Ctenanthe setosa 'Compactstar'

Ctenanthe setosa 'Compactstar' has light and dark green striped leaves with red undersides, which are finely hairy. The long petioles are also red and hairy. It grows from an underground rhizome, which serves as a water and nutrient reservoir. Ctenanthe setosa is a member of the arrowroot family (Marantaceae) and originates from the mountains of the east coast of South America, specifically Brazil, around the area of ​​São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Porto Alegre. There is also another, possibly introduced, population in northern South America, where it also grows in the mountains of Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. This species grows at altitudes of 500 to 1600 meters in ever-humid mountain forests.



Arrowroot plants are also called "prayer plants" in English because of the way their leaves move; at night, they fold them upwards like hands in prayer. Generally, the leaves of Marantaceae move relatively quickly and frequently, so these movements (which almost all plants exhibit) are much more noticeable in Marantaceae. This makes them appear truly alive!