How to Care for Snake Houseplants

Snake plants are popular all over the world, and for good reason, they are AWESOME!! With different varieties and variants in color and size, the Snake plant is just a great plant to have in your home or office. They don't need much care and seem to thrive the most when you neglect them. The most common snake plants are Laurentii and Sanseveria. They are great air purifiers and will turn anyone's thumb green.

Snake plants are probably one of the easiest houseplants to take care of and easiest to reproduce and propagate as well. They are characterized by having hard triangular shaped leaves that look similar to a sword. 

The scientific name for snake plants is Sansevieria trifasciata and may also be sometimes called Mother-in-law’s tongue. It is called the mother-in-law’s tongue because they are characterized by having a sharp end that symbolizes the sharp tongue of a mother in law. 

The snake plant belongs to the Asparagaceae family of the plantae kingdom. Its normal size ranges from 2-3ft long and 2-2.4 inch wide although there are some plants that can grow up to 6ft given that they are in the right condition. They are native to the rocky and dry habits of Tropical Africa.

Snake plants are one of the common houseplants that are grown as a home decor. They are pleasing to the eyes and not high maintenance. They only need a little water to survive, plus they are great at purifying the air. Here are some of the care guides to let you know how easy they are to care for. 

1. For Sunlight

Snake plants are great because they can grow in any light environment, except for direct sunlight. The more indirect light they get the faster they will grow, but if you only have low indirect light, no worries. Snake plants will happily grow at your home too!

2. Watering

The only way we know how to kill a snake plant is by over watering it. We water our plant once every 2-3 weeks depending on the amount of sun it is getting. If the plant is getting more sun then closer to 2 weeks, and in low light maybe even a little longer than 3 weeks. When you are watering it, try to water the middle of the soil, and do not get the leaves wet. For a plant like the Snake plant we recommend having a watering can with a long spout. You can find our favorite long spout watering can here

3. Soil

For soil, we use easy draining soil. The snake plant does not like moist soil, so it is important their soil drains fast. Also it is important to make sure they are in a pot with drainage holes. If this is not possible, then put a couple inches of gravel at the bottom of the pot, so it acts as a drainage area for water to flow to.

4. Temperature

If you are getting the vibe, snake plants can live in a variety of temps. We have found the sweet spot is between 60-80F. In this range the snake plants seem to grow the quickest and healthiest. If the leaves start turning yellow try putting them in a warmer room. 

5. Fertilizer

During the summer you can use fertilizer if you want your snake plant to really thrive. We recommend using all-purpose plant food. In the winter don't use fertilizer as the plants will not benefit from the added nutrients.

6. Propagating

The easiest way to propagate the snake plant is through its leaf cuttings. They can be cut in a reverse v, leaving the plant that you got the cutting from still has a sharp end. You can just simply place the cutting that you made directly in soil or in a container with water wherein only the ends of the plant are touching the water and let it root before planting. 

7. Repotting

Just like any other plants, snake plants can be repotted when you can see the roots coming out of the pots drainage holes. The best time to do this is during late winter or early spring but if you can see that  the plants is in need of immediate repotting, you definitely do not need to wait for that season to come as you can just simply repot them if necessary. 

Available snake plants