Overview
What a snake plant needs, how it grows, and whether it suits your home.
Snake plants come from hot, dry parts of Africa and store water in their thick, sword-like leaves. That makes them some of the most forgiving houseplants there are: they cope with dim corners as well as bright rooms, dry air, and weeks without water. What they can’t take is wet compost, so let the pot dry out before every watering.
Quick facts
- Botanical name
- Dracaena trifasciata
- Feeding
- Light feeder
- Temperature
- 15 – 24 °C
- Hardiness
- USDA zone 10a and warmer
- Height
- Up to 120 cm (47 in)
- Propagation
- Division, Cutting
Optimal growth
Survives −1 °C
Growing details
- Frost sensitivity
- Frost tender
Growing calendar
- Active growth: April, May, June, July, August, September
- Repot: March, April, May
- Propagate: March, April, May
Indoors; growth is slow, and slows further in winter. Only when the roots fill the pot, every few years (RHS, Gardeners’ World). As plants come back into growth after winter (RHS).
Is this plant right for you?
- Beginner friendly
- Low light tolerant
- Drought tolerant
- Dry air is fine
- Slow growing
- Toxic to pets
- Hates overwatering
Toxic to people and pets
Contains saponins: eating it causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea in cats and dogs (ASPCA), and it is mildly toxic to people. The sap irritates skin.
Before You Grow
Choose a size and shape, a spot out of midday sun, and gritty, free-draining compost.
Snake plants are toxic to cats and dogs, and the sap irritates skin (ASPCA, RHS).
What you need
A healthy plant
Firm, smooth leaves and firmly rooted. See choose your snake plant.
A heavy pot with drainage
Tall plants topple in light pots. See repotting.
Cactus compost or grit
For fast drainage. See compost.
Gloves
The sap irritates skin. See propagation.
A soft cloth
To dust the leaves. See leaf care.
Choose your snake plant
There are more than 70 species, all now in the genus Dracaena, though most are still sold as sansevieria (Penn State, RHS). They grow slowly, so buy a large plant if you want impact now (RHS).
Tall and upright. D. trifasciata has sword-like, banded leaves up to about 1.2 m (4 ft). ‘Laurentii’ has yellow edges; ‘Moonglow’ is silvery; ‘Bantel’s Sensation’ has white vertical stripes (Penn State, Gardeners’ World).
Compact rosettes. ‘Hahnii’ (bird’s nest snake plant) and ‘Golden Hahnii’ stay 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) tall: desks and windowsills (Penn State, Gardeners’ World).
Cylindrical leaves. African spear (sold as Sansevieria cylindrica) has round, pointed leaves to about 70 cm (28 in); ‘Boncel’ fans out like a starfish (Gardeners’ World, Penn State).
Broad leaves. Whale-fin or shark-fin sansevieria has paddle-shaped leaves up to 25 cm (10 in) wide (Penn State, RHS).
Buying. Look for smooth, fleshy leaves that aren’t wrinkled, and a plant that doesn’t wobble in its pot: wobbling suggests root rot (RHS).
Temperature and humidity
Snake plants enjoy ordinary room conditions (RHS).
Temperature. 15 to 24 °C (60 to 75 °F) is ideal (RHS). NC State finds they tolerate about 10 °C (50 °F). Keep them away from cold draughts and radiators.
Humidity. Low humidity suits them. Don’t mist, and avoid steamy bathrooms (RHS, Gardeners’ World).
Air. Good air flow, but no chilly draughts (RHS).
Summer outdoors. They can go outside in summer into a sunny or lightly shaded spot after hardening off, but come back in well before any hint of frost (RHS).
- Ideal
- 15 to 24 °C (60 to 75 °F)
- Humidity
- Low; never mist
- Frost
- Not tolerated
Light
Bright, indirect light is ideal, but snake plants cope with low light better than most houseplants (RHS, Penn State).
Bright rooms. Keep them out of hot midday sun, which scorches the leaves (RHS, Penn State). NC State allows two to six hours of direct sun.
Low light. They survive dim corners, but grow taller and floppier and may lose some variegation (RHS, Gardeners’ World).
Even growth. Turn the pot a quarter each time you water so the plant doesn’t lean (RHS).
Compost
Snake plants need free-draining compost that dries out quickly (Penn State).
Mix. Peat-free cactus compost, or two parts loam-based compost to one part horticultural grit or fine gravel (RHS). Gardeners’ World also uses multi-purpose compost with added grit.
Pot. Always with drainage holes. Heavy pots stop tall plants toppling, especially when the compost is dry (Penn State, Gardeners’ World).
Planting
Repot rarely, in spring, into a pot only slightly bigger.
A snug pot suits them: they only need repotting every few years (RHS, Penn State).
When to repot
Snake plants like a snug pot and grow slowly, so new plants are usually happy in their original pot for the first few years (RHS).
Signs. Roots and leaves have filled the pot, roots are bursting out of the bottom, or the pot is buckling (RHS, Gardeners’ World). A rootbound plant can crack a clay pot (Penn State).
How often. Penn State repots tall types about every five years and compact ‘Hahnii’ about every three.
When. In spring (Gardeners’ World).
- Only when pot-bound.
- In spring.
- Every three to five years.
