Ctenanthe burle-marxii

Ctenanthe burle-marxii (at front) as an edging to Calathea zebrina, in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Some members of the Ctenanthe clan are quite invasive but this low-growing Brazilian species, is quite well behaved (so far in my garden!). It is named after Roberto Burle Marx, famed Brazilian landscape architect. Its common name is fishbone prayer plant. It is a rhizomatous, evergreen perennial, with round-ended, oblong-shaped, pale green foliage with distinctive, dark green markings. It is commonly known as the fishbone prayer plant, because of this leaf pattern. The leaves lie fairly flat, and the plant will spread to a clump 35 cm across, with the leaves no taller than 30 cm. Inconspicuous white flowers appear occasionally. The plant is frost sensitive. It grows well in part or dappled shade under trees and combines well with other interesting foliage plants such as Aspidistra elatior and Calathea species. Propagation is by division.