Sweet Dreams® First Frost™ Never Never Plant Ctenanthe setosa

Cocoon^® Collection - Low light plants for calming spaces. These plants are homebodies, preferring to spend their time in the lower light levels of interior rooms or those with smaller windows. Their sanctuary is a room that faces north or east.

SpaScene^® Collection - Plants for warm, humid spaces like powder rooms, next to your kitchen sink, or humid climates. Warm air filled with humidity keep the leaves of these plants looking fresh and radiant. The spa-like atmosphere of powder rooms, sunporches, or the windowsill behind your kitchen sink are all ideal locations for SpaScene plants. 

WorkLife^™ Collection - Space-saving plant for desks, shelves and tabletops. When space is at a premium, choose these low-maintenance, compact and vertical plants to occupy just a sliver of your workspace.

H2O^™ Mini Collection - leafjoy^™ hydroponics. This virtually care-free houseplant can be placed anywhere in the home, no matter the light level, and requires no care other than adding water (if needed) every 1-2 months.

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Exposure

• Low
• Medium

• DETAILS

  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

  Silver

  Foliage Shade: 

  Silvery gray with deep green veins

  Habit: 

  Mounded

  Container Role: 

  Filler

  PLANT NEEDS

  Light Requirement: 

  Low

  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

  High

  Container Soil Type: 

  Indoor Potting Mix

  Needs Good Drainage

  Uses: 

  Desktops

  Humid Spaces

  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.  
    PICTURES AND INFORMATION COPIED FROM PROVEN WINNERS