Ctenanthe setosa Grey Star

Common Name:
Grey Star Prayer Plant

Description:
Ctenanthe setosa ‘Grey Star’, commonly known as the Grey Star Prayer Plant, is an elegant and soft-toned tropical foliage plant known for its long, lance-shaped leaves in silvery grey-green with darker feather-like veining and deep purple undersides. Native to the rainforests of Brazil, this low-growing clumping plant belongs to the Marantaceae family and shares the characteristic leaf movement associated with “prayer plants”—folding up at night and unfurling in the morning. In Melbourne, Grey Star thrives as an indoor plant or in sheltered outdoor areas with high humidity and filtered light. It prefers rich, well-draining soil and consistent moisture, along with protection from cold drafts and direct sunlight which can cause leaf burn. While it may produce small white to purple flowers in ideal summer conditions, it's most valued for its sculptural foliage and serene colour palette that adds a calming presence to interior spaces and shaded garden beds.

Form:

• Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

• Shrub - Small

• Indoor Foliage Plant

Mature Size:

• Height: 60–90 cm

• Width: 60–90 cm

Aspect:

• Part Shade

• Full Shade

• Indoors / Well lit

Flowering:

• Flowers in Summer (occasionally indoors)

Flower Colour:

• White to Pale Purple (small, inconspicuous)

Key Attributes:

• Suitable for Pots

• Suitable for Indoors

• Perennial

• Non-toxic

• Air-purifying qualities

• Excellent for Humid Spaces

• Low Light Tolerant

• Decorative Foliage

Toxicity:

• Non-toxic to humans

• Non-toxic to cats and dogs

Companion Plants:

• Calathea orbifolia

• Maranta leuconeura

• Aspidistra elatior

• Peperomia caperata

• Spathiphyllum ‘Domino’