蜜桃恋人

How to Care for Snake Plants

Photo Credit
Myroslava Bozhko/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Dracaena spp. (formerly: Sansevieria spp.)
Plant Type
Houseplant
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Shade
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower Color
White

Also receive the 蜜桃恋人 Daily newsletter including gardening tips, weather, astronomical events, and more.

No content available.

Growing Snake Plants: Watering, Lighting, Propagation, and Pests

Catherine Boeckmann

We love snake plants! Also known as 鈥淢other-in-Law’s Tongue鈥 and Sansevieria, these are one of the easiest houseplants to care for. This striking succulent plant is very forgiving and perfect for beginners, but they are beloved by experienced plant parents, too. Here’s how to care for a snake plant in your home! 

About Snake Plants

, snake plants are well adapted to conditions similar to those in southern regions of the United States. Because of this, they may be grown outdoors almost all year in USDA Zone 8 and warmer. However, they spread by sending out underground runners and may become invasive, so treat snake plants like you would bamboo; plant it only in contained areas or pots.

Too much water and freezing temperatures are two of the very few things that can affect this plant in a significant way. Soggy soil will cause root rot, and extended exposure to cold temperatures can damage the foliage.

Read Next

Planting

How to Plant Snake Plants

  • Choose a pot with a drainage hole in the bottom. Terracotta pots work well for snake plants since they allow the soil to dry out more quickly than plastic pots.
  • Use a well-draining potting mix. A potting mix designed for cacti and succulents is ideal, as it will be more resistant to becoming oversaturated with water.
  • When repotting snake plants, don鈥檛 bury them too deep. The plant should be planted as deep as it had been in its prior container.

Choosing a Location in the Home

  • Snake plants prefer bright, indirect light and can even tolerate some direct sunlight. However, they also grow well (albeit more slowly) in shady corners and other low-light areas of the home.
    • Tip: Avoid moving your plant from a low-light area to direct sunlight too quickly, as this can shock the plant. Whenever you move plants from a darker to a lighter spot, gradually expose them to brighter and brighter light over a week or so. Also, be sure to adjust watering habits accordingly; plants will use more water in warmer, brighter areas.
  • Keep the plant in a warm spot with temperatures above 50掳F (10掳C). In the winter, protect it from drafty windows.
Potted Snake plant in the nursery. Photo by Mokkie/Wikimedia Commons.
Photo by Mokkie/Wikimedia Commons

Growing

How to Water Snake Plants

One of the most common problems encountered with snake plants (and other succulents) is overwatering. These plants do not tolerate soggy soil; they tend to develop root rot. To avoid this, follow these watering practices:

  • Do not water too frequently. Let the soil mostly dry out between waterings.
    • Tip: To know when it’s time to water, don’t just rely on how the surface of the soil looks. Instead, carefully stick your finger or a wooden chopstick a couple of inches into the soil. Hold off watering if you feel any moisture or see soil sticking to the chopstick. 
  • Water from the bottom of the pot, if possible. This encourages the roots to grow downward and deep, helping to stabilize the thick, tall leaves. 
  • During the winter, while the plant isn’t actively growing, water less often than you would in spring and summer.

Caring for Snake Plants

  • The large, flat leaves tend to collect dust; wipe them down with a damp cloth as needed.
  • Snake plants are rapid growers in good conditions and may need to be divided annually.
  • Divide and repot in the spring. Cut out a section containing leaves and roots and place it in a pot with a well-draining potting mix.
  • If a snake plant is pot-bound, it may flower occasionally. Fragrant, greenish-white flower clusters appear on tall spikes.

Types

  • Dracaena trifasciata (a.k.a. Sansevieria trifasciata) is the most common species of snake plant. It has tall, dark-green leaves with light grayish-green horizontal stripes.
    • 鈥楤antel鈥檚 Sensation’ 鈥 Narrow leaves have white vertical stripes and grow to about 3 feet long. This variety can be hard to find.
  • D. hahnii:
    • 鈥楤ird’s Nest’ 鈥 Short, wide leaves of dark and light green form a tight nest shape like a bromeliad. Leaves only grow 6 to 8 inches long. This variety does need much light to grow well.
    • 鈥楪olden Hahnii鈥 鈥 Like the standard 鈥楤ird’s Nest鈥 but with leaves variegated along the edge in yellow.
  • D. cylindrica:
    • 鈥楥ylindrical Snake Plant’ 鈥 As its name suggests, this species of snake plant has cylindrical leaves that end in a fierce point. 
    • 鈥楽tarfish Snake Plant鈥 鈥 The starfish snake plant has cylindrical leaves that fan out from its base, giving it a starfish-like shape.
  • D. masoniana: 
    • 鈥榃hale Fin’ 鈥 These interesting snake plants have large, wide leaves that resemble the fin of a whale breaching the water’s surface.
Gardening Products

