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Sweet Dreams® First Frost Never Never Plant Ctenanthe setosa

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Exposure
  • Low
  • Medium
New Plant
  • Details

    12 - 36 Inches
    0 -
    0 -
    30cm - 91cm
    0cm
    0cm

    Features

    Meet Sweet Dreams ‘First Frost’,  a ctenanthe or never never plant, that will give you all the goosebumps of a frosty morning. Smooth, elliptical-shaped leaves grow on tall shoots in an upright, clumping habit.  Leaves are silvery-green with brushstrokes of medium green radiating out from the midrib. Leaves turn down during the day to bask in bright, indirect light; at night, however, they fold up like other varieties in the prayer plant family.

    Adaptable As Houseplant
    Foliage Interest
    Harmful To: 
    Pets

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Houseplant
    Height Category: 
    Medium
    Height: 
    12 - 36 Inches 30cm - 91cm
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Colors: 
    Silver
    Foliage Shade: 
    Silvery gray with deep green veins
    Habit: 
    Mounded
    Container Role: 
    Filler

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Low
    Light Requirement: 
    Medium

    Low - No direct sun, not near a window. Medium - Medium bright indirect light in the AM or PM, typically from an east or west window. High - Bright direct or indirect light for much of the day, typically from a south window.

    Maintenance Category: 
    Moderate
    Preferred Temperature: 
    60 - 85 °F
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Humidity Preference: 
    Medium
    Humidity Preference: 
    High
    Container Soil Type: 
    Indoor Potting Mix
    Needs Good Drainage
    Uses: 
    Desktops
    Uses: 
    Humid Spaces
    Uses: 
    Low Light Spaces
    Uses Notes: 

    Not for human or animal consumption.

    Maintenance Notes: 
    • For optimal performance, keep your Ctenanthe at 60-85°F (15-29°C). 
    • Ctenanthes perform best in medium levels of indirect light. Avoid placing them next to a window that gets direct sunlight, unless it is early in the morning, or late in the afternoon. Direct midday sun can cause leaf scorch. Bright shade or filtered light is just enough for Ctenanthes.
    • Ctenanthes appreciate moderate to high levels of humidity. To keep humidity at around 40%, you may need to position your Ctenanthe near a humidifier or on a pebble tray. 
    • Ctenanthes should not be watered with tap water, or excessively hard or treated water. Distilled water or filtered water are better options. These plants are sensitive to impurities and salts in tap water, which can cause leaf edges to burn or leaf spots to form. 
    • Ctenanthes prefer to have moist, but not soggy soil. As such, water when the top inch or so of soil is dry.  If the soil gets too dry, your Ctenanthe may wilt or develop leaf curl–both of which are good indicators to water your plant. If it is very dry, you may need to soak your pot in water until the soil is thoroughly rehydrated. This can take up to half an hour. Once the soil is moist, allow your pot to drain thoroughly, as your Ctenanthe shouldn’t sit in standing water for extended periods of time. 
    • Feed your Ctenanthe once per month at half strength when it is actively growing. Reduce frequency of fertilization in the winter months. If no new leaves are growing, it does not need to be fertilized.
    • Protect furniture when watering & fertilizing.
    • When repotting your Ctenanthe, use an all-purpose potting mix, with additional orchid bark and perlite added, to ensure it has good drainage and plenty of nutrients.
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