How to take care of snake plants – Sansevieria
Sansevieria (also known as Mother-in-law’s Tongue or Snake’s Tongue Tree) is a wonderful plant. Sansevieria originally came from Africa and came to Europe in the 18th century.
The scientific name of this particular sansevieria is Dracaena Trifasciata. It has outstanding sculptural beauty and is very simple to care for. I grow snake plants in almost every room of my house and they bring a lot of visual interest to the environment!
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There have been studies showing that sansevieria removes harmful chemicals from the environment and releases oxygen, resulting in its ability to purify the air. The judges still don’t know how effective it is at purifying the air, but I still have one in most rooms
This particular plant is a great starter plant and with its easy care you can’t go wrong with it! In this post, I want to share some tips on how to take care of your sansevieria.
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When you get sansevieria from the gardening store or maybe a friend has shared a part of them, you need to know what to do so your new plant can thrive. First, snake tongue plants LOVE well-drained soil. Avoid compacted soil as this will hold more moisture and can lead to root rot.
Root rot is when the soil becomes waterlogged. If the plant stays wet for too long, the roots can rot and eventually, your plant will die. This is the fastest way to destroy sansevieria.
These plants are very similar to cacti when cared for. They don’t like to sit in the water for too long. One of the main things that keeps your plants from developing root rot is well-draining soil.
You can buy ready-made cactus/succulent soil (a mixture of sand and soil) and most garden stores will sell it. Having sand in the soil will keep the soil aerated and allow water to flow through the soil.
Add a spoon perlite is a great addition if you want to maximize the aeration capacity of your soil. Perlite is naturally occurring and comes from volcanic eruptions. If you add your own sand to your soil mix, make sure it’s made specifically for gardeners and growers.
Other types of sand (like play sand) are actually more compact and not the best for draining your plants. It may go without saying, but never use land that’s already outside. This will make your plants more susceptible to pests or other organisms found outdoors.
I did this once and learned my lesson very quickly and brought more harmful little critters to my plants.
For pots, I love terracotta pots. These are red clays that you can find almost anywhere. Terracotta allows dirt to “breathe” so moisture is not trapped inside. Terracotta pots also help prevent root rot.
Plants will dry out much faster in a terracotta pot because the clay wick’s water comes from the soil. I have some decorative terracotta potted plants that aren’t terracotta either, but they all have drainage holes in the bottom.
Make sure all pots have drainage holes so water can drain out! Standing water in the bottom of your pot will likely lead to plant death due to root rot. Sometimes, I’ll find a beautiful earthen pot without a hole in the bottom!
This can be easily remedied by drilling a hole with a specific drill bit. A quick YouTube video walks you through what you need to know if you’ve never drilled a hole in a pot.
I only repot my sansevieria when they need a little more wriggling space or when I buy a new plant and need to take it out of the plastic pot it has grown in. I want a pot that will help my new plant grow to about 2 inches of room around the full diameter of the pot.
This allows the plant to grow but is still a bit tight. Replanting your sansevieria in a pot that is too large means more soil, which leads to taking longer to dry, which can lead to root rot.
Quick tip: The downside to using a terracotta pot is that because the pot allows moisture to escape, moisture may end up on the surface your pot is on.
If you are placing the pot on a wooden floor or wooden surface, just make sure you place a sheet or non-porous material underneath the pot to protect the pot from damaging your surface.
How much light does a snake plant need?
The great thing about sansevieria is that it can handle diverse lighting situations. The plant will do better in bright light (near a window in your home), but it can also handle a darker corner of your home.
Low light is fine for plants and it should be fine in low-light rooms. At my son’s school, there is an extremely beautiful sansevieria in a room with no windows! The only light source is a fluorescent bulb that is turned on during the day.
It’s amazing to see this plant thrive in poor light. It really is an amazingly adaptable plant! I have sansierviera all over the house and each is in a different lighting situation. Plants near the window will certainly grow faster, but the plants that lack light are still lush (just a little smaller).
A general rule of thumb when it comes to lighting: Just because they can live in low light doesn’t mean they will necessarily thrive in low light. They will definitely grow better in bright light.
