Description

Product Reviews

Description

Part Shade Filtered garden light

Moderate Water Keep mix lightly moist

Great Indoors Bright, indirect light

Ideal for Pots Use a draining container

1.2m Mature height

800mm Mature width

Suitable For

Tropical Gardens Courtyards Garden Borders Feature Planting

Why We Recommend It

Silver-grey leaves with green veins and purple-red undersides give Grey Star its distinctive foliage contrast.
Well suited to bright, filtered light indoors or a sheltered, shaded position in a tropical-style garden.
A good choice for customers wanting a leafy feature in a pot or understorey planting, with regular moisture and protection from harsh sun.

Pot Sizes & Plant Heights

125mm pot150mm above pot

140mm pot200mm above pot

200mm pot400–500mm above pot

300mm pot1m above pot

Available sizes and plant heights are an approximate guide only. Stock fluctuates through the season and other sizes may be available. All plant stock and sizes are approximate and subject to grower availability at the time of year. View our Pot Sizes Explained guide.

Plant Details

Botanical Name	Ctenanthe setosa 'Grey Star'
Common Names	Grey Star, Grey Star Ctenanthe, Never Never Plant, Silver Star
Plant Type	Evergreen foliage perennial
Position	Bright, indirect light indoors; full to part shade in a sheltered garden
Mature Size	1.2m high × 800mm wide
Maintenance	Remove tired foliage as needed; maintain consistent moisture

Care Guide

Choose bright, indirect light indoors. Outdoors, use a sheltered spot in full to part shade. Gentle morning sun is suitable; avoid harsh afternoon sun.

Use a well-drained potting mix or fertile, well-drained garden soil. Containers need drainage holes so excess water can escape.

Keep the root zone lightly moist, without leaving the pot standing in water. Check the mix regularly rather than relying on a fixed watering schedule.

Apply a suitable liquid fertiliser during spring and summer, following its label. Remove damaged or ageing leaves as needed; routine hard pruning is not required.

Flowering, Fruiting & Fragrance

Flower Colour	Pale yellow; small and inconspicuous
Flowering Period	May appear intermittently through the year
Fruiting	N/A

Delivery Restrictions

Due to Australian quarantine restrictions, this product cannot be sent to WA, NT or TAS.

Complete The Project

A container with drainage holes for indoor growing
A suitable indoor-plant potting mix
A saucer to catch drainage; empty it after watering
A suitable liquid fertiliser for use during active growth

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I grow Grey Star indoors?

Yes. Place it where it receives bright, indirect light, away from harsh direct sun.

Where should I plant it outside?

Choose a sheltered, fully or partly shaded garden position. It works well as an understorey foliage plant in tropical-style gardens.

How often should I water it?

Check the potting mix regularly and keep it lightly moist. Allow excess water to drain; do not treat it as a drought-tolerant plant.

How large does Grey Star grow?

The supplied mature guide is about 1.2m high and 800mm wide. Allow room for the clump to develop when choosing a garden position or container.

What gives the leaves their colour?

The upper surfaces are silver-grey with green veins, while the undersides are purple to red. This contrast makes foliage the main feature.

Does Grey Star flower?

It can produce small, inconspicuous pale-yellow flowers intermittently. Choose it primarily for its patterned leaves rather than a showy flowering display.

What heights are the supplied plants?

The 125mm pots are around 150mm above the pot; 140mm pots around 200mm; 200mm pots around 400–500mm; and 300mm pots around 1m. Heights are a guide and vary with available stock.