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Snake Plant Care: How to Care for Snake Plants (Sansevieria or Mother-in-Law's Tongue) | The Old Farmer's Almanac

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Snake Plants

Photo Credit
Myroslava Bozhko/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Sansevieria spp.
Plant Type
Houseplant
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Shade
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower Color
White
Hardiness Zone
8
9
10
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How to Care for Snake Plants

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Snake plants, also known as “Mother-in-Law’s Tongue” and Sansevieria, are one of the easiest houseplants to take care of. This succulent plant is very forgiving and perfect for beginners. Here’s how to care for a snake plant in your home! 

About Snake Plants

Native to southern Africa, snake plants are well adapted to conditions similar to those in southern regions of the United States. Because of this, they may be grown outdoors for part of all of the year in USDA zones 8 and warmer. However, they spread by sending out underground runners and may become invasive, so treat snake plants like you would bamboo; plant it only in contained areas or pots.

Too much water and freezing temperatures are two of the very few things that can really affect this plant in a significant way. Soggy soil will cause root rot and extended exposure to cold temperatures can damage the foliage.

Planting

How to Plant Snake Plants

  • Choose a pot with a drainage hole in the bottom. Terra cotta pots work well for snake plants, since they allow the soil to dry out more easily than plastic pots.
  • Use a well-draining potting mix. A potting mix designed for “cacti and succulents” is ideal, as it will be more resistant to becoming oversaturated with water.
  • When repotting snake plants, don’t bury them too deep. The plant should be planted as deep as it had been in its prior container.

Choosing a Location in the Home

  • Snake plants prefer bright, indirect light and can even tolerate some direct sunlight. However, they also grow well (albeit more slowly) in shady corners and other low-light areas of the home.
    • Tip: Try to avoid moving your plant from a low-light area to direct sunlight too quickly, as this can shock the plant. Whenever you move plants from a darker to a lighter spot, do so gradually, slowly exposing it to brighter and brighter light over a week or so. Also be sure to adjust watering habits accordingly; plants will use more water in warmer, brighter areas.
  • Keep the plant in a warm spot with temperatures above 50°F (10°C). In the winter, be sure to protect it from drafty windows.

Snake plant. Photo by Mokkie/Wikimedia Commons.
Photo by Mokkie/Wikimedia Commons

Growing

How to Care for Snake Plants

Watering Snake Plants

One of the most common problems encountered with snake plants (and other succulents) is overwatering. These plants do not tolerate soggy soil well; they tend to develop root rot. To avoid this, follow these watering practices:

  • Do not water too frequently. Let the soil mostly dry out between waterings.
    • Tip: To know when it’s time to water, don’t just rely on how the surface of the soil looks. Instead, carefully stick your finger or a wooden chopstick a couple inches into the soil. If you feel any moisture or see soil stick to the chopstick, hold off on watering. 
  • Water from the bottom of the pot, if possible. This encourages the roots to grow downward and deep, helping to stabilize the thick, tall leaves. 
  • During the winter, while the plant isn’t actively growing, water less often than you would in spring and summer.

