If you want to know about how snake plant starts, then you should know the basic knowledge about these amazing plants. Including what is snake plant, how they reproduce and the factors that affect their growth.
What Is Snake Plant?
Snake plant (Sansevieria) would be among the frontrunners if a prize were given for the most tolerant plant. It’s very easy to maintain snake plants. It is possible for these plants to be neglected for weeks at a time, but their strappy leaves and architectural shape still make them look fresh. Also, they can survive low light levels and drought, and do not have many insect problems. According to NASA research, snake plants can even remove toxins like formaldehyde and benzene from the air inside your home. Simply put, they make the best houseplants.
It is a good idea to have elegant, bushy, and healthy snake plants in your garden or indoors. Besides their aesthetic benefits, more leaves provide more oxygen and purify the air. There are actually many tall houseplants, including the snake plant. In some varieties, the leaves can grow to 8 feet in height.
How Snake Plant Starts?
How snake plant starts? You asked this kind of question probably because you wanted to keep more snake plants in your house. Well, you can buy the plants at the plants store or grow your own baby snake plant. Snake plants are such unique plants. As succulents, they are different from your average houseplants. For example, the way they reproduce.
Once they have grown tall and produced many leaves, you can propagate them by cutting the leaves into horizontal sections. New shoots appear at the end of each leaf, emerging from the plant’s underground rhizomes. These plants can be separated from their mother plants and potted separately.
Is Seed Starting Reliable?
There’s no doubt that there is a possibility snake plant starts from seeds, but is it feasible?
Generally, no. In many cases, cultivars will only stay true to type after splitting the rhizome and roots. Plant seeds typically produce plants similar to those used to make the hybrid, not the hybrid itself. It’s possible to grow Sansevierias from seed, but the seeds are hard to find and likely won’t give you what you want in terms of leaf shape or coloration. If you want to try growing sansevieria from seeds, carefully clean the fresh seeds of their fruit. Make sure the potting mix is moist and well drained before planting the seeds.
The germination rate of seeds is also unreliable. The germination rate of snake plant seeds tends to be very low. There may be a way to get a plant to start, but if you need a lot, division or cuttings might be a better option. Make sure that you purchase your seeds from a reliable source if you decide to start from seeds.
A reputable seed company will give you a better chance of germination, but you may have to spend a bit more. It is possible that seeds sold by individual sellers were harvested incorrectly. In addition, there are a lot of seed scams out there. Those seeds will never germinate, resulting in a lot of wasted time and money!
Then, is there any other way for snake plants to reproduce? The good news is yes, there is a way you can have many baby snake plants in your pot easily! As mentioned before, the process is called propagation. Here are the details of three easy-to-follow methods to propagate your snake plants.
Growing Snake Plants in Water
How does a snake plant reproduce? Now you can do and see it yourself. In order to duplicate a snake plant, you need to root it in water. Choosing a container is the first step. For the leaf to fit, the container should be tall enough. Make sure you cut off a leaf that is healthy and not too old using clean, sharp shears.
You only need to cover the lower quarter of the leaf with water. Make sure that the water is changed every couple of days and that the container is placed in indirect light. Soon, you will see little roots growing and ready for planting. The rooted leaves of snake plants must be planted in peat moss or sand.
Dividing Snake Plants
Another method of replicating snake plants is by dividing rhizomes into sections. Rhizomes are the underground organs of the mother-in-law tongue plant. They store the energy needed to grow leaves and stems. Use a handsaw or sharp shears to cut the base of the plant into sections. When we cut them, we usually cut them in half, unless they’re very old or have many rhizomes. It is generally recommended that new plants have at least three healthy rhizomes and one healthy leaf. Then plant each of those new plants into a fresh potting medium.
Propagating Snake Plants With Cuttings
The next method that will answer your question of how does a snake plant reproduce is by propagating the plants with cuttings. The difference between this method and the water method is that it skips one step. It is best to leave the cut end of the leaf to callus for a day before putting it in lightly moist sand. Wait, and you will witness the roots grow from it in a couple of weeks.
Things That Affect Snake Plants Growth
Here are some things you need to know about snake plants that can affect their growth. There are two categories of factors: those that can be controlled and those that cannot.
Type Of Snake Plant
The size of snake plants is determined largely by the species they belong to. An example is S.Trifaciata laurentii, which can grow up to 5 feet long and averages 2-3 feet in length. In contrast to that, the size of S. Trifaciata hanhii can only reach one foot.
Adaptability
In case you obtained the snake plant from someone or bought it at a store, this is another factor to consider. Adapting is a process snake plants have to go through. Snake plants may have grown in a different environment in the past, but they are now flourishing in an entirely different one. When you first bring a snake plant home, it would be a good idea to allow it some time to get used to your home.
Type Of Potting Soil
In order for a plant to grow, the soil must absorb all minerals and nutrients required. A snake plant’s growth is dependent on the right soil. A poorly draining potting soil may lead to overwatering. Because of this, potting soil must be chosen correctly.
Overfertilization Of The Snake Plant
Houseplants grow healthier and bushier when they are fertilized. Fertilizing snake plants is also necessary in order to make them thrive. The growing season is the best time for your snake plants to receive fertilizer. In the fall, you should halve the amount. Since snake plants are dormant in the winter, no fertilizer is necessary.
Season For Growth
Growing seasons are the only time snake plants can grow. Snake plants can thrive in the spring and summer if they’re watered and nourished well. A snake plant can grow as long as three feet. The type of snake plant does, however, influence its growth. Snake plants do not grow during the winter, but they remain healthy. The dormant period just gives them some time to relax.
Pruning
Snake plants, as well as other houseplants, require pruning to grow bushier. You can remove unwanted leaves by pruning the plants without restricting their growth.
How To Grow Snake Plant Tall And Bushier?
If you take care of your snake plants properly, they will grow healthily tall and bushier. You don’t have to worry about caring for this succulent. Their toughness makes them one of the most difficult plants to kill, even by a brown-thumb gardener. You may find the following suggestions helpful when it comes to answering the question of how to grow snake plant after snake plant starts:
Be sure to pay attention to the light. Snake plants are known for being hardy, requiring very little maintenance. It is best to light snake plants with indirect sunlight, although they can also withstand direct sunlight.
You should pay attention to how often you water your plants. If you have snake plants, make sure they are not overwatered (especially during winter). Only if the soil is dry then you can water them. Sand-based soils are best for desert plants due to their native arid climate.
It is important to keep an eye on the temperature. While Sansevieria prefers warm temperatures, it can be grown between 55°F and 85°F. They do not do well at temperatures below 50°F.