Rattlesnake Plant
Goeppertia insignis
Long, wavy-edged leaves spotted like snakeskin, purple underneath. Known for its pattern, and for folding its leaves up every evening.
1.7/5
how easy it is to care for
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
: Bright shade
Near a north or east window, out of the sun’s reach
A north or east window suits it, close enough for bright light but where sun doesn’t land on the leaves; an early-morning hour of sun is fine. In a dimmer spot it holds on, growing slower.
NC State Extension says it doesn’t tolerate full sun, only early morning or diffused light, so a north or east window suits it best.
In a dimmer spot it holds on (UF/IFAS puts its floor fairly low), but it grows slower.
: Weekly+
Every 4-7 days in summer; soil stays evenly moist
A drink every 4-7 days in summer and 6-10 in winter keeps the soil evenly moist but not soggy. It’s touchy about fluoride, which leaves dead spots on the leaf edges, so rain or distilled water is best.
Water until it runs out the bottom and empty the saucer; let the surface of the soil dry slightly between soaks, which takes 5-7 days in most rooms. Moist, never soggy: wet soil rots the roots.
It’s sensitive to fluoride, which leaves dead spots along the leaf edges, so rain or distilled water is best.
Gone for a while? A week is fine if it’s watered the day you leave.
: Small
A fountain of long leaves, 9-18 inches tall
Usually 9-18 inches tall indoors, a clump of long leaves on stalks that arch out like a fountain. NC State rates it fast-growing, with new leaves unrolling from the center in spring and summer, slower in winter.
Growth is moderate: new leaves unroll from the center through spring and summer. Snip any brown or tired leaf off at the base; there’s nothing else to prune.
: Pet & kid safe
Nothing harmful for dogs, cats, or kids
- DogsSafe
- CatsSafe
- KidsSafe
Nothing harmful here: the ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to dogs and cats, and UC ANR puts it on its safe-plant list for kids. A big nibble may still upset a pet’s stomach, as any plant can.
Kids too: it’s on the University of California’s safe-plant list. The ASPCA notes that eating any plant can upset a pet’s stomach, so a big nibble might mean some vomiting, but the plant isn’t poisonous.
Cats and dogs: The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic.
Kids: No poison-centre listing; rated from university extension sources.
: Humid
Warm and humid; dry winter heat crisps its edges
Warm and humid suits it: 65-80°F, clear of drafts and heat vents, with humidity at 50% or more. Dry winter heat browns and curls the leaf edges, which a humidifier nearby helps prevent.
- Temperature
- 65-80°F
- Humidity
- 50%+
: Spider mites, mealybugs
Spider mites in dry air; mealybugs at leaf bases
Spider mites are the main one, leaving pale speckles and fine webbing in warm, dry air. Mealybugs sit like white cotton where leaves meet stems; scale’s brown bumps and aphids on new growth turn up now and then.
- Spider mites
- Mealybugs
- Scale
- Aphids
A few. Spider mites are the main one, in dry air; aphids, scale, and mealybugs turn up now and then, and root rot or leaf spot if it’s kept too wet.
Spider mites leave pale speckles and fine webbing, mostly in warm, dry air like a heated room in winter. Rinse the whole plant in the shower, undersides of the leaves included, and let it dry in a bright spot; if they come back, an insecticidal soap spray is the next step. More humidity keeps them away.
Mealybugs look like tufts of white cotton where the leaves meet the stems; scale looks like small brown bumps; aphids are small, soft bugs on new growth. Wipe them off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, then check again next week.
Leaf spot comes from water sitting on the leaves, so water the soil, not the plant. Root rot comes from soggy soil: empty the saucer and let the surface dry a little between soaks.
: More
Feed and trim crisp leaves; rain or distilled water helps
Feed it monthly in spring and summer, and snip crisped leaves off at the base as they come. Rain or distilled water spares its edges, and it wants repotting or dividing every 2 years.
- Feeding4× a year
- Trim crisped leaves8× a year
- Filtered or rested water batch12× a year
- Repot or divideevery 2 years
A peat-based potting mix that holds some moisture but drains fast, in a pot with a drainage hole.
Repot only when the clump fills the pot, in spring; that’s also the time to divide it (see Propagation).
Food is optional: a balanced houseplant fertilizer monthly in spring and summer, and none in winter.
: Showy
Snakeskin spots on wavy leaves, purple beneath
Wavy-edged leaves about a foot long are spotted like snakeskin on top and purple underneath, with a soft satin finish. Every evening they fold up, then open again at sunrise.
Where to find me
Not at PILF places
Fun fact
Its leaves fold up in the evening and open again at sunrise.
Designer tips
Graphic and a little wild: a pattern plant that brings a jungle feel to a quiet room.
Troubleshooting
The leaf edges are brown and crispy
Dry air, usually, or fluoride in tap water: NC State Extension ties browning edges to low humidity, and UF/IFAS ties dead spots on the edges to fluoride. A humidifier nearby and rain or distilled water help the new leaves; trim the brown bits if they bother you.
Why are the leaves curling?
Thirst or dry air. If it’s been a week or so since its last drink, give it a soak; if the soil’s still moist, the air is likely too dry, and a humidifier nearby or a tray of wet pebbles under the pot helps.
The leaves fold up every evening
That’s normal. It folds its leaves up every evening and opens them again at sunrise (NC State Extension), like its cousin the prayer plant.
See all 8
Why are there pale speckles on the leaves?
