Online plant nursery · Delivering across South Africa
Calathea Amabilis
Calathea Amabilis
A compact prayer plant with fishbone-patterned leaves, in a 15cm grow pot.
- Moderate care
- Medium indirect light
- Damp, not soggy
- 15cm grow pot
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Calathea Amabilis
R 160.00
About this plant
About this plant
Calathea Amabilis
This is a prayer plant.
Also known as Ctenanthe Burle-Marxii, Burle-Marxii Calathea, Stromanthe amabilis, Never Never plant, Calathea Burle Marxii, Calathea fishbone, Fishbone prayer plant.
Keep its soil damp but be sure that it is not soggy. You will need soil that drains well, retains moist and not water. You can water your Calathea often and in small quantities
If the soil is soggy, root rot will quickly get the better of your plant.
Medium indirect sunlight is best at all times. Make sure not to let any direct sunlight touch the leaves as it will burn quickly.
Basically all Calathea's prefer good humidity levels of between 50-80%. If you do not have a humidifier, be sure to mist the leaves in the morning when you wake up every day or second day. Alternatively, setting the pot on top of a shallow container like a tray filled with gravel and water also works well. Make sure that the gravel level is higher than the water before you sit the pot on top of it. The pot or the plant roots must never touch the water,
Your Calathea is also a good addition to your air purifying collection.
Note: Each individual plant is unique. This image is an example only, however the plant you receive will be as close as possible to this image description.
Note: Stem length indicated above is a guide to the estimated length rather than an exact length that you will receive.
Delivery and packaging
Delivery and packaging
We deliver nationwide with The Courier Guy: Pudo locker R89 or to your door R145. Gauteng customers can also collect in Boksburg (R25).
Orders ship from our depot within 7 working days, and most are on their way sooner. A few rarer plants are ordered in specially for you, which is why we allow 7 days. Couriers don't deliver on weekends.
Every order is packed by hand to survive the courier.
Healthy arrival guarantee
Healthy arrival guarantee
If your plant arrives dead or damaged, we replace it. Just let us know within 24 hours of receiving it and send us a few photos.
For everything else, see our refund policy.
Meet the plant
A tough prayer plant with fishbone leaves
Ctenanthe burle-marxii 'Amabilis' (sold as Calathea) · also known as Fishbone prayer plant, never never plant, Calathea burle-marxii
Native to Brazil
A low, clumping prayer plant with oval, pale green leaves marked with a darker fishbone pattern and purple undersides. Its leaves lift and fold at night, then open again in the morning.
- A Calathea Amabilis in a 15cm grow pot, a full plant for a table or floor-level spot.
- Pale green leaves with a darker fishbone pattern fold up at night like praying hands.
- One of the more forgiving prayer plants for medium indirect light.
Where it thrives
The best spot in your home
Medium indirect light, such as near an east-facing window or a few metres from a north-facing one. Direct sun burns the leaves quickly.
Care card
- Light
- Medium, indirect
- Water
- Little and often
- Humidity
- High, 50 to 80%
- Temperature
- 16 to 27°C, no frost
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained
- Feeding
- Monthly in summer
- Growth
- Moderate, clumping
- Outdoors
- Best indoors
Care made simple
Your first weeks together
- Place it in medium indirect light, with no direct sun on the leaves.
- Water little and often to keep the soil damp, never soggy.
- Mist the leaves every morning or two, or stand it on a pebble tray with water below the pebbles.
Plant doctor
If you see this, do this
- Crispy brown edgesThe air is too dry. Mist more often or use a pebble tray.
- Leaves curl inwardIt's thirsty or the air is dry. Water and raise humidity.
- Yellow leaves, soggy soilRoot rot risk. Let the surface dry slightly and check drainage.
Questions
Good to know
How big is the plant?
How big is the plant?
A plant in a 15cm grow pot. Every plant is unique; the photo shows the size to expect.
Why do the leaves move?
Why do the leaves move?
Prayer plants fold their leaves up at night and open them by day. It's a sign of a healthy plant.
Is it really a Calathea?
Is it really a Calathea?
It's sold as Calathea Amabilis, but botanically it's a close cousin, Ctenanthe. Care is the same.
Packed to arrive alive
4.94 out of 5 from 1114 reviews
We ship living plants across South Africa every week. This is what our customers say when the box arrives.
Our unboxing test: a plant box after a rough courier trip
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★★★★★
“Even after 7 days packed, the plants arrived in perfect condition - perky and happy for their new homes.”
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★★★★★
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Review on Dracaena Compacta · Apr 2026
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★★★★★
“I ordered 3 plants, they were all bigger than the photo and delivered in great condition. Highly recommended.”
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