Temperature
65–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Rattlesnake plant
Goeppertia lancifolia
Rattlesnake plant wants medium light and water every 4 to 8 days, once the surface is just dry to the touch. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Medium
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Three feet back from an east or north window. The dark blotches fade in strong light.
Water
Every 4–8 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the surface is just dry to the touch, not on a schedule.
Humidity
50% and up
Wants 65%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Moderate
Scores 3 of 5: Scores 3 of 5: the most forgiving of the calatheas, which is a low bar. It still browns in dry air and dislikes hard tap water.
Habit
Clumping
Grows to 18–30 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.
Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA
- No record page found under any name tested.
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
Light
Medium light. Three feet back from an east or north window. The dark blotches fade in strong light.
Water
Every 4 to 8 days in a 6-inch pot, when the surface is just dry to the touch.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | keep evenly moist |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the surface is just dry to the touch |
Soil and potting
Two parts peat-free potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Curling leaves this week
- Yellow leaves this week
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Fungus gnats monitor
Propagation
Division in soil. Roots in 28 to 56 days.
| Preferred method | division |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 28–56 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Goeppertia lancifolia (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q65939150 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Goeppertia lancifolia Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Cary Bass (now Bass-Deschênes), Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02