Sprinklers
The more I forget about my snake plant, the better! Water only when the soil is dry. I like to stick my finger in the soil about 3-4 inches to see if the soil is completely dry. If the soil is slightly damp, I will check again in a week.
How your plants retain moisture will depend on where you live. If you live in a drier climate it will dry faster, or if you live in a humid climate it will hold water longer. One trick that I find very important is that I don’t water succulents or dry-loving plants on rainy days.
Watering on rainy days makes my plants soggy and takes longer to dry out. Or, if rain is forecast, I will wait until the rain stops before watering. I water my sansevierias every 2-3 weeks. In winter, I gradually reduce watering and watering about every 4 weeks.
When watering, my general rule of thumb is to water only the first 6 inches of soil. I do not soak the plant with water for fear of root rot. I would rather stay in the water than water them.
Sansevierias don’t like their leaves getting wet, so when you water them, just pour water over the soil and try to avoid getting it on the leaves. As the sansevieria plant grows new shoots, the small leaves will form rosettes.
These asterisks don’t like getting wet or especially don’t like standing water in them. The water in the rosettes can be detrimental to your plants, so try to avoid that at all costs. Sansevierias prefer water at room temperature.
If you are using tap/city water when watering, you can leave the tap water in an open container for 24 hours to allow some of the chemicals to evaporate. After 24 hours, the water is cleaner and healthier for our factory.
Fluoride and chlorine can build up in your sansevieria, so this water removal method will work in the long run. Using filtered or collected rainwater is also a great option!
flick off dust
Dusting off leaves is a great habit that your sansevieria will thank you for. I took a slightly damp cloth (not too wet!) and wiped the leaves on both sides. This will allow the sun to shine on the plant and not hinder photosynthesis from taking place.
I turn the plant over every time I water it. Turning the plants will promote uniform growth (especially if yours are near a window). Another tip is to keep your windows nice and clean (both inside and out)! This can make a big difference to the amount of light hitting your plants. Glossy clean windows let in more light!
propagate
propagate a sansevieria is a fun and wonderful process to watch. You can propagate in water or in soil. Personally, I prefer to propagate in water because you can see the new root growth happening before your eyes.
If you want to propagate your sansevieria, simply cut a leaf with freshly washed tools. I find scissors to be great! You can cut the leaf straight at the bottom or cut a “V” shape at the bottom. This “V” gives your plant more soil to grow new roots.
Take a vase or glass jar and stick your freshly cut leaf in it. I like to set the water threshold about 4 inches above the underside of a freshly cut leaf. Hold your plant in the water and watch the tiny roots start to sprout!
Change the water and wash the tank whenever the water becomes cloudy. I put my new cuts in front of the windows so they can absorb a lot of light. Once the roots start to develop, you can leave the leaves in the water (I’ve left mine in the water for months!) and it should work just fine.
Once the roots are fully developed (1-2 inches is fine), you can plant it in the ground! Super easy!
If you want to propagate using the soil method, simply cut your plant (same as mentioned above) and stick the freshly cut plant in a pot with moist soil. Once the plant starts to take root (you can’t see it happening like the watering method) you have to make sure the soil doesn’t dry out too much.
As the roots come out and grow, they will need constant contact with the soil, so don’t let the plants dry out too much when you’re trying to propagate. I will check my newly bred leaves and pay more attention to them than usual.
If the soil has become bone-dry, then I will soak them in water. It’s so satisfying when your new plant takes root and even starts to grow new leaves!
Finally, one of the most amazing things about sansevieria is the variety of species! This plant has a diverse and beautiful family of plants. The most classic and popular plant is the sword-shaped leaves that you see EVERYWHERE (like in this post).
Don’t be afraid to try new species because their care is very similar. These are two different sansevierias that I have in my house. It’s amazing how unique each one is!
Other snake plants
This species is called Whale Fin. It looks like the fin of a whale poking through the water. I love the way this tree stands alone. This leaf is impressive and beautiful. The other leaves will grow eventually, but I like the way it looks right now!
This species is called the cylindrical snake plant. It leaves the fan and it becomes quite large. I’ve had to take this tree apart three times just because it’s growing so fast!
Enjoy your journey with snake tree! – Janae