Wit and Wisdom

  • According to , snake plants, spider plants, and peace lilies are reportedly very effective at cleaning the air, removing toxins such as formaldehyde. However, further studies are needed to determine the true extent of these plants鈥 air-purifying capabilities!
  • , a type of snake plant native to tropical Africa, yields a strong plant fiber and was once used to make bow strings for hunting. For this reason, it also goes by the name Bowstring Hemp. 

Pests/Diseases

  • Root rot due to overwatering is the most common issue.
    • If this occurs, remove any dying leaves and allow the plant to dry out more than usual. Snake plants are resilient and typically recover. However, if the plant continues to die, remove it from its pot, discard any rotted roots and leaves, and repot in fresh soil.
  • Scale insects
Houseplant Guides
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it鈥檚 not surprising that she and The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 found each other. She leads digital content for the 蜜桃恋人 website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

More Like This

Comments

peggy ann mariner (not verified)

4 years 8 months ago

My leaves are about 2.5 to 3 feet. Why are they starting to droop?

Sometimes older leaves that get tall just happen to start leaning鈥攖he snake plant’s dense leaves aren’t necessarily the most structurally sound past a certain height! That said, if the leaves are soft or are starting to really bend in half, then that points to an issue, potentially.

  • Assess your watering habits. If you’re watering too much and not letting the plant dry out a bit between waterings, then the leaves could start to rot; they’ll get soft and start to droop. On the flip side, if you’re watering too little, this can weaken leaves as well. Make sure that you’re watering deeply (meaning that the water reaches the roots of the plant) and letting the soil dry out a bit between these deep waterings. 
  • Another cause could be lighting. Too little light can weaken the plant over time. However, it sounds like the plant has large leaves, which suggests that it has had sufficient light to grow. 
  • Finally, it could have to do with nutrients in the soil. Plants need nutrients to maintain and grow their leaves, roots, and so on, so consider purchasing and using a cacti and succulent fertilizer or a diluted 10-10-10 general purpose liquid fertilizer. Follow instructions on the packaging.

Rylian (not verified)

4 years 9 months ago

I wish it would add in the description if these plants are safe to have around your dog and cats. I only buy, both for outdoor and indoor, plants that are safe for my fur babies. Does anyone know if this one is ok to have with animals around?

Georgis (not verified)

4 years 9 months ago

I've always heard it called mother-in-law's tongue, and I bought a pot of it for my husband shortly after we got married :-)
There were 3 or 4 plants in the pot, and they've always done just OK; once in a long while a new crown erupts. I've always kept it in moderate light, not too near windows. We moved a couple of years ago, and I installed it in a niche in the master bath near a western window. After about a year it suddenly took off. I guess it likes this particular indoor environment!
I didn't even know the plant could bloom, but a few months ago it surprised me. I didn't notice much fragrance, but FYI, the blooms were extremely sticky, which spread to all the nearby leaves. One of these days I'll set it in the bathtub and give it a shower.
I mistakenly thought it was a Bromeliad, so I've always watered into the center of the crowns. Doesn't seem to have hurt it!

Lynda R Obee (not verified)

4 years 9 months ago

I have a plant that I received at my fathers funeral in 1996 which I have transplanted into larger pots and it is now about five tall. Every spring I set it outside in a semi sunny area and every fall I bring in back into the house. I water it about once every ten days and do nothing more to it - should I be feeding it? Since I have never seen it flower does that mean it is not root bound?

Paula (not verified)

4 years 9 months ago

I have three from one plant that I divided a while ago. When I repotted them, the organic potting soil supposedly kept them fed for a few months. I've now bought a liquid fertilizer, but I'm unsure whether to start that now, in the winter, or wait until spring. The spring seems a more natural time to do so, but maybe indoor plants acclimate to an artificial (indoor) environment such that normal rules don't apply. Any thoughts?