Rattlesnake Plant Care: Preventing Crispy Brown Edges

Overview

The Rattlesnake Plant (Goeppertia insignis, formerly and still widely known as Calathea lancifolia) is one of the most eye-catching houseplants in existence. It features tall, upright, sword-shaped leaves with highly ruffled, wavy edges. The top of the leaf is pale green and patterned with alternating dark green ovals that look exactly like the skin of a rattlesnake. As a dramatic contrast, the entire underside of the leaf is a deep, glowing burgundy purple.

Because it belongs to the Marantaceae (Prayer Plant) family, it is non-toxic to pets. However, Calatheas are infamous in the houseplant world for being high-maintenance divas. If you neglect its need for high humidity, or if you dare to water it with tap water from the sink, the Rattlesnake Plant will punish you by immediately turning its beautiful leaves brown and crispy.

The Tap Water Ban

Watering a Rattlesnake Plant with municipal tap water is the fastest way to ruin it. Tap water contains fluoride, chlorine, and heavy mineral salts. The plant has no biological filter for these chemicals; it absorbs them, pushes them to the extreme tips and edges of the leaves, and suffers severe chemical burns. This is the primary cause of the dreaded "crispy brown edges."

You must water this plant exclusively with distilled water, reverse-osmosis water, or rainwater. Additionally, because it is so sensitive to salts, if you use synthetic fertilizer, you must dilute it to 1/4 of the recommended strength to prevent fertilizer burn.

Watering: The Damp Sponge Rule

The Rattlesnake Plant cannot tolerate drought. You must keep the soil consistently, evenly moist at all times—exactly like a wrung-out damp sponge. When the top 1 inch of soil feels dry to the touch, it is time to water thoroughly.

If you let the pot dry out completely, the plant will violently curl its leaves inward into tight tubes to stop moisture from escaping, and the edges will crisp up immediately. Conversely, if you plant it in a pot with no drainage and let it sit in a swamp of mud, the roots will rot.

Humidity: Fighting the Crisp

Native to the Brazilian rainforest, this plant demands humidity levels between 60% and 80%. The air inside a typical centrally heated home drops to 30% in the winter. This dry air rapidly sucks the moisture right out of the thin, wavy leaves, causing them to turn brown and crispy.

Misting the plant is ineffective and can cause fungal infections. The only way to keep a Rattlesnake Plant looking pristine is to place a dedicated room humidifier directly next to it, or keep it in a bright, frequently used bathroom.

Light Requirements

In the wild, the Rattlesnake Plant lives on the jungle floor, completely shaded by the canopy. Indoors, it requires bright, indirect light to keep its intricate patterns sharp. An east-facing or north-facing window is ideal.

Never place this plant in direct sunlight. The delicate leaves will instantly scorch, the colors will bleach out, and the plant will curl up in distress.

The Prayer Movement

Like all Calatheas, the Rattlesnake Plant exhibits nyctinasty. In the morning, the leaves lay outward to catch the sun. In the evening, the plant dramatically folds its leaves straight upward like hands in prayer, showing off the vibrant purple undersides. This daily movement is controlled by a specialized joint at the base of the leaf called the pulvinus, and it is a wonderful indicator that your plant is healthy and thriving.