How to Grow and Care for Snake Plant

Snake plants are one of the most popular houseplants, for good reason. It's incredibly drought-tolerant, with the ability to go weeks without water in low and medium lighting conditions. They tolerate low light (hence why they're so often seen in office buildings) but will thrive in bright light, sending up new leaves and stronger variegation.

Snake plants are available in dozens of varieties and cultivars, with stiff-sword like leaves colored in bands of green, yellow, and cream. It's a hard-to-kill plant that makes it a go-to for any newer plant parent or anyone not interested in weekly watering duties.

Snake Plant Care

Snake plant is a good choice for beginners because it tolerates a range of growing conditions. This low-maintenance container plant adds decorative interest when planted indoors.

Light

Snake plants need 8 to 10 hours of indirect sunlight per day, and they can tolerate a few hours of direct sunlight.

Snake plants are known for being able to handle low light conditions, but you won't get much growth. Put it in an east-facing window or near a south- or west-facing window.

Soil

As a houseplant, snake plants prefer a loose, well-drained potting soil mix. They do well in sandier soil which makes all-purpose cactus potting soil a good choice. Avoid soil mixes that contain a high percentage of peat, which can retain too much water.

Water

Water your snake plant when the soil has completely dried out, being sure to water deeply. During winter, check the plant's soil mix every two weeks or so—the plant might need to be watered only once a month. If you notice its leaves are brittle and dry, water immediately.

Keep in mind that overwatering is the quickest way to kill a snake plant, and it's better to underwater. Too much water or letting the plant sit in water will rot its root system. Yellowing leaves are an early sign of overwatering.

Temperature and Humidity

Snake plants grow best in warm temperatures between 70°F and 90°F. Keep plants away from cold drafts.

They won't tolerate frost, and prolonged exposure to less than 50°F can kill the plant. They'll do fine with average household humidity between 30 and 50 percent.

Fertilizer

Feed your snake plant once in spring and once in mid-summer with a balanced, slow-release 10-10-10 fertilizer diluted to half strength. Do notfertilizein winter.

Beginner Tips for Snake Plants

• Where to Put It: Place snake plant in bright, indirect light. Near or in any window should be fine.
• When to Water It: Water when the soil is completely dry. Water deeply until water runs out of the drainage hole.
• What to Watch For: Dust the leaves regularly and keep an eye out for yellowing and mushy stems (it means you're watering too much and your plant might have root rot).

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Snake Plant Varieties

• Dracaena trifasciata'Hahnii': Also called bird's nest snake plant, 'Hahnii' grows to just six inches tall.
• Dracaena angolensi:This cylindrical snake plant has round, stiff leaves several feet long. arching outward from a central crown.
• Dracaena trifasciata'Laurentii': This variegated cultivar has creamy yellow leaf margins.
• Dracaena trifasciata 'Twisted Sister': Twisting leaves bear horizontal stripes with yellow variegated edges. It grows to 15 inches tall.
• Dracaena trifasciata 'Bantel’s Sensation': Leaves are narrow with white vertical stripes on this three-foot tall variety.
• Dracaena pearsonii: Sometimes called rhino grass, this plant features succulent red-tinted leaves and grows to 12 inches tall.

How to Propagate a Snake Plant

Propagate your snake plant in spring or summer by cuttings or division when plants are at least four inches tall. New shoots that emerge can be separated and repotted on their own. All you need is a sharp knife, clean pot, and potting soil.

How to Propagate Snake Plant by Division

Offshoots or pups are baby plants emerging from the soil. Follow directions for root division to remove pups and replant each in its own pot.

1. Remove the snake plant. Carefully take the snake plant out of its pot and put it on a flat surface.
2. Brush off the roots. Brush soil from the root structure or rhizome until they're clearly visible.
3. Cut the plant into sections. Use a knife to separate the rhizomes (by the orange part), keeping as much of the roots intact.
4. Repot the sections. Repot the pieces of plant into clean pots with fresh soil. The pots should be suitably sized for each cut section of root.
5. Water. Water the plant deeply and place in a partly sunny location.
   

How to Propagate Snake Plant from Leaf Cuttings

You can also propagate snake plant by cutting the leaves.

1. Cut off a leaf. Use a sterile cutting tool to remove a long, healthy leaf at its base.
2. Submerge partially in water. Place the cut end of the leaf in clean water and set the jar in a partly sunny location. (Or allow the cut end to callous over for 24 hours and then pot it cut-end down in fresh soil.)
3. Replace with fresh water regularly. Change the water every week or two so it stays clean and clear without any algae. (If in soil, keep the soil moist.)
4. Wait patiently. Roots and offshoots will grow from the base of the cut leaf in one to four months.
5. Transfer to potting soil. When the roots have reached an inch long, plant the cutting in cactus potting mix.
6. Water. Water deeply and place in a spot with bright, indirect light. It can be moved to direct light once the roots are established.

Pruning

Prune snake plants during the growing season to encourage new growth. To control height, remove the tallest leaves at the soil line with a sterile cutting tool. Damaged leaves can be removed at any time, however, winter pruning can cause stress.

