Rattlesnake plant

Rattlesnake plant: how do you recognise it?

Growth habit

Upright, clump-forming foliage plant about 70 cm tall and 50 cm wide, with leaves on long stalks.

Leaves

Narrow and lance-shaped, 30–40 cm long, with a wavy edge; pale green with dark green blotches, purplish red beneath.

Movement

The leaves fold upwards in the evening and lower again by day; this is normal.

Flower

Rare indoors and inconspicuous; the plant is grown for its foliage.

Roots

Thick, fleshy roots from a short rhizome; they cannot stand wet feet.

Plants: April–May

Why grow it?

• Strikingly blotched foliage that makes the whole plant an eye-catcher all year.
• Fairly easy for a calathea and tolerates a little less light than its relatives.
• Fits on a table, a cupboard or in a bathroom with a window, as it stays around 70 cm.
• The leaves move: by day they lie flat and in the evening they fold upwards.
• Brings a tropical feel to the house without flowers or much work.

Rattlesnake plant: where does it grow best?

• Light shade to bright indirect light: by a north- or east-facing window, or well back from a south-facing one. Sun fades the pattern and scorches the leaves.
• Loose, humus-rich, slightly acid potting compost with peat and perlite that holds moisture yet drains well.
• Warm: 18–25 °C and never below 15 °C. No draughts and no cold windowsill.
• High humidity, preferably above 60%: a pebble tray, a humidifier or a bathroom helps.

Light

Bright, out of direct sun or low light

Potting soil

Multi-purpose compost or airy, humus-rich compost

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Watering

Moderately or generously

Size

0.7 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Temperature

Minimum 15 °C

Goes well with

• Peacock plant: A related calathea with striped foliage for the same spot.
• Prayer plant (Maranta): Moving leaves and the same warmth and humidity.
• Ferns: A fresh green counterpart for a humid corner.
• Nerve plant (Fittonia): A low foliage plant that also loves warmth and humidity.

Rattlesnake plant: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Repot in April–May, when the roots fill the pot; a young plant every 1–2 years.
2. Choose a pot with drainage holes, one size larger than the last, and put clay pebbles in the bottom for drainage.
3. Use an airy, slightly acid potting compost with plenty of organic matter and perlite.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as before and firm the compost gently.
5. Water with lukewarm, low-lime water and put it in a bright spot out of the sun.

Care

Water

Keep the compost evenly moist, never wet. Use rainwater, filtered water or boiled water that has cooled; tap water causes brown leaf tips.

Misting

Mist the leaves regularly with low-lime water, preferably in the morning. Also stand it on a pebble tray.

Feeding

From April to September, every 2–4 weeks, give half the dose of a foliage plant feed. Not in winter.

Cleaning

Wipe dust off with a damp cloth so the leaves can breathe.

Repotting

Once every 1–2 years in spring, into a pot one size larger or after dividing.

Tip: Keep the compost moist with low-lime water, avoid draughts and fierce sun, and mist the leaves regularly. Turn the pot every now and then so it grows evenly.

Rattlesnake plant: when to prune it?

When: You hardly need to prune: remove old, yellow or damaged leaves as needed.

How:

• Cut yellow, brown or damaged leaves off with their stalks, just above the soil.
• If needed, remove brown tips with scissors, following the natural leaf shape.
• Leave healthy leaves; the plant needs them.
• Remove dead leaves at once, so mould cannot develop on them.

Caution: Use clean scissors and always cut at the base, not halfway up the stalk.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In April–May when repotting: take the plant out of the pot, gently divide the rootball into pieces with roots and at least 3–4 leaves and pot them separately. Keep them warm, humid and sheltered until they grow on.

Rattlesnake plant: how does it get through the winter?

• Not hardy: the minimum temperature is 15 °C. It must never overwinter outdoors.
• Keep it warm (18–20 °C) and bright, away from a cold window or draughts.
• Water less and do not feed; the compost may dry out slightly on top.
• With central heating, provide extra humidity, because dry air turns leaf edges brown.

Diseases and pests

• Brown leaf edges and tips: Dry air or tap water with a lot of lime or fluoride. Mist more often, raise the humidity and use rainwater or filtered water.
• Curling leaves: A sign of thirst, dry air or a draught. Water, put down a pebble tray and keep the plant out of draughts.
• Faded leaves: Too much sun makes the pattern fade and leaves dry patches. Move it out of the sun, into light shade.
• Spider mites: Fine webbing and speckled leaves in dry, warm air. Rinse or wipe the leaves clean and raise the humidity.

Through the year

• January: Rest: keep warm, less water, no feeding.
• February: Rest. Keep an eye on humidity.
• March: Slowly give more water again. Do not feed yet.
• April: Repot or divide. Start feeding.
• May: Repot or divide. Feed every 2–4 weeks.
• June: Growing season. Mist and water.
• July: Growing season. Keep out of the sun.
• August: Growing season. Watch for spider mites.
• September: Feed less.
• October: Stop feeding. Move away from cold draughts.
• November: Rest. Little water, keep warm.
• December: Rest: warm, bright and draught-free.

Did you know?

• The English name ‘rattlesnake plant’ refers to the leaf pattern, which recalls the skin of a rattlesnake.
• The genus Calathea owes its name to the Greek ‘kalathos’, meaning basket: the leaves of some species are woven into baskets.
• Since 2012 many calatheas have been placed in the genus Goeppertia.