A snake plant, also called mother-in-law’s tongue, is among the most straightforward houseplants to grow.
A snake plant is an especially popular option for beginners in the indoor growing community.
If you’re looking to purchase your first snake plant, you may wonder if it’s considered succulent.
Could it be considered a cactus? It seems to be a confusing classification…
…so we did some research to help clarify the classification snake plants fall into.
A snake plant is in fact considered a succulent plant. All of the snake plants are considered…
…non-cactus plants since their characteristics are not matched with those that are associated with cacti.
A lot of new growers are confused by the relationship between snake plants and cacti.
Read this article to find out how to recognize a succulent plant and what the difference…
….between succulents and cacti are. You’ll also learn the difference between snake plants and succulents.
Here is the story of Sonya about having her first snake plant in her life
Let us hear Sonya’s story
A snake plant found a new home in the middle of the living room.
It was not uncommon for plants to make their way around the house like they owned it…
….but this one had actually been brought in by someone (presumably) sometime ago and left here.
I sitting on the couch watching TV as usual, didn’t know what to think about it at first.
The plant just seemed to be there all day long gathering dust and no one ever bothered with it;
I could tell because of how dry and wilted some of its leaves were even though water wasn’t far from where it sat.
Eventually I got curious enough that she took a little closer look at the plant…
….and discovered that this is Black Robusta Snake plant, one of the most popular snake plant among the gardener.
I can’t hold my excitement anymore and then call my mom asking about this plant.
And yes it was ours, just came up this morning.
Snake plants can be considered succulents because they’ll survive soil that goes quite dry. But they can’t survive extreme drought like cacti can. Snake plants will wither sooner than a barrel cactus will.
Kim Carlisle, Horticulturist,
Here’s the main thing
The Succulent Plant: What Is It?
Storage of Water
An essential characteristic of succulent plants is their ability to store water.
Their leaves, stems, and branches act as reservoirs that store water for the dry months of the year.
In addition to hardy leaves, succulents can also store a lot of water internally which means…
…they can stay alive through droughts.
As many succulent plants grow in warm or tropical climates in Africa, East Asia…
and South America, this is especially important for their survival.
Succulents will always differ in their color and form, but they’ll always have one thing in common:
The ability to store water, Snake plant leaves tend to stand tall and firm, instead of drooping or leaning…
…they’re usually full of water.
Propagation
It’s not hard to propagate succulent plants by cutting off their leaves.
Leaves can be clipped off of plants and placed into water or topsoil to create offshoots from the parent plant.
Several plants can be grown in close proximity to each other, or they can be grown in separate pots.
You can see that it begins to grow its own stems in a period of 6 to 8 weeks…
…if you clip a rosette from your snake plant for example.
Succulents are just one of the reasons why home growers love them as indoor plants…
…you can easily grow more of them without spending money on new seeds.
Go On…
Leaves And Appearance
Some succulent plants have been known to withstand brief temperature freezes without becoming frost-damaged.
There are certainly succulent varieties with thinner leaves, but these thick, fleshy leaves are one of the main…
….characteristics of succulent plants.
The snake plant, for example, has leaves with a thinner thickness than the average succulent plant.
Other characteristics of succulents include their short stature. Many succulent plants have a bushy shape despite…
….having the ability to grow several feet tall (such as the snake plant)…
…which is likely an adaptation to their native environment.
The plants come in a variety of colors, including red, yellow, purple, and even green.
How Cactus Plants Differ From Succulent Plants
People often use the terms succulent and cacti interchangeably, however…
…they do not represent the same types of plants.
Understanding the relationship between succulents and cacti requires understanding…
….the differences between the two. Let’s have a look at the differences between the two plants.
Next up
Succulents
Besides storing water in their foliage, roots, and branches, succulents are known for their ability to store water as well.
There are currently over 50 known plant families that fall under the category of succulents….
…including cacti. Cacti are considered succulent plants because they can store water.
Here’s the main thing
Cacti
There is a difference between succulents and cacti, as succulents can have spines and thorns as well.
Whether or not the plant has branches or leaves doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter what shape or size it is.
A succulent and a cactus differ by the presence of areoles.
Areoles are small cushion-shaped mounds of flesh that have flowers, hair, and leaves growing from the cacti.
The presence of an areole is not present in all succulent plants, however, it is common in all species classified as cacti.
Those are the main differences between succulents and cacti.
These categorizations do have some gray areas.
Go on…
What Are the Characteristics of Snake Plants?
More than 70 snake plant (Genus Sansevieria) varieties are known currently.
Because of this, snake plants can be tough to differentiate from other types of plants.
Despite these differences, there are a few things that snake plants have in common.
They are considered succulents, and their varieties have sword-shaped leaves that are flat and stand upright.
Many snake plants will be various shades of green, though some will have yellow, red, and purple leaves.
Snake plants should be labeled accordingly, whether they’re purchased online…
….or from a local indoor plant supplier.
You can visit a local plant nursery or contact a horticulturist online…
…if you’re not sure whether or not your new plant is a snake plant.
Are Snake Plants Tropical?
Snake plants are tropical or subtropical plants. These plants are native to several continents…
…including Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Because they are tropical plants, they thrive in areas with moderate shade as well as in extremely bright light.
A snake plant can be placed virtually anywhere in your home and thrive…
…that is one of the many advantages of growing them inside.
Drought-resistant snake plants can go anywhere from four to six weeks without water…
…depending on the variety. Snake plants can only thrive in an environment that mimics their native land.
Let’s discuss a few factors that are important for these tropical plants to grow well.
Next up
Water
The most important aspect of maintaining snake plants in good condition is proper watering.
They require very little soil to flourish and grow, and it’s strongly advised…
…that you allow the same amount of soil to dry between each watering session.
During the winter months, over-watering won’t usually solve the problem…
…even if the plant is damaged or ill-healthy.
During the dry months, it’s best to water the plant once or whenever the soil is exceptionally dry.
Go on…
Temperature And Humidity
As snake plants are inherently cold-blooded, they survive best in 50 degree Fahrenheit or higher temperatures.
Anywhere between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for snake plants.
Be sure not to place them near air conditioners or drafty areas in your home, as this may cause the leaves to droop.
Light
They can be placed in direct sunlight for a few hours a day without scorching their leaves…
which is mainly due to their high water content.
Snake plants are also tolerant of indirect sunlight and can adapt to bright conditions relatively quickly.
Soil
Plants thrive in loose, well-draining soil, which gives the roots the space they need…
…to spread out freely and obtain the nutrients they need to grow.
Snake plants do not require much maintenance, so they can be grown in all-purpose cactus soil.
You should avoid plant media that contains too much peat, as they may prevent water…
…from draining properly or making the soil unusable as a plant medium.
Last but not least…
Fertilizer
To thrive and grow, snake plants do not require much fertilizer.
If your plant needs a growth boost or if it’s experiencing health issues, you can use a mild fertilizer.
A 10-to-10 NPK fertilizer is ideal for snake plants. It’s best not to apply nitrogen…
…to this plant during the winter since it has a slower growth period.
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Sum Up
See having Snake plant is good choice for you to have! It’s cool, its famous, it’s easy to have and care!
What else do you need? In this pandemic time like this, is a good choice for you to have an new activity…
…and having snake plant is a good choice for you to have!
Conclusion
Last thing for sure. This plant need to be care carefully, remember plant need the “love” too.
Alright that’s all for today! Do you have any questions about all of this?
Or do you want to add some method for getting rid fungus gnats away from snake plant?
Let me know your recommendation from the comment below.
I hope you can now take care your snake carefully and grow it big!
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