Species · genus Goeppertia · Marantaceae
Rattlesnake-plant
Goeppertia insignis (W.Bull ex W.E.Marshall) J.M.A.Braga, L.J.T.Cardoso & R.Couto
Cultivars of G. insignis
The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.
No named cultivars catalogued under G. insignis yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.
Guide
The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.
Rattlesnake plant, introduced
Goeppertia insignis, commonly known as the rattlesnake plant, is an evergreen clump-forming perennial grown as a houseplant or conservatory subject. It belongs to the Marantaceae, a family known for its patterned foliage and quiet, showy leaves rather than flowers. Older references and many growers still know it as Calathea insignis or Calathea lancifolia.
Source: RHS
A Brazilian native
This species is native to the Rio de Janeiro region of southeast Brazil, where it grows as a perennial in wet tropical habitat. Its wild home explains much of what it asks for indoors: warmth, moisture, and shelter from harsh light.
Source: Kew
Warmth, shade, and moisture
Grow this plant in bright indirect or filtered light with partial shade, in a peat-free potting mix, and keep conditions humid and free of draughts. A steady temperature of at least 16°C suits it best. Water moderately while it is actively growing, then ease back to just moist through winter, and feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser during the growing season.
Source: RHS
Division in late spring
The straightforward way to propagate the rattlesnake plant is by division, carried out in late spring.
Source: RHS
Undulate, patterned leaves
The rattlesnake plant forms a clump reaching up to 60cm, with wavy-edged, lance-shaped pale green leaves marked by dark patches flanking the midrib and coloured deep purple underneath. In summer it can send up short spikes of small yellow flowers, though these are a bonus rather than the main event. Goeppertia as a genus is defined by its rhizomatous habit and often strikingly patterned leaves, with flowers rarely appearing in cultivation.
Source: RHS
Whitefly and spider mite
Under glass this plant can attract glasshouse whitefly and glasshouse red spider mite, worth checking for on the undersides of leaves. Beyond these two, it is generally free of disease.
Source: RHS
Little upkeep needed
No pruning is required for this plant, and it is considered low maintenance, suiting patio or container growing. Left to its own rhythm, it takes five to ten years to reach full maturity.
Source: RHS
Care recipe
The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.
Care notes are early — not yet verified
- Light
- ai:claude-opus-4-8
- Water
- ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 5-10d)
- Humidity
- ai:claude-opus-4-8
- Soil
- ai:claude-fable-5
- Care
- ai:claude-fable-5
Bright, indirect
≈ every 10 days
High
18–27 °C
Airy, moisture-retentive mix of peat/coir with perlite
Division of the rootball at repotting
Diluted balanced feed monthly through the growing season
Moderate
Rarely flowers indoors; grown for its foliage
Non-toxic to cats & dogs
Prayer-plant family (Marantaceae). ASPCA lists Calathea insignis (= Goeppertia insignis) non-toxic; the genus is uniformly safe. This is where toxicity lives: every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.
Reference images
Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.
PrimarySources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 5-10d) · ai:claude-fable-5 · ASPCA
Kept true by its growers
Every fact here carries its source. Grow Rattlesnake-plant yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — and a clear photo of your plant are exactly what keep this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.
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