Snake plant is one of the easiest houseplants to grow, care for, and propagate. If you’re new to houseplants, start here. If you’re experienced with houseplants, then maybe try your hand at propagation using snake plants.
Snake plants are in the Sansevieria genus and may also be referred to as mother-in-law tongue. Overall, there are over 70 species of Sansevieria, but only a handful are readily available at garden centers.
More off-beat varieties with variegation, wide leaves, or fun, odd shapes like Sansevieria ‘Banana’ are becoming more available but are still rare. You’ll have to go on a plant hunt to get these varieties.
I picked these plants up at a local garden center and have a few I’ve been growing for some time that need to be divided or used for propagation.
Let’s go through potting some of these and talk about caring for snake plants.
When selecting snake plants for your home or garden, look for plants that are healthy with no yellow or dying leaves. The leaves should also be free of brown spots or any rot at the base. The soil in the container should be moist-not soaking wet nor very dry.
If you have larger plant be sure to plant it in a container where they have some room to grow (2 to 4 inches between the plant and the rim of the container is good).
You’ll also want to use a pot that has a drainage hole at the bottom. If the container doesn’t have a built-in saucer then be sure you use a plastic saucer. Self-watering containers are also a nice option if you don’t want to continually monitor the moisture level of the soil or if you travel frequently.
Plants don’t have to be repotted-they can be simply placed inside a larger decorative container. If left in their nursery container, your plants won’t continue getting bigger because they won’t have space to grow. Another option: if you have a variety of smaller pots you can divide one big snake plant to make divisions for each of the smaller pots.
Repot your snake plant using a half and half blend of potting mix and cactus mix. This promotes drainage which snake plants like. Press the soil in firmly but don’t compact it too much. Water the plant well until water comes out the drainage hole. It’s a good idea to use a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer, slow release fertilizer, for houseplant fertilizer stakes.
I like to top dress my containers with gravel to keep things neat indoors. Pack it in over the soil at about ½ inch thick.
WATERING: Water when repotting, then about once a week for the first month. Snake plants like to dry out between watering. After the first month you can back off of watering to once every 2 to 6 weeks. The frequency will depend on the humidity, light, and temperatures they are grown in. You can check the soil with a soil meter to gauge moisture levels. After doing this for a few weeks you’ll know the frequency.
NOTE: Overwatering can lead to rot. So make sure the soil dries out.
Self-watering containers are easy. Just moisten the soil once every 4 to 7 days for the first month. After that all you have to do is keep the reservoir filled.
LIGHT: Snake plants can take much lower light than most houseplants. They can survive in low light (but not no light). They will also grow slower in low light situations. For the best results, place your plants in bright indirect light. More light will lead to more growth, and healthier looking plants.
FLOWERING: Snake plants grown indoors rarely flower. They may flower but have a higher chance of flowering when grown on patios and porches. They like part shade outdoors.
FERTILIZING: It's a good idea to fertilize your plants with a liquid fertilizer about once a month during the spring and summer. Generally, fertilizing and watering can be done less frequently though the fall and winter months.
PROPAGATION: If you have old snake plants you can divide them. Dividing is done because plant continue to look good and you’ll end up with exact copies of the original plant. When propagating by cuttings you often get a different version of the plant (lose variegation or specific plant features).
TEMPERATURES: Most indoor temperatures are tolerated by snake plants. Avoid extreme cold (next to a cold window during winter) and excessive heat.
Snake plants are tough, beautiful houseplants that even thrive with a little neglect. They have the added benefit of helping to clean indoor air by removing toxins. The NASA Clean Air Study sites snake plant as one of the best plants for doing cleaning air.
Head over to your local garden center or search online to find interesting new varieties of snake plant to grow. There are new cultivars popping up all the time.