Calathea Rattlesnake

Rattlesnake Calathea Plant does well with bright, indirect light. An eastern or northern facing window would be ideal. A western or southern window would work, as long as a curtain or blind prevents direct light from touching the foliage. This plant also performs well without any bright indirect light, and just fluorescent light.

Rattlesnake Calathea Plants like to dry out occasionally between watering. They will tolerate staying moist, but prefer not to have constantly wet soil. Rattlesnake Plants appreciate humidity, a pebble tray or window in the kitchen or the bathroom would suffice.

Any all purpose, fertilizer will work for Rattlesnake Calathea Plants. Indoor houseplant fertilizers fall into two groups: water soluble, liquid quick release, and granular, slow release fertilizers. Jack’s Classic Indoor plant food works well as a powder, quick release fertilizer that is mixed with water to quickly provide nutrients to a plant that has been in a container for an extended time. Osmocote Indoor/Outdoor is an option as a granular, slow release fertilizer that can be applied while potting and planting. Any type of fertilizer offers nutrients that help plants with the transition to a new environment.

A common occurrence with other plants in this family (less so with Rattlesnake Calathea Plants) is for the tips or edges of the leaves to turn brown. This can be caused by fertilizing when the plant is dry, using a fertilizer high in salts, or extremes in watering (going from too wet to too dry). While this won’t kill the plant, it does start to look unslightly, and the browned edges are usually removed. It’s important to make sure the plant has been watered recently before using a water based fertilizer. With Rattlesnake Calathea Plants, it can be useful to dilute your regular fertilizer by 3/4 to 1/2 strength to avoid the brown edges.

Rattlesnake Calathea Plants need a very well draining soil, and prefer to have slightly dry conditions. Regular potting mix or potting mix with sand mixed in works well for plants potted in containers. Rattlesnake Calathea Plants likes to be root bound.