Snake Plant Care Guide
Family: Asparagus
Genus: Sansevieria
Botanical Name: Sansevieria trifasciata
Difficulty: Perfect for the brown thumb gardener
Light
Snake plants love a healthy amount of indirect sunlight. They are able to live in slightly shady environments that receive a significant amount of sunlight for most of the day.
Water
Generally, snake plants need water every other week during the growing seasons of the warmer months. Reduce watering frequency during its dormant colder months. Snake plants can be picky about the type of water they receive, so filtered water or rain water is optimal for a healthy plant.
Climate
Snake plants like to be kept in warmer spots that stay above 50°F.
Soil
These plants do not have a preferred type of soil, but they do find a sandy loam soil or a humus soil with good drainage to be quite homey.
Pests and Diseases
Snake plants can become infected with leaf spot, anthracnose, bacterial soft rot, scale, sunscald, rust disease, and snails and slugs. Each of this are a result of poor soil conditions.
Tips
Repot and prune your snake plant every 2-3 years.
Don’t water your plant with tap water.
Don’t cut off withering tips, cut off the entire leaf.
Avoid getting the leaves wet when watering them.
Signs your snake plant is unhappy
Withering leaf tips: its thirsty!
Root rot: you’re drowning them!
Mushy leaves: lay off on the water.
How to propagate
Snake plants propagate from division the fastest, but they can be propagated from leaf cuttings. Take a sharp pair of scissors or knife, select a healthy cutting, and cut it at the base. Allow your cutting to dry out and callous. Now you can choose to propagate it in water or in soil. Water propagating adds another step, but don’t be afraid to try it out!
If you’re starting your propagation journey in water, select a glass that is tall enough to support your cutting, and then fill it with just enough water to cover the bottom quarter of the leaf. Change the water out every few days, and wait for roots to grow! Once you can see the roots, plant the cutting in sand or peat moss.
Fun Facts
Snake plants can improve air quality in your home.
They love the to be outdoors in the summer.
Snake plants are treasured in Chinese and Brazilian cultures.
They’re named after the Prince of Sansevero, Raimondo di Sangro, who was a patron of horticulture in 18th century Italy.
Hardiness Zones
Before you move your plant outside, be sure to check the hardiness zone to save yourself some grief and the loss of a beloved plant.
The hardiness zones for snake plants are : 9-11
If you live in Tennessee, here’s a hardiness map to help you decide if your plant can survive outside!
