Rattlesnake plants (Calathea lancifolia) are tricky houseplants to nurture, but, if you give them the care they need, you will be rewarded with an impressive display from their foliage. This calathea species is native to the rainforests of Brazil and gets its common name from the distinctive decorative markings that are displayed on its leaves.

The plant can grow up to 30 inches tall, and the large leaves have a variegated pattern with various shades of greens and a wavy pattern along their edges. Even the undersides of the foliage are eye-catching with their beautiful purplish-red tones.

In its native region, the rattlesnake plant produces small yellow flowers in the late spring. As a houseplant, you will be growing this plant for its impressively ornamental, long, and elegant foliage as it rarely blooms indoors. It grows at a moderate rate indoors but will slow or stop growing if the plant is put in unfavorable conditions.