neem oil or spray the plant with the mixture mentioned above.

Leaf Curling

Over-exposure to direct sunlight can cause the leaves to curl up abnormally. If it gets worse, the edges of leaves turn brown, exhibiting symptoms of sun scorch or environmental shock. Moreover, the lack of humidity also causes the curling of leaves.

Shedding of Leaves

If you don’t water your tricolor plant properly, the leaves can dry up severely and ultimately fall off, and the plant body appears naked and unattractive.

Powdery Mildew

It attacks the new plants and appears like a fine white powder leading to yellow leaves and slow growth. Plants become vulnerable to it when they face dehydration. Please trim the affected parts or use a fungicide to avoid this fungal attack.

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