🌿 Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea lancifolia), now botanically known as Goeppertia insignis, is a striking tropical houseplant with beautifully patterned foliage and rich purple-maroon leaf undersides. In this Plant Spotlight, I share some fascinating facts about this remarkable plant, including its unusual leaf movements and why it makes such an eye-catching addition to your indoor garden. See my Rattlesnake Plant care video linked below for everything you need to know about growing this beautiful houseplant.
What You’ll Learn
- Why rattlesnake plant has two botanical names (Calathea lancifolia and Goeppertia insignis) and why you’ll still see both used
- What makes rattlesnake plant’s foliage so distinctive — including its wavy-edged leaves, dark green patterning, and stunning purple-maroon undersides that inspired its common name
- How rattlesnake plant behaves as a member of the prayer plant family, moving its leaves in response to changing light conditions throughout the day
- What to expect from rattlesnake plant indoors versus outdoors, including why flowering is rare inside the home
- Why rattlesnake plant is a particularly appealing choice for pet owners, and what to keep in mind regarding its care requirements
𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱:
Rattlesnake Plant Care: 
• Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea lancifolia) Ca…
What Prayer Plant Looks like in Prayer: • What Prayer Plant looks like in Prayer
Calathea ‘Dottie’: • Calathea ‘Dottie’ / Plant Spotlight
Calathea ‘White Star’: • Calathea ‘White Star’ / Houseplant Spotlight
#healthyhouseplants #rattlesnakeplant #calathealancifolia #prayerplant #petfriendlyhouseplants
How to Get Firecracker Flower (Crossandra) to Rebloom Indoors
Welcome to healthyhouseplants.com, where I teach you all about gardening in the great indoors. I love growing flowering plants indoors because it’s like having a living bouquet in your indoor garden. But sometimes, after you bring a flowering plant home and the original blooms fade, it can be difficult to get the plant to flower again.
Fortunately, firecracker flower — also known as Crossandra — will rebloom indoors if you give it the correct growing conditions. I have a complete plant care video on Crossandra that I’ll link below, but in this video, we’re going to drill down on the three most important things you need to do to keep this beauty blooming again.
1. Give It Sufficient Light
The first requirement is sufficient light. Give firecracker flower bright indirect light. If you don’t have a bright enough location in your home, grow the plant under full spectrum lighting. Sufficient light is vital because the plant needs that light to create the energy required to produce new flower buds and blooms. I have videos on growing houseplants under full spectrum lighting and on using a light meter to check the light levels in your indoor garden.
2. Water It Properly
The second requirement is proper watering. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and don’t allow the plant to dry out.
When a flowering plant becomes too dry, one of the first things it will do is drop any existing flowers. Dry soil can also inhibit the production of new flower buds. Water when the surface of the soil has dried out and the pot has become more lightweight. If you’re using a moisture meter, water when it reaches four — and definitely before it drops to three.
3. Fertilize Regularly
The third requirement is regular fertilizing. Feed firecracker flower monthly from spring through fall with a well-balanced organic fertilizer made for houseplants. Producing flowers requires a lot of energy, and regular feeding provides the plant with the nutrients it needs to continue blooming.
Keep Your Firecracker Flower Blooming
To recap: give your firecracker flower plenty of bright indirect light, keep the soil moist but not soggy, and fertilize monthly during the growing season. Do these three things and you’ll greatly increase the chances of enjoying those vibrant orange flowers again in your indoor garden.
Thank you for stopping by today. Please leave any comments about indoor gardening tutorials you’d like to see, and remember to like, comment, subscribe, and share this video.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the botanical name of rattlesnake plant?
Rattlesnake plant is commonly known botanically as Calathea lancifolia. Its currently accepted botanical name is Goeppertia insignis, but since it is still widely known and sold as Calathea lancifolia, you will continue to see both names used.
Where is rattlesnake plant originally from?
Rattlesnake plant is native to the rainforests of southeastern Brazil.
How large does rattlesnake plant grow indoors?
Rattlesnake plant develops a rounded, fountain-like form that generally reaches around 1½ feet tall indoors, making it compact enough to display in many areas of the home.
Why is it called a rattlesnake plant?
The plant’s long, narrow foliage has a light green background with alternating large and small dark green markings that resemble the patterning on a rattlesnake, which is how it got its common name.
What do the undersides of rattlesnake plant leaves look like?
The undersides of rattlesnake plant leaves are a gorgeous purple-maroon color, giving the plant an entirely different appearance depending on the angle you view it from.
What does the botanical species name “insignis” mean?
The botanical species name insignis means “remarkable” or “distinguished by a mark,” which is an appropriate description of this plant’s distinctive and unforgettable foliage.
Is rattlesnake plant a prayer plant?
Yes. Rattlesnake plant belongs to the prayer plant family, so its leaves move in response to changing light conditions. During the evening, the leaves fold upward, revealing more of their purple undersides, and then lower and reopen with the morning light.
Does rattlesnake plant flower indoors?
Flowering indoors is rare. Rattlesnake plant does produce small yellow-green flowers in conical spikes during late spring and early summer, but typically only when grown outdoors in warm tropical conditions.
Is rattlesnake plant easy to care for?
Rattlesnake plant can be a little particular about humidity and watering, so it is not considered the easiest houseplant. However, once you find the right growing location and care routine, its intricately patterned leaves and rich purple undersides make it worth the extra attention.
Is rattlesnake plant safe for cats and dogs?
Yes. Rattlesnake plant is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs, making it an especially appealing choice for dramatic foliage in a home with pets.
What family does rattlesnake plant belong to?
Rattlesnake plant belongs to the prayer plant family.
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