Hi!!! I received this beautiful plant as my secret Santa...
Hi!!! I received this beautiful plant as my secret Santa gift at work, because everybody knows how much I love plants! I’m pretty terrified of it, though! They have a reputation for being “fussy.” Please, if you’re keeping one of these thriving, give me all the details on how to not kill it! It’s so beautiful. #RattlesnakePlant #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict
2ft to light, indirect
5” pot with drainage
Last watered 2 months ago
17
Best Answer
@Jana85 @SaluteGreyghost Yes ma'am. You must water it from the bottom about once a week put it in a bowl with filtered water, take it out when it's absorbed enough. Keep it next to a window with sunlight. Like fertilization about once a month in the summer. Like Miracle-Gro for indoor plants the smallest scoop in water. It likes to be misted. I also have it sitting on pebbles and a large plate with water under the pebbles for humidity. That sounds like a lot but it's really not once you get into the routine of it. Happy rattlesnaking!!
@Jana85 What a cool secret Santa gift!! @SaluteGreyghost My MIL just sent me a picture of hers yesterday! She has had it for a while. I'll ask her tomorrow and let you know what she says.
I don't keep them, but they're popular for shady landscaping here.
They seem to appreciate moist soil [not too wet] and generally hate direct light. I'd estimate they would get at most an hour or two of morning or evening, and get around 100-500FC rest of the day, lowest estimate 10-50FC when monsoon clouds. Our humidity here is 83-86 avg, but 60 should be ok. Darryl Cheng of Houseplant Journal seems to be able to keep his at 40 humidity and 100-200FC if i'm not wrong
They seem to appreciate moist soil [not too wet] and generally hate direct light. I'd estimate they would get at most an hour or two of morning or evening, and get around 100-500FC rest of the day, lowest estimate 10-50FC when monsoon clouds. Our humidity here is 83-86 avg, but 60 should be ok. Darryl Cheng of Houseplant Journal seems to be able to keep his at 40 humidity and 100-200FC if i'm not wrong
@Araceae I was worried about the humidity; I live in Kentucky and it is winter. I’m certain the humidity in my house is not high. I put it under a grow light; do you suppose that’s too much light? I have a syngonium and some other plants under the same light but I’m not sure this plant will like that much.
@princesspitstop that’s super helpful! Thank you so much! It gives me hope that I might be able to keep it going.
@SaluteGreyghost Good question. I had to look it up but it makes sense. Bottom watering ensures that the entire root ball gets evenly hydrated, unlike top watering which might only moisten the top layer of soil. Calatheas are native to tropical rainforests where the soil tends to be consistently moist, and bottom watering replicates this condition. It can also reduce the risk of over watering. The more you know LoL 🌈 ☺️
@princesspitstop I have mine 1.5 feet away from a south facing patio door. It has a tree blocking most of the morning light (in the summer....it'sbare now), but around 1:00 through evening, it is well lit/bright, but not direct. It is in an 8" glazed ceramic pot with a chunky type of soil (probably Molly's Aroid).
I top water without issues and don't have a humidity tray, and very rarely do I mist. I think that room is around 40% humidity. My guess is that if you can get the lighting right, the watering / humidity won't matter as much. I placed it in this spot and very rarely move it. I have not re-potted it since it was potted up intothis pot from a 4" pot, so it might be due in the Spring....or I might leave it until it shows me signs of distress. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! 😉
What great coworkers you have!!!
I top water without issues and don't have a humidity tray, and very rarely do I mist. I think that room is around 40% humidity. My guess is that if you can get the lighting right, the watering / humidity won't matter as much. I placed it in this spot and very rarely move it. I have not re-potted it since it was potted up intothis pot from a 4" pot, so it might be due in the Spring....or I might leave it until it shows me signs of distress. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! 😉
What great coworkers you have!!!
@UltraKoreanfir I don't personally have one but my mother in law does. She just passed on what works for her. But yeah it's good to know that they can be top watered without incident as well. With all this information I'm getting on how to care for them I should break down and get one too ☺️💚 I'd love to see a picture of yours! I saw a time lapse video the other day of one over the course of a day and into evening. It was fascinating to see how their leaves move upwards at night!
@princesspitstop OH. HA! I should have been. Tagging @Jana85 - Jana, see above.
But yeah, @princesspitstop you should get one. They're cool.
Here is a daytime photo. Those leaves will spread out / lie down more as the sun comes around. The largest leaves are 10" long.
But yeah, @princesspitstop you should get one. They're cool.
Here is a daytime photo. Those leaves will spread out / lie down more as the sun comes around. The largest leaves are 10" long.
@UltraKoreanfir Ha! It's cool. I was wondering why you were telling me lol it's all good 👍 your plant is gorgeous! 🥰 I've been wanting a prayer plant for a while. My MIL has had her rattlesnake plant for a while and never knew that its leaves move!! She texted me last night and said that her leaves were up. She was so excited 😆 it was precious 💗
@princesspitstop Aww. That's cute that she was excited. Either you know what's going on & it's exciting....or you don't and it freaks you out!