Rattlesnake

Fantastic house plants because they grow on dark rainforest floors. Anywhere that doesn't get direct sun and your Rattlesnake will preen for you for ages. Although it will tolerate low light or full shade, it grows best in a shaded spot in a sunny room.

The secret to watering your plant is to understand its soil moisture level.

Poke your finger into the soil – if it feels damp, don't water. Let the top layer of soil dry out. Once the soil is mostly dry, water thoroughly until liquid runs out of the drainage hole. The aim is to nourish the lower roots without letting the soil get muggy. It’s a bit of experimenting to get to the right balance but don’t worry, you’ll get it after a bit of trial and error.

Discard any drained water because the plant doesn't like wet feet and this can cause root rot.

Start with roughly twice a week. More in the hot months, less in the monsoon and cooler seasons.

1. Trim off yellow leaves. Pluck off dead stems.

2. Scrape off any white mould on top of the soil. It’s just harmless fungi that lives in the soil. Lightly dust the soil with ground cinnamon.

3. Poke holes in the soil with a chopstick to aerate it and and give your plant a bit of extra breathing room. Sprinkle a tablespoon of vitamins in the soil and massage in.

4. Clean its leaves with a damp cloth to help it soak in some extra sunlight. 😎

5. Spin it around to make sure its leaves are sunned evenly as it tends to grow towards the sun.