Caring for Snake Plants

  • The large, flat leaves tend to collect dust; wipe them down with a damp cloth as needed.
  • In good conditions, snake plants are rapid growers and may need to be divided annually.
  • Divide and repot in the spring. Cut out a section containing both leaves and roots and place in a pot with well-draining potting mix.
  • If a snake plant is pot bound, it may flower occasionally. Fragrant, greenish-white flower clusters appear on tall spikes
Recommended Varieties
  • Sansevieria trifasciata is the most common species of snake plant. It has tall, dark-green leaves with light grayish-green horizontal stripes.
    • ‘Bantel’s Sensation’ â€” Narrow leaves have white vertical stripes and grow to about 3 feet long. This variety can be hard to find.
  • Sansevieria hahnii:
    • ‘Bird’s Nest’ — Short, wide leaves of dark and light green form a tight nest shape, like that of a bromeliad. Leaves only grow 6 to 8 inches long. This variety does need much light to grow well.
    • ‘Golden Hahnii’ â€” Like the standard ‘Bird’s Nest’, but with leaves variegated along the edge in yellow.
  • Sansevieria cylindrica:
    • ‘Cylindrical Snake Plant’ — As its name suggests, this species of snake plant has cylindrical leaves that end in a fierce point. 
    • ‘Starfish Snake Plant’ — The starfish snake plant has cylindrical leaves that fan out from its base, giving it a starfish-like shape.
  • Sansevieria masoniana: 
    • ‘Whale Fin’ — These interesting snake plants have large, wide leaves that resemble the fin of a whale breaching the water’s surface.
Wit and Wisdom
  • Snake plants, along with spider plants and peace lilies, are reportedly very effective at cleaning the air, removing toxins such as formaldehyde. However, further studies are needed to determine the true extent of these plants’ air-purifying capabilities!
  • Sansevieria trifasciata, a type of snake plant native of tropical Africa, yields a strong plant fiber and was once used to make bow strings for hunting. For this reason, it also goes by the name “Bowstring Hemp.” 
Pests/Diseases
  • Root rot due to overwatering is the most common issue.
    • If this occurs, remove any dying leaves and allow the plant to dry out more than usual. Snake plants are resilient and typically recover. However, if the plant continues to die, remove it from its pot, discard of any rotted roots and leaves, and repot in fresh soil.
Flowers
Annuals

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Comments

Amina Dauda (not verified)

9 months 2 weeks ago

It will help the beginers to understand more easily as a result of this guide.But i have an issue with planting a German seeds , i plants more than 5 times the seeds will spoiled instead of germination .pls i need your guide.

Arslan Ali (not verified)

9 months 3 weeks ago

I recently shifted to my new house I was adjusting my plants from one place to other but somehow my snake plant start getting dull, then I found out I was messing its diurnal cycle. I also own many Calathea and they have the same issue but I was aware of Snake plant. You haven't shared any reason or scientific value why it happens please add it when you get time. Be a part of green revolution and do your best.

Samantha Gray (not verified)

9 months 3 weeks ago

I was given my first snake plant in a dish of tiny houseplants when my daughter was born. It survived but never grew no matter what I did and then one day the dish broke, I put it in it's own pot and you could almost hear the huge sigh of relief and "Thank you!" It grew huge, and i still have the great-grandchildren of that original plant. I've given away many shoots to friends and colleagues. I water mine weekly and it does fine. It blooms in the summer heat and sends up stalks of tiny whiteish flowers which smell (yo me at least!) like crayons. I love this plant best out of all I have.

Leslie (not verified)

10 months ago

Mine has been growing outside my North-Central Florida home for years. In a pot under filtered light for years. It bloomed last year (2021) and I've maybe watered it 2 or 3 times over the year but it gets some misting from the rains. This plant originally came from the inside front windows of my Grandma's bar in Michigan! It was easily 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall. The "stories" it could tell!

ane (not verified)

10 months ago

Snake plants are one of the easiest to grow in zone 7b...put it outdoors (in a pot) on the north side during the summer when the weather stays above 60 degrees. Place in a wide, sturdy clay pot cause it will get huge and top heavy. Water until you see it come out the bottom then don't water until it is bone dry. Ignore it most of the time. I have never fertilized. Re-pot when the plant has no more room to grow or when you see the plantlings start to hang off the sides. Bring it in when the temp gets around 50 and place in a corner of a room. Don't water too much in winter cause the roots will rot. It will continue to grow where ever you put it, regardless of sunlight. I have a 20 year old plant that I have had to re-pot and give lots of plantlings away several times in the last two years. Right now I have plantlings from the summer that grew about 3 feet high during this winter. They are one of the least problematic plants as pets, kids and pests don't bother them, they can handle being knocked over, abused, and ignored most of the time.