Calathea Lancefolia
Goeppertia insignis · Native to tropical Americas
The Rattlesnake Plant — long, wavy-edged leaves patterned with alternating dark and light green blotches, purple-red beneath. A striking, pet-friendly prayer plant that folds up at night.
Available in 6 inchCare
Light
Grows well in medium to bright light, but protect the leaves from direct sun, which can scorch them.
Water
Calathea like to stay moist but not soggy, so water just as the top of the soil dries out. The leaves will turn brown if it dries out too much or too often. It loves humidity — mist regularly or raise humidity levels to keep it happy.
Soil & Feeding
Use a loose, well-draining mix. Fertilize once or twice a year in spring or summer.
Details
Calathea are called prayer plants because the leaves close up at night, like a pair of praying hands.
- ✅ Wavy leaves with rattlesnake-like markings
- ✅ Purple-red leaf undersides
- ✅ Excellent air purifier
Size
Available in a 6 inch pot.
Good to Know
🐶 Calathea are considered non-toxic and pet-friendly — a great choice for homes with cats and dogs. Even so, they are grown as ornamentals and are not meant for human or animal consumption.
Plant Bio
Goeppertia insignis (formerly Calathea lancifolia) · the Rattlesnake Plant
Calathea Lancefolia, the Rattlesnake Plant, is a prayer plant native to the tropical forests of Central and South America and the West Indies. Its long, narrow, wavy-edged leaves are patterned with alternating dark and light green blotches down the midrib — a marking that recalls a snake’s skin — and flushed deep purple-red on the undersides.
Like other calatheas, it’s nyctinastic: the leaves rise and fold together at night and reopen by morning, which is why the whole group is nicknamed “prayer plants.”
It thrives with medium to bright indirect light, evenly moist (not soggy) soil, and good humidity. Crispy brown leaf edges are the classic sign the air is too dry, so mist it or keep it near other plants or a humidifier. Use a loose, well-draining mix and feed lightly in the warm months.
Dramatic, air-purifying, and pet-safe, it’s a wonderful statement plant for a humid, well-lit room.
Good to know about the Rattlesnake Plant
- Wavy leaves with snakeskin-like green markings.
- Purple-red undersides; folds up at night.
- Loves humidity; brown edges mean dry air.
- Non-toxic and safe around pets.
Note: Considered non-toxic and pet-friendly. Grown for ornamental purposes and not intended for human or animal consumption.
