With sword-shaped leaves, Sansevieria is an easy-care indoor plant that thrives in the least amount of care. It is also known as the snake plant and can survive in a range of temperatures, low light conditions, or even no water!
The following guide will show you the right way to care for your sansevieria and the best conditions that work best for a healthy plant. Furthermore, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the different methods to propagate the plant, some of the symptoms of an unhappy plant, as well as a few additional questions when it comes to putting snake plants around your house or workspace.
Sansevieria Plant Care Basics
Watering snake plants or feeding them with fertilizer is minimal since they are able to survive almost any lighting conditions and air quality. Keep your sansevieria looking healthy and beautiful with this quick care sheet.
Soil
The best Sansevieria soil is one with good drainage and loose, compacted particles. Pick a potting soil that has a low peat content to prevent it from packing in the future and failing to drain or rehydrate properly.
Cactus potting mixes are best recommended as a general-purpose choice. Whenever your snake plant grows a couple of inches taller, add a half inch of potting soil to the pot to provide adequate support to the leaves.
Light
Snake plants thrive best in sunny windows lined by sheer curtains, or in windows facing north.
Even though sansevieria grows well in low light, bright lighting brings out the vibrant colors in the leaves. Make sure it is never placed in direct sunlight since it will cause the leaves to burn and turn yellow.
Plants should be kept out of direct sunlight.
Watering
Water a sansevieria plant before it gets too dry, then keep watering until the drainage hole is full. Throw away any remaining water that lands up in the saucer after the pot drains.
The pot should never stand in water and the soil should never become soggy. Winter is a tough time for the plant, so it has to be watered lightly. When left in excessively wet soil, Sansevieria rots rather rapidly due to it storing water in the leaves.
Temperature
Sansevieria is able to thrive in all types of temperatures throughout the house. It is even possible for them to stay healthy during hot summers as well as during cold winters.
The one thing to keep in mind is that snake plants cannot tolerate snow or frost and are damaged below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, bring them indoors before the weather becomes too cold during winter.
Humidity
Withstanding high humidity in bathrooms, Sansevieria does not mind stale or dry air around the space.
Fertilizer
One time a month, feed the snake plant throughout the summer. It’s a houseplant, so go for a cactus food low in nitrogen, diluted to one-half of the recommended strength mentioned on the package. Don’t add too much fertilizer as it can cause the leaves of your Sansevieria to fall over.
Propagation
The roots of leaf cuttings or the small new growths can be used to grow new plants. Keep the tiny growths moist until they develop roots and plant them in potting soil. The roots can be established in as little as 4-6 weeks.
Growth
Different varieties of Sansevieria have a different mature size. Sansevieria Tstrifasciata Hahnii, for instance, grows approximately 5 to 6 inches tall.
Potting
It is recommended to repot the plant when its roots no longer fit into its current container. When repotting, you must wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to remove the dust, further cutting any damaged or blemished leaves.
Keeping in mind that clay pots are heavy and will hold the top of the plant without trouble, it is best to repot the plants yearly, using a terracotta pot.
Watering Your Snake Plant The Right Way
Sansevieria orchids are easy to grow, but it’s important to follow the correct watering regimen for a healthy plant.
Where to Water
Taking good care when watering snake plants requires some effort. Do not wet the leaves, but the soil. In order to prevent rotting the leaves, water should not be spilled on them. The snake plant needs to be watered only after the top inch of the soil has dried out before it goes through a new growth cycle.
When to Water
It is necessary to provide the plant with sufficient water, without overwatering as it may lead to roots rotting.
In the winter, keep your snake plant moist so as not to dry out completely. Watering plants once a month during winters when temperatures are low works best as plants don‘t utilize as much water as during the summer season. During the winter, if the snake plant is watered too much, it will rot.
Before you actually water your snake plant after the last watering session, check whether the top inch of the soil is dry. The plants should also be allowed to dry out.
The Right Water Quality
If possible, water a snake plant with rain water or distilled water. Fluoride and chlorine should be dissipated for at least 48 hours, if not more, by letting tap water sit. Just be sure that you adjust the water temperature to suit the temperature of your room so as not to shock the roots. Water the soil, but make sure the water makes its way through the drainage holes.
Propagation of the Snake Plant
You can divide Sansevieria plants at repotting time with shocking ease. Additionally, you can pot newly emerged shoots independent of the soil. Finally, cutting leaves and transplanting them into new containers is always a convenient option. We explain the different types of propagation below.
Snake Plant Propagation in Water
New snake plants can also be grown in water in a container. Put the leaf into a pot or jar that is tall enough to properly contain it. Choose a young and healthy leaf, and then remove it by cutting it off with clean and sharp shears.
Place the cut end in water so that the bottom quarter of the leaf tissue is covered. Change the water at regular intervals in a spot that gets indirect light. In a few days, you will notice tiny roots popping up.
The rooted plant should be placed in sand and cared for as described above.
Snake Plant Propagation from Rhizomes
Rhizomes, thick organs that develop at the soil’s surface, make snake plant grow. Ribosomal energy is required for the optimal growth of stems and leaves.
Using a hand saw or sharp shears, cut the snake plant’s base into smaller sections and remove from the pot. Cut the snake plant in half unless it is very old and has a lot of rhizomes.
You plant sections of the plant in fresh potting soil under a healthy leaf, followed by at least three rhizomes.
Propagation by Leaf Cutting
Snake plant propagation through leaf cutting is the most widely used method for indoor planting, especially when going for indoor plants. Below are the steps involved.
Step 1
You begin by selecting healthy leaves from a full-grown snake plant, preferring leaves with fine color and thick flesh.
Step 2
Use a pair of hand-held pruners or scissors to cut the selected leaf at the base. The leaf needs to be cut at a 45-degree angle nearly one inch above the soil surface.
Step 3
Take the leaf and cut it into long sections of 1-3 inches on a flat surface. Make appropriate markings to make it easy to tell which end of the cutting goes to the top and which side is closer to the roots. To plant the leaf without it penetrating the root system of the planter, it is essential to mark it.
Step 4
The cuttings need to be placed in a warm, dry and well-ventilated place. Leaves which have been cut will heal and callus over in about 5-7 days. Leavet cuttings should be inspected for toughened areas and tiny white nodules indicating root production.
Step 5
You can also opt for a solution of succulent potting soil and pumice in an equal portion of a one-gallon plastic pot. Let the pot drain for 10 minutes after adding 5 cups of water.
Step 6
Insert three-quarters of the length of the cuttings into the soil and place about four leaf cuttings in the pot. Put the cuttings so that there is a gap of an inch between each one.
Step 7
The planter should be placed near a window that receives abundant sunlight and adequate air circulation. Be sure the spot receives indirect sunlight and stays above 70 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature. Water the leaves once a week to ensure that only the top inch of soil is wet. Avoid overwatering snake plant cuttings when they are rooting.
Step 8
Look for root production after 30 days by gently digging around the base of each cutting with your fingers or the tip of a pencil. Checking for roots by pulling on the cuttings is another way of testing for resistance.
Step 9
Repot the new sansevieria into separate 6-inch plastic planters filled with potting soil once the roots have developed. Use the same moisture and lighting conditions as the mother snake plant.
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