Goeppertia insignis

Rattlesnake Plant, Rattlesnake Calathea, Calathea lancifolia

Moderate careTerrestrialNon-toxic23–76 cm

A tropical plant with long, lance-shaped leaves marked by alternating dark green spots along the midrib and gently wavy margins. The undersides are a deep purple-maroon. It does best in high humidity and indirect light, which makes it well suited to closed terrariums.

Build a terrarium with this plant
Rattlesnake Plant image

Photo by Cary Bass-Deschênes·CC BY-SA 3.0

Care

Light

Indirect light(preferred)Shade tolerant

Humidity

High (60–80%)(preferred)Very high (80%+)

Temperature

10°C25°C40°C
16°C – 27°C

Soil

Peat moss(preferred)Well draining

Moisture

Moist(preferred)

Soil pH

5.5 – 7

Appearance

Growth habit

ClumpingUpright

Leaf shape

Lance

Leaf texture

SmoothGlossy

Distribution

Propagation

Divide the rhizome — a thick horizontal stem below the soil — during repotting in spring. Each division should have several stems and a healthy root system.