Description
Caring for your Snake Plant
Snake plants, or Sansevieria, are among the most resilient and easy-to-care-for houseplants available. Named for the unique, scale-like pattern on their leaves and the upright growth habit that resembles snakes ready to strike, these plants are incredibly tolerant of a wide range of conditions. They can survive low light levels, drought, and have few pest issues.
Light
First and foremost, lighting is crucial for your snake plant’s health. While snake plants are often touted for their ability to survive in low-light conditions, this doesn’t mean they prefer it. In fact, they thrive in indirect, bright light. Direct sunlight may lead to scorching, so if you have a particularly sunny spot, consider filtering the light or moving your snake plant a little further from the window. However, they will tolerate lower light conditions better than many other houseplants.
Water
Snake plants are succulent-like in their watering needs, meaning they’re adapted to environments where water is scarce. They have thick, waxy leaves which store water, and as such, overwatering can be more detrimental than underwatering. Let the soil dry out completely before watering your plant thoroughly, allowing excess water to drain away. Overwatering can cause root rot, a serious issue that can lead to the death of your plant.
In winter, snake plants enter a dormancy period and need even less water. Cut back your watering schedule during the colder months and only water when the plant’s soil is completely dry.
Temperature
Native to West Africa, snake plants prefer warm conditions and will tolerate dry air. However, they’re hardy enough to withstand cooler temperatures, making them versatile for different indoor conditions. Aim to keep the temperature around your snake plant between 70-90°F (21-32°C).
Humidity
Although snake plants can handle dry environments, they also thrive in more humid conditions. If you live in a particularly dry area, you may want to increase the humidity around your snake plant. This can be done by using a pebble tray filled with water or a room humidifier.
Soil
Snake plants prefer a well-draining soil mix, similar to what you would use for cacti or succulents. A good mix could be one part perlite or sand, one part garden soil, and one part peat. The key is to ensure that the roots are not left in standing water.
Fertilizer
During the growing season (spring and summer), a monthly dose of a balanced houseplant fertilizer can help support growth. However, this is not strictly necessary, and you should avoid fertilizing altogether in winter.
Repotting
Snake plants are slow growers and generally don’t need to be repotted often, perhaps only once every 2-3 years. When the roots begin to coil around the pot’s inside or grow out from the bottom, it’s a sign that the plant needs a larger home.
Choose a pot that’s only slightly larger than the current one—too large a pot can lead to overwatering issues. Always use a pot with a drainage hole, as this will help prevent water from sitting in the bottom and causing root rot.
Propagation
Snake plants are easy to propagate, which is great news if you want to increase your plant collection or share with friends. You can propagate through leaf cuttings or division.
For leaf cuttings, cut a leaf into 2-3 inch sections, let them callous over for a day or two, then plant them cut-side-down in a fresh potting mix. Keep the soil slightly moist until roots form.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Pamela (verified owner) –
Love it!
Kimbrough W. (verified owner) –
Very pleased with this sayuri sansevieria plant.
Angela DeCosta (verified owner) –
This is actually my 4th plant and I can’t say enough awesome things about this company. I LOVE my babies, you can tell they were well loved before arriving to me. LOVE…LOVE…LOVE…. PLANTVINE!!!!!
Tommie Banks (verified owner) –
OMG! It arrived alive and healthy!! I love this plant so amazing! I want another one😊🪴
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Beautiful plant! Very satisfied. I am amazed it shipped from Florida to NY in perfect condition.
Ricki G. (verified owner) –
Big and gorgeous! Exactly what I was hoping for.
Kerri Ruppel (verified owner) –
Don’t hesitate to order from plantvine. She arrived in great shape and is so big and beautiful. Could not be happier with this plant. Love it!!
Michael J. (verified owner) –
Outstanding at all levels! Large, Beautiful, Healthy plant. Arrived very quickly and packaged perfect. Two (green) Thumbs Up!
Matthew Brown (verified owner) –
Quick ship. The Sanevieria Sayuri plant arrived in excellent condition. What a Beautiful addition to my plant family.
Michael C. (verified owner) –
My Sayuri Sansevieria is beautiful. It arrived neatly packaged and was presented with no flaws. I will absolutely use PlantVine again.
Sandra Jefferson (verified owner) –
I love the plant very happy with the size and the quality beautiful
Charlene K. (verified owner) –
Couldn’t be happier with my plant. It came perfectly packaged. A+ Customer service ! I’ll be shopping with you again.
Lauren (verified owner) –
Bought 2 and both were huge, beautiful plants. Very happy with the number and size of plants received and appreciated the photos of exact plants before shipment.
Rebecca (verified owner) –
It’s unique and I love it.
Nicholas S. (verified owner) –
It is smaller and less full than what is pictured on site, both in terms of the photo of my specific plant that was shared prior to shipping and the reality of what arrived on my doorstep. I will probably be downsizing it to a smaller planter in a few weeks when it’s had a chance to recover from the trip. The planter it was shipped in is half-full at best.
One of the largest leaves has a broken tip, and another got crinkled in transit. But the coloration is bright, and while small it was definitely a happy, healthy plant going into the box. 😊
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Beautiful plant. One structure with two leaves came broken. They were shorter leaves, so it couldn’t have been from shipping because they were below exposure level. It had to have already been like that or was damaged during packaging. Also a lot smaller than expected for the price and what was shown previously shipped, so I docked a star for the broken leaves and size, but still a beautiful plant.
Joe Hayes (verified owner) –
Plant came in great condition
and worth bragging on…thanks !!
Berlinda D. (verified owner) –
It’s good but some of the leaves have brown already.
Raquel (verified owner) –
This is a large and lovely plant and the air in my home is noticeably fresher since it arrived! Hehe. I love so much that pictures of the plants are sent before shipping. I ordered 3 types of sansevieria and they all shipped together in a large box. It was a bit roomy height-wise so since this was the tallest plant, the leaves got a bit beat up, but shipping was very quick. The plants were wrapped with paper and each had a bamboo pole to protect the leaves. There was paper and a bag to protect the soil during shipping. It’s really nice to see recyclable materials used to package the plants. Thanks so much. ^__^
BRYNN R. (verified owner) –
Huge plant, could make atleast three smaller pots with this. Super pretty and just like the picture! 🙂
rachel (verified owner) –
This thing is a beauty! They aren’t super rare but also not common around here, for the size, price and condition, I am happy.
Kayleigh (verified owner) –
Awesome plants! Love them so much! Thank you!!
Jennifer D. (verified owner) –
My snake plant came healthy and the packaging was secure. I love plant vine now and I don’t think I will use any other online source for plant purchases moving forward. They truly care about the wellbeing of their plants and take good care of their customers as well!
Karissa (verified owner) –
This is the biggest snake plant I have seen in person and I can’t believe it’s actually mine! It’s a beautiful, full plant and has a soft coloration. It arrived carefully packed and in great condition.
Lornamarie (verified owner) –
The best nursery where I’ve ordered a plant. It was packed really well and the plant is beautiful as promised. I love it. I referred you already to my friends and family. I will definitely buy again. Thank you.
Lital Tzegaegbe (verified owner) –
Very well packaged!! No damage to the plant and also came quickly!!
Katherine (verified owner) –
large plant, arrived well packaged and healthy! Could not be happier!!
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Awesome snake plant!
Gabriela (verified owner) –
This plant was my first purchase from here and I’m beyond happy that I brought 2. It came very quick and was packaged so well. It’s looks beautiful and is doing great! Love the color of this plant because it’s so stunning up close.