Dusting Your Snake Plant

Snake plant leaves should be dusted regularly. Dust gets in the way of the plant's ability to see the sun and photosynthesize. Use a microfiber cloth (wet or slightly damp) to carefully wipe the front and back of each spear.

Snake Plant Potting Needs

Snake plants prefer pots that have good drainage, ideally with at least one drainage hole. A terracotta pot is preferable so extra moisture can be leached from the soil. The rootball should be fairly snug, with maybe a half-inch of space between the rootball and the edge of the pot on all sides.

Pot Size

Because they grow by division and send up offshoots, snake plants prefer wide, shallow pots with plenty of drainage holes. The container's width should be roughly twice the size of the root ball. When repotting a snake plant, place it at the same depth in the soil as it was in the original pot.

Type of Pot

Choose a sturdy pot made from ceramic, terracotta, or clay, as strong roots can crack and break plastic pots. Terracotta pots wick away excess moisture, which can help prevent overwatering. The new container should be an inch or two wider than the current container.

When to Repot

Repot your snake plant every three to five years, or when you see roots growing out of the holes in the bottom of the pot. Other signs that your plant needs repotting are water draining out too quickly, roots filling the entire container, or the snake plant is so big the pot is tipping over.

The best time to repot is in spring.

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How to Get Snake Plant to Bloom

Giving your plant enough sunlight and allowing it to become rootbound can encourage your snake plant to bloom indoors, though snake plants grown as houseplants rarely flower.

They can produce delicate, creamy-white, tubular flowers when growing conditions are ideal. Night-blooming flowers are fragrant and similar in appearance to lilies.

Be sure to choose a cultivar that blooms, because not all snake plant varieties will flower.

Overwintering

Snake plants don’t tolerate temperatures lower than 50°F. If you are growing the plant outdoors, bring it indoors and keep it in a warm place where it's protected from cold drafts. As the plant enters winter dormancy, reduce watering and allow soil to dry out completely before watering.

Common Pests

Snake plants are susceptible to common houseplant pests such as scales, gnats, spider mites, aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies. Most can be removed by hand or with a gentle spray of water. Treat infestations with neem oil.

Common Problems With Snake Plant

Snake plants are one of the easiest plants to maintain and can last for many years. Most problems are caused by overwatering, which can lead to fungal infections and root rot.

Soil That Smells Bad

If your snake plant's soil smells bad, it likely has root rot. Unpot the plant and inspect the roots. Cut away any mushy black roots until all that's left are firm, healthy roots. Rinse off the roots. Repot the plant in a clean pot with fresh soil.

Yellow orBrown Leaves

Yellow or brown snake plant leaves can indicate the plant is being overwatered, has pests, or has root rot. Maintain a correct watering schedule and only water when the soil is dry.

That said, yellow or brown leaves can also be normal. Old leaves age and fall off the plant as the plant diverts its energy to growing new leaves.

Curling Leaves

Thrips are a common pest that can cause curling leaves. Cut away severely affected leaves and spray the plant with neem oil to keep these tiny pests at bay.

If the leaf is also wrinkly, check the soil to make sure it's not bone dry. The plant could be in serious need of water.

Leaves Falling Over or Drooping

Healthy snake plant leaves grow upward and stand erect, but too much water, insufficient light, or poor potting material can cause leaves to droop or flop over. Move the plant to a brighter location, reduce watering frequency, and replace the soil with a mix that drains better.

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Benefits of Snake Plants

Owning a snake plant has many benefits. It's an easy and practical way to start earning your green thumb. Here are some of the best aspects of owning a snake plant.

• Easy to care for and a great first plant for beginning gardeners
• Unique shape adds height and interest to houseplant collections
• Adapts to different light conditions and tolerates low-light environments
• Plant is forgiving and almost indestructible
• Compact growth habit fits well in small spaces
• Drought resistant

• Why is it called a snake plant?

  Snake plant earned its name because of the way its long, thin leaves with distinct stripes resemble some types of snake.

• Do snake plants actually purify air?

  Snake plants release oxygen at night. However, you would need a room full of snake plants to really purify the air to a noticeable degree.

• How fast does a snake plant grow?

  Snake plants are slow growers, gaining only perhaps a few inches per year, depending on the lighting conditions. Seasonal change spurs development, so placing plants in a shade or partial shade location outdoors in summer often boosts growth.

• How long does a snake plant live?

  The average lifespan of a snake plant is five to ten years; however, they can live up to 25 years or more. Propagating will let you keep a snake plant going for many decades.

• What's the best place to put a snake plant in your home?

  The best place to put a snake plant is in or near a window. It can handle most kinds of lighting conditions, except for little to no light. Provide it with more light to get better growth, whether that's near a south- or west-facing window or by adding a grow light.

• How often should you water snake plant?

  Snake plant should be watered when the soil has completely dried out, which means in ideal conditions you'll be watering deeply once every few weeks in summer and perhaps once a month in winter.

From: thespruce