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4.5 out of 5 (24 experiences)


About Rattle Shaker
Rattle Shaker is a popular houseplant 🌿 that is a fun challenge to grow and needs regular watering to thrive. They do best in abundant sunlight ☀ and should be less than 3 feet from a window.
Plant parents describe this plant as having large, lush leaves and browning easily with a whopping 716 being grown with Greg around the world. Check out the reviews below for more details!🌟
Rattle Shaker likes soil that is well draining. Your plant shouldn't need added fertilizers if you repot each time it doubles in size.
Taxonomy
Calathea crotalifera
Calathea
Marantaceae
Zingiberales
Also known as
Rattlesnake Plant, Rattlesnake Ginger and Yellow Rattle Shaker

How to care for Rattle Shaker

How often to water your Rattle Shaker

every 9
Rattle Shaker needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9

Check the growing potential in your area
A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.

Select a city to check sunlight intensity

Finding light for Rattle Shaker in your home

a window
Rattle Shaker may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.
Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Rattle Shaker in your home 🏡.

How to fertilize Rattle Shaker

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Rattle Shaker after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Rattle Shaker can be challenging to care for, according to some plant parents. Check out the reviews down below to learn from their experiences!
Water Needs
Rattle Shaker prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Sunlight Needs
Rattle Shaker may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
Toxicity
Rattle Shaker is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.
Humidity
Rattle Shaker doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.
Soil
Rattle Shaker does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
Fertilizer
Rattle Shaker should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
Native Region
Rattle Shaker is native to Tropical Americas.
Flowers
Yes, you may see your Rattle Shaker bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.
Growth Pattern
Rattle Shaker is a clumping plant, meaning new growth will emerge from the soil around the parent plant.
Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Rattle Shaker can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 11a-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
Propagation
Rattle Shaker can be propagated by division into new individual plants.
- Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
- If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
- Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
- Repot the parent plant back into its original pot
Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.
Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Rattle Shaker, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.
Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!
Care Summary for Rattle Shaker
Rattle Shaker
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 9 days

< 3ft from a window

Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say











I absolutely adore my rattlesnake plant, the leaves are stunning and won’t brown as much if well cared for! I take mine in the bathroom with me when I shower so it can spend some time in the humidity. Make sure you water it with filtered water- hard tap water can make them kind of moody.
Personally, I keep mine out of direct sunlight and just pretty close to a window, and it maintains its pattern well. It grows quicker than I expected, but not too fast!! My absolute favorite.