Spider mites, most likely, especially in a heated winter room. Look under the leaves for fine webbing, then rinse the whole plant in the shower, undersides included; more humidity helps keep them away.
Why are some leaves turning yellow?
Usually too much water. If the soil stays soggy, let the surface dry a little between soaks and empty the saucer; yellow leaves snip off at the base.
My cat chewed a leaf
Nothing harmful there: the ASPCA lists rattlesnake plant as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Any plant can upset a pet’s stomach in a big enough helping, so some vomiting is possible, but the plant isn’t poisonous.
Can it live without a window?
It wants a room with a window, though it can sit across the room from it. It holds on in fairly dim light (UF/IFAS), growing slower there.
I’m going away for a week
Usually fine if it’s watered the day you leave, though a week is about as long as it goes between drinks in summer.
Propagation
By division, when you repot in spring.
- Ease it out of its pot and gently pull the clump apart into pieces, each with a few leaves and its own roots.
- Pot each one at the same depth, and keep the soil lightly moist and the air humid while it settles.
The PILF Matrix
1.7/5
how easy it is to care for
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
“The one that’s all pattern and all opinions.”
EASE
1.8/5
how easy it is to care for
PRESENCE
2.8/5
how much it stands out visually
BrightSoak weekly+Small sizePet & kid safe
EASE
2.2/5
how easy it is to care for
PRESENCE
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
BrightSoak weekly+Small sizePet & kid safe
EASE
1.6/5
how easy it is to care for
PRESENCE
2.8/5
how much it stands out visually
BrightSoak weekly+Medium sizePet & kid safe
- Formerly Calathea lancifolia
Where it sits and what sun touches it.
- Dim shadeA dark corner or a windowless room; natural light casts no shadow
- Bright shadeBack from the window in a south-, east- or west-facing room, or right by a north-facing one, where only low early or late summer sun reaches it
- Filtered sunBehind a sheer curtain or tinted glass; the sun’s shadows are blurred
- Partial sunIn an east- or west-facing window: up to a few hours of direct sun
- Full sunThe sunniest spot you have, usually a south-facing window, with direct sun 6+ hours a day
How often, and what the soil does between.
- MonthlyEvery 2-3 weeks in summer and 3-5 in winter; the soil dries all the way between
- 2-3× a monthEvery 7-14 days in summer, longer in winter; the top of the soil dries between
- Weekly+About every 4-8 days in summer; the soil stays lightly damp
How much room it usually takes indoors.
Size
- TinyUnder 6 inches tall or wide; for a desk or a sill
- Small6 inches to 1.5 feet tall or wide; for a shelf or a sill
- Medium1.5 to 3 feet tall or wide; for a table or a stand
- Large3 to 6 feet tall or wide; for the floor
- GiantOver 6 feet tall or wide; a statement in the corner
Shape
- TreeA trunk that branches into a canopy
- CaneBare stalks topped with leaves
- UprightStiff stems or leaves rising straight from the soil
- FountainLeaves or fronds arching out from the center
- BushyA full, rounded mound of leaves
- RosetteLeaves radiating from one low point
- ViningTrails, climbs, or both
Growth
How fast it gets there.
- SlowUnder 6 inches of new growth a year
- Moderate6-12 inches a year, mostly in spring and summer
- FastOver 12 inches a year; it may want trimming or training
What risks exist for pets and kids.
- Pet & kid safeNothing to worry about
- Mildly irritatingMay irritate the mouth or stomach if chewed, or for some plants, the skin if handled
- Moderately toxicCan cause illness if eaten, though typically not serious or fatal
- DangerousCan cause serious illness if eaten, including some reports of death
- Not yet ratedNot clearly rated by our sources; please check with your vet or doctor
For its safety ratings, PILF relies on research and guidance from leading sources, including the ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline, Merck Veterinary Manual, Poison Control, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and others.
The small jobs beyond watering, over a year.
- Little upkeepA few small jobs a year beyond watering, like a feed now and then
- Some upkeepA small job about once a month beyond watering, like feeding or turning it
- More upkeepA small job every couple of weeks beyond watering, like a wipe, a turn, or a feed
- Most upkeepA small job most weeks beyond watering, like raising the humidity or misting
- TreeA trunk that branches into a canopy
- CaneBare stalks topped with leaves
- UprightStiff stems or leaves rising straight from the soil
- FountainLeaves or fronds arching out from the center
- BushyA full, rounded mound of leaves
- RosetteLeaves radiating from one low point
- ViningTrails, climbs, or both
How fast it gets there.
- SlowUnder 6 inches of new growth a year
- Moderate6-12 inches a year, mostly in spring and summer
- FastOver 12 inches a year; it may want trimming or training
The temperature and humidity it’s comfortable in.
How dry a room it takes.
- Needs 50%+ humidity
- Fine at 35% humidity
- Fine at 15-20% humidity
The bugs that usually find it, by name.
How often pests find it.
- 5+ regular pests
- 3 regular pests
- Pests are rare
The year’s chores: feeding, pruning, repotting, and cleaning.
Chores beyond water.
- Most upkeep
- Some upkeep
- Little upkeep
Its finish, fullness, and texture.
Color, pattern, and flowers.
- SimpleOne green, one texture, nothing to read
- SuaveA sheen, a stripe, or a clean shape that catches the eye up close
- ShowyColor, pattern, or blooms you see from across the room
How the leaves catch light.
- Matte
- Satin
- Glossy or waxy
How much it fills its pot.
- Soil shows
- Soil partly hidden
- Leaves hide the soil