Snake Plants Origins and History
Snake plants, which originated in West Africa’s tropical jungles, appear to flourish in hot, sunny environments. Snake plants thrived in a region of Africa that extended from Nigeria to the Congo before becoming a popular indoor plant. The species has grown in popularity as an indoor houseplant all around the world since then.
Throughout its history, this plant has been known as Sansevieria. The Dracaena genus was first added to the plant family in 2017. Snake Plants: Scientific Information The scientific name of the snake plant has recently been changed to Dracaena trifasciata. It is a member of the Asparagaceae plant family, which includes a garden, as you might anticipate.
The plant is native to West Africa and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Only a few of the variations are Hahnii, Laurentii, Compacta, Goldiana, and Silbersee. The sizes and shapes of the plants range from small snake plants to a twisted-sister type with wavy leaves.
Across civilizations, the plant is known by a variety of names. It’s also known as mother-in-language law in English. Snake plants are known in Portuguese as Espada de Sâo Jorge, or Saint George’s sword. In Japan, the plant is known as a tiger’s tail.
According to NASA’s Clean Air Study the variegated variety of snake plants, or Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii,’ has been added to the list of air-purifying plants.
Pruning
Pruning Sansevieria plants is only required if you want to make them look better. If a leaf starts to turn yellow, use pruning shears to cut it off at the base. Because it is easy to cultivate and manage, Sansevieria cylindrica is a popular decorative houseplant. That’s why they’re popular among busy home gardeners because they don’t pose any issues. There are a few things to keep in mind in this respect.
To Remove Damaged Or Old Foliage
Snake plant leaves are a fascinating character, and individual leaves can last for years. Any damage that occurs on them, on the other hand, remains on the leaves indefinitely. Minor lapses in maintenance, such as too much sun, too much water, or an insect infestation, can result in damaged leaves that become ugly over time.
Thankfully, you can restore the excellent looks of your snake plant by clipping off any leaves that are beginning to appear a touch unattractive, and new, perfectly shaped leaves will quickly shoot up to replace them if you take proper care of your snake plant.
Maintain The Size Of Your Snake Plant
Snake plants extend out from a rhizome beneath the earth, which allows them to grow larger. The plant’s spread will gradually widen as new leaves emerge, and you’ll soon notice that it has entirely filled the container. This can cause your snake plant to become root bound, compromising its health and growth.
When compared to the size of the plant as a whole, snake plant roots can be fairly big. A plant that appears to be at ease in its container may have roots that are securely wrapped around the pot’s inside.
Regular trimming is essential if you want to keep your plant’s size without having to repot it into a larger pot.
Furthermore, the leaves of a snake plant continue to grow in height for a long time, and a plant that was initially little can soon have leaves that are several feet tall. Pruning the highest leaves is one technique to combat this. This aids in the maintenance of a more moderate height.
To Improve The Shape Of Your Plant
Snake plants have a reputation for being difficult to destroy, but they are also difficult to preserve in pristine shape. The leaves might curl, droop, or bend in a variety of directions, affecting the appearance of your plant.
If your snake plant’s leaves start to do their own thing, pruning is a terrific way to straighten it up, restore some symmetry, and rapidly remedy a multitude of concerns.
Reduce The Spread Of Your Snake Plant
If you want to prune the plant to reduce its size rather than just remove damaged leaves, start by clipping the leaves around the plant’s edge. Cut each leaf off as close to the soil line as possible with a sharp knife. The cosmetic aspect of your snake plant will be improved by removing the leaf as close to the base as possible. Because stubby leaf stumps don’t look good, it’s worth the extra work to clip the leaves as low as possible.
The best way to do this is to grip the top of the leaf, apply a little upward pressure, and make a single horizontal cut across the leaf with your knife parallel to the dirt.
Because snake plant leaves are stiff, cutting through them may take some effort. Instead of a series of jagged cuts, try to achieve a clean cut. The disease can enter the cut leaf stump more easily if the leaf edge is ragged.
What Equipment Do I Need
Pruners, scissors, or a sharp knife For this work, I normally prepare a knife as well as a pair of scissors or pruners, because the knife helps me cut the leaves off just at the soil line, and the scissors or pruners make pruning the leaves in the center of the plant easier.
Even if your instruments appear to be clean visually, sanitize them with rubbing alcohol or boiling water. When pruning your houseplants, be sure your instruments are sterile because disease can easily transfer from one plant to the next.
To prune your snake plant, choose a clean surface with lots of room. Pruning can be a messy process because you will most likely disturb part of the soil and will be left with a lot of clipped leaves at the end. A clean bench or kitchen counter will suffice, but if you’re trimming your snake pant on a surface that can stain or be harmed, lay down a couple of sheets of newspaper first.
How To Prune A Snake Plant
Pruning a snake plant is a straightforward procedure. Begin by examining your plant for health, shape, and size. Consider the shape and size of the snake plant you want at the end of the process. This will assist you in determining which leaves to prune
Sum Up!
There’s a lot of things you can do with your snake plant, especially to keep your plant in shape. Pruning has a lot of benefits to your snake plants looks!