What to do if the snake plant grows too tall? Before we jump into the answer,
…let’s have a short overview of this plant. Snake plants, or mother-in-law’s tongues,
…are popular and hardy houseplants.
A variety of this shrub can have leaves with a height ranging from 6 inches to 8 feet.
Thus, the common name “snake plant” derives from the leaves’ patterns,
which resemble snakeskin. High light varieties will have attractive patterns,
…while plants grown in low light are almost all green.
As long as the weather is mild, Sansevieria can also be grown outdoors.
This plant is indeed beautiful and beneficial, but what if the snake plant grows too tall?
Lia is one of our editors that is a lover of snake plants..
let’s hear it from Lia!
I’ve been falling in love with snake plants even before everybody…
…is aware of it’s incredible use.
I iike how simple and chique snake plants are.
I have experienced over watering it, and so many more..
Now, that i know better how to take care of them…
..I wanna share it with you!
Now, we have them extracted especially for you!
Let’s start with..
How To Reduce The Height?
What can you do if the snake plant grows too tall?
The tallest leaves on the plant should be cut against the soil line to reduce the height.
Rhizomes in the soil produce leave in a rosette pattern, with the newest leaves at the centre,
… and the tallest, oldest leaves on the outside of the rosette. By doing so,
…you can reduce the height of your plants without affecting their appearance.
Cut each leaf away using a thin knife, taking care not to damage neighbouring leaves.
If you think the leaves are too tall, remove them. Despite the rapid growth of the smaller leaves,
…the plant will retain its character as it grows.
You can plant new plants from the pruned leaves if you want to grow more.
Remember which end is “up” when planting leaf cuttings; they will not root
if planted upside down. You can divide the leaf cuttings into segments of 4-6 inches.
It’s best to plant the bottom end about 1-1 1/2 inches deep in a drainage-friendly soil mix.
Mix the soil with moisture, but do not let it become wet.
It takes about a month for the roots to begin to grow at room temperature,
…and a few months for new plantlets to emerge.
You can cut the plantlets away from their mother leaf when they reach a size…
…that can be handled with care. Each one can be planted in a separate pot..
…or several can be planted together to create a more dramatic effect.
Also, you can plant some in your garden.
Now..
There Are Things To Consider Before Pruning
Before we begin pruning, a few things need to be considered. Here are some of them.
- Pruning snake plants should always be done in the growing season.
- Plants that are dormant during winter may react negatively to pruning. The scissors or pruners should always be disinfected before use. In order to eliminate diseases and pests, disinfecting is necessary.
- Yellow or brown leaves will stress the snake plant and will not benefit it. Therefore, be sure to cut them all.
- Upon completing the pruning, keep the snake plant under indirect bright light and water it.
Snake Plant Grows Too Tall: How To Stunt Its Growth
How do we prevent snake plant grows too tall?
To encourage a particular look for your snake plant, you can control its growth.
All varieties can be stunted in different ways.
The easiest way to stop a leaf from growing higher is to cut its tip-off.
By clipping off the tips of the leaves of the Sansevieria,
…that hormone is no longer released, which encourages upward growth.
Therefore, the leaf stops growing upward.
Additionally, Sansevieria can have stunted growth outside.
The pot in which it is planted influences its size. When the plant is in a small pot,
…it will be forced to contain its roots.
This prevents the snake plant grows too tall further out from the soil base, nor from expanding its leaves.
However, there are some varieties that is indeed not growing so fast..
…like the sansevieria Laurentii or triviasciata.
You can check on our article ‘Tall or Short Sansevieria Is The Best For You?‘
Or you can also see our recommendation pots on ‘Plant Small Snake Plants in Small Pots‘
Other useful tips!
Use a Proper Pruner Shears for Snake Plants
Do you know that most snake plants have the shape of a blade?
However, there are also types like sansevieria cylindrical that has round leaves.
Now, that you know they are sturdy and has a different shape than regular plants.
You might consider on which type of sansevieria do you have…
And so, if your sansevieria looking like a blade, such as sansevieria laurentii,
We usually use this kind of pruner shears to avoid the snake plant grows too tall and twitching while we prune them
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
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Or if you have sanseveria cylindrical on your snake plants collection, you can have this pruner set!
- Quality : The blades are made of high quality stainless steel that gives good precision and makes it easy to cut through branches. The ergonomic handle design reduce stress on your wrist and fits for the small or big hands to ensure maximum cutting comfort and no-slip grip.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Sum Up
There are several ways you can choose to keep your…
…snake plant grows too tall.
From pruning, to keep it on a small pots, it’s all up to you!
Conclusion
Snake plants are easy to take care of…
…they are sturdy and don’t need a lot of your attention.
However, you should keep them away from dark and humid place,
…to avoid moulds and fungus attacks. That’s all!