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, able 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.

Common Name	Snake plant, mother-in-law plant, mother-in-law’s tongue
Botanical Name	Dracaena trifasciata
Family	Asparagaceae
Plant Type	Evergreen perennial typically grown as a houseplant
Mature Size	2-5 ft. tall as a houseplant
Sun Exposure	Sun to part shade
Soil Type	Sandy, well-drained
Soil pH	Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline
Bloom Time	Spring
Flower Color	White
Hardiness Zones	9–11 (USDA)
Native Area	West Africa
Toxicity	Toxic to cats and dogs

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 grow best with 8 to 10 hours of indirect sunlight or a few hours of early-morning direct sunlight. Too much direct sun causes can burn the plant and damage its leaves. Snake plants tolerate some shade, but lack of light can stunt growth and dilute the plant’s color.

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. 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 not fertilize in winter.

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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. Here’s how to propagate your snake plant.

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.

Potting and Repotting Snake Plant

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 stunted growth and a dull appearance.

Pot Size

Because they grow by division and send up offshoots, snake plants prefer wide, shallow pots with plenty of drainage holes. The container diameter should be roughly twice the size of the root ball.

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 a snake plant when the roots become overcrowded or the snake plant is so big the pot is tipping over or there’s no more room for offshoots to grow. The best time to repot is in spring. When repotting a snake plant, place it at the same depth in the soil as it was in the original pot.

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.1 Most can be removed by hand or with a gentle spray of water. Treat infestations with neem oil.

Pest	Common Cause	Signs to Look For
Fungus gnats	Overly wet soil	Tiny bugs flying in your home; tiny bugs crawling atop the soil
Spider mites	Hot, dry conditions (air and soil)	Webbing on leaves; white speckles on leaves; tiny bugs on leaves
Mealybugs	High-nitrogen, wet soil	Small fuzzy white globs on stems and leaves

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.2

Foul-smelling Soil

When soil develops a foul odor, the plant likely has root rot.3 Remove the plant from its pot and inspect the roots to determine if it can be saved. Cut away any brown, mushy roots and leaves, then repot the healthy portion of the rhizome.

Yellow or Brown Leaves

Healthy snake plant leaves are green with cream, yellow, or white edges. Yellow or brown leaves indicate overwatering, pests, or root rot. Avoid these conditions by maintaining a proper watering schedule only when the soil is dry.

Curling Leaves

Thrips are a common pest that can cause curling leaves.4 Cut away severely affected leaves and spray the plant with neem oil to keep these tiny pests at bay.

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.

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