How to repot a snake plant
Wear gloves: the sap irritates skin (RHS).
-
Choose the new pot
Only slightly larger, with plenty of drainage holes. A much bigger pot holds damp compost and invites root rot (RHS).
-
Ease the plant out
Tease it out of the old pot.
-
Pot up
In gritty cactus compost at the same depth as before (RHS).
-
Water sparingly
Then water only when the compost has dried out (RHS).
Care
Water sparingly, feed a little in summer, and keep the leaves clean.
Overwatering is the main reason snake plants fail (Illinois).
Watering snake plants
Overwatering is the main cause of failure (Illinois, RHS). Snake plants store water in their leaves and can go a month or so without it (Penn State).
When. Only once the compost has dried out; push a finger in to check rather than watering on a schedule (RHS, Illinois).
How. Water the compost, not the centre of the rosette, and pour away what drains into the saucer (RHS).
Winter. Barely at all, just enough to stop the leaves shrivelling (Illinois). NC State waters every one to two months.
Feeding snake plants
Snake plants need little feeding, but a monthly feed in the growing season gives stronger growth.
When. Once a month from April to September (RHS, Gardeners’ World).
What. A liquid houseplant or cactus feed (RHS), or an all-purpose fertiliser at half strength (Penn State).
Winter. No feeding while growth is slow.
Leaf care and tidying
Snake plants don’t need pruning. Individual leaves live for many years (RHS).
Damaged leaves. Cut them off at the base, at soil level, wearing gloves (RHS, Penn State).
Dust. Wipe the leaves occasionally with a damp cloth (Gardeners’ World, Penn State).
Leaf tips. Don’t damage them: a broken tip stops that leaf growing (Gardeners’ World).
Flowers. Mature plants occasionally send up stalks of fragrant, starry white flowers. Cut the stalk off at the base once they fade (RHS).
Floppy leaves in low light can be held up with a wire hoop or canes (RHS).
Problems
Overwatering is the most common problem.
Common snake plant problems
Many problems start with too much water.
Yellow, soft leaves
- Overwatering
- Root rot
Especially in winter (Gardeners’ World). Check the base and roots for rot, let the compost dry out, and water less.
Wrinkled leaves
- Underwatering
Water lightly over a few days and they should plump up (Gardeners’ World).
Leaves flopping
- Water
- Low light
- Age
Under- or overwatering, too little light, or simply old leaves (Gardeners’ World). If the whole plant leans, check for root rot (RHS).
Losing variegation
- Deep shade
- Leaf cuttings
Deep shade (Gardeners’ World), or a plant grown from leaf cuttings of a variegated type (Iowa State).
More problems with snake plant
Common pests
Mealybugs
White, fluffy blobs under leaves and at the leaf bases. Wipe them off with a damp cloth or a cotton bud soaked in a fatty-acid or plant-oil insecticide (Gardeners’ World).
More problems with snake plant
Common diseases
Root rot
The common problem, usually from overwatering or a pot that’s too big (Penn State, RHS). Leaves yellow and soften, and the plant wobbles or leans. Let the compost dry out and water less.
Propagation
Division keeps variegation; leaf cuttings are slower and may not.
Propagating snake plants
Propagate in spring, from March to May, as plants come back into growth. Wear gloves (RHS).
Offsets. Pull well-rooted offsets away from the outside of the clump and pot them up singly or several together (RHS).
Division. Split the clump into pieces, each with leaves and roots, by hand or with a knife; stake tall pieces until rooted (RHS, Penn State). Gardeners’ World finds it the most straightforward method.
Leaf cuttings. Cut a mature leaf into 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) sections, notching the top of each so you plant it the right way up. Let the cuts dry for a day or two, then insert the bottom half into gritty cuttings compost with bottom heat of about 18 °C (65 °F) (RHS); Iowa State warms the compost to 24 to 27 °C (75 to 80 °F).
Variegated types such as ‘Laurentii’ revert to plain green from leaf cuttings: divide them instead (Iowa State, RHS).
More to Explore
Quick answers, guides that pair well with a snake plant, and the sources behind this one.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water a snake plant?
Only when the compost has dried out; in winter, barely at all. See watering.
Can a snake plant live in low light?
Yes, though it grows taller and may lose some variegation. See light.
Why are my snake plant’s leaves turning yellow?
Usually overwatering. See common problems.
Is a snake plant toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. It contains saponins, which cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (ASPCA).
When should I repot my snake plant?
In spring, only when the roots fill the pot. See repotting.
Does a snake plant flower?
Occasionally, with fragrant, starry white flowers on long stalks.
How do I propagate a snake plant?
By division or leaf cuttings in spring. See propagation.
Should I mist my snake plant?
No. It prefers dry air (RHS).
Related guides
Sources
- Sansevieria: growing guide (opens in a new tab) Royal Horticultural Society
- Mother-in-law’s tongue (opens in a new tab) ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Snake plant: a forgiving, low-maintenance houseplant (opens in a new tab) Penn State Extension
- Mother-in-law tongue (opens in a new tab) University of Illinois Extension
- How to propagate houseplants by leaf section cuttings (opens in a new tab) Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Dracaena trifasciata (opens in a new tab) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- How to care for a snake plant (opens in a new tab) BBC Gardeners’ World