Snake Plant Care
Common Name: Snake Plant
Scientific Name: Sansevieria species
Lighting: Moderate to Bright Light
Watering: Low to Moderate
The Snake plant is the ultimate for those without a green thumb. This house plant is one of the hardest to kill. A Snake plant contains heavy, sword-like leaves which shoot up from the base of the dirt. They will grow in a clump like style. Smaller shoots will eventually grow as well. Another common name for this plant is Mother-In-Law's Tongue.
The Snake plant is said to prefer moderate to bright light, however my experience is you can put it anywhere and it will grow. I had mine in an upstairs room with the blinds shut for weeks and it still was beautiful and it is still growing over 4 years later.
This houseplant prefers to be watered once every 7 - 10 days thoroughly, allowing the soil to dry in between waterings. If the foliage begins to droop, you are probably over watering. On the other hand if the foliages begins to wrinkle or bend over you are not providing enough water. This houseplant prefers to be pot bound, so avoid repotting unless the current pot is too small to keep upright.
On a special note, this houseplant is toxic when eaten. It is one of the many poisonous houseplants, so please keep away from pets and children.
Like I said earlier, this plant is really hard to kill, it's one of the easiest houseplants to grow. View my easy to grow houseplants list for other hardy choices.
Labels: air purifying houseplants, bathroom houseplants, easy to grow houseplants, poisonous houseplants
posted by drayas @ 9:48 AM
101 Comments:
whats going on if the plant developes white scales??
Hello,
Scales are sap sucking insects that will attack houseplants. The best way to fight them is catch them early and spray your plant with a soapy dishwater mixture. Basically just mix some water with dish soap and thoroughly cover the plant twice a day for about a week.
Please let me know if you have further questions.
Thanks,
drayas
what is wrong if the leaves rot out at the root?
Hello,
Most of the time, root rot is caused by overwatering or improper drainage. Try watering your plant less often.
You may want to repot the rest of your plant in new soil to prevent the root rot from spreading to the other leaves.
Thanks,
drayas
In your introduction you say: "If the foliage begins to droop, you are probably over watering. On the other hand if the foliages begins to wrinkle or bend over you are not providing enough water."
What is the difference between "begins to droop" and "begins...to bend over?" If drooping is caused by over watering, and "bending over" is caused by under watering, I'm at a loss as to how to correct the problem. Can you clarify please?
Hello,
Sorry for the confusion. When the plant droops, the whole stalk will become weak and droop over.
Now if stalks are cracking and completely bending over, an actual almost 90 degree bend you are probably not providing the plant with enough water.
Hope that helps.
Thanks,
drayas
I recently noticed that my snake plant had several yellowed leaves. So I repotted it in a larger pot with fresh soil. A month later almost all the leaves have turned yellow and I'm scared the plant may die. What is causing the yellowing leaves and how can I save the plant.
Hello,
Are the leaves standing straight up or are they falling over? Yellowing typically means a watering issue. How often and how much do you usually water the plant?
Also, when you repotted the plant, what did the roots seem like? Were they mushy or more solid? I'm hoping it doesn't have root rot.
Let me know,
drayas
My snake plant leaves are splitting and spreading out. What can be causing this? Could it be that it is under a forced hot air vent? And when the heat comes on it blows on it.
Hello,
Today I adopted a Snake plant; one of my former co-workers left here upon thier departure. I have never owned a plant and I have no clue how to save it. The entire plant is slumped but there are a few piece that I might be able to re-plant can you please HELP! Do I need new soil, what can I take out - leave in????
Hello,
The splitting is probably because of the heat vent. I had this problem with my Snake plant when we moved to our new house and the vent was the culprit. Be sure the plant is also receiving enough water, that could also cause the splitting.
Please keep me posted.
Thanks,
drayas
Melissa,
The Snake plant likes to be pot bound so I wouldn't repot. Try providing it with adequate water and light (see above care information). Also give it some houseplant food as directed on the bottle to give the plant a little extra nutrients.
I have found Snake plants to be extremely tough plants, so I'd have to say it should come back. I tortured mine with little light and water for almost a year and it's still here.
Please keep me posted on progress.
Thanks,
drayas
Thank you for the help. I also noticed after reading some other posts that the plant also has root rot and 75% of the leaves are dead with the remaining having some white covering which I assume is a fungus. Can I cut the remaining good roots out and re-pot them? The soil also has what looks like bread crums on the surface what is that; just old soil?? Thanks in advance for all your help.
Melissa
Melissa,
Yes, you should be able to cut the good roots out and repot in new soil. Chances are the soil got fungus or mold from the overwatering so you don't want to use it again. Rinse the roots off in cool water really good before repotting.
Thanks,
drayas
its about my snake plant that I had for about 20 yrs. It was in a med. pot. my sister took it home to repot it. when I got it back, it seem find for about 2weeks. Then it started to droop. she put it in a big big pot with outside dirt. maybe I water it to much.I pull on the leaves and they came right out. I push them back down but that didn't help. So I took the leaves out and cut the end off and stuck it in some water hoping that they would root. was this a wrong thing to do. should I just put them back in dirt and they will root on their own? HELP
Wendy,
First off, Snake plants like to be root bound so for future references you don't need to repot until the plant stakes can't stay upright due to lack of space.
If the foliage is drooping, but seems wrinkled or cracked, then you are underwatering the plant. If they are simply drooping you are overwatering the plant.
Typically you would be able to just pull the stakes out. Snake plants have very shallow root systems.
I'm confused on your statement about cutting the ends off the leaves. You cut their current roots off?
With a little more clarification, I can try and help more.
Thanks,
drayas
Hi ,
IT is the lady about the snake plant again. Yes I really did cot off the bottom. There wasn't roots really left on the leaves. It was all soft So yes I did cut it.Now its in a vase of water. Should I just put it some dirt in a nice size pot? I do have another snake plant. a LITTLE SMALLER BUT IS IT DOING EVER SO WELL.About 9 six inch leaves. WHAT SHALL i DO?
Wendy,
From what I've read you can stick them in dirt instead of water to try and generate new roots. I personally have never tried this. I usually just take new offshoots if I want more plants. I would try some of both. Put some in water and some in dirt.
Let me know which way works better.
Thanks,
drayas
Thanks drayas,
You have been very helpful.I will take your advice and put the snake plants leaves in some dirt and water. And just wait to see what happens.I am thinking about taking the snake plant that doing so well and put it into this big big pot that I had took the other ones out.I will stir the dirt around to make sure thier is no fucus in it.And a little plant food. In any case I will let you know. I am very glad for this web site.Wendy
My snake plant has something that looks like rust on some of the ends and on the other side it looks like a web is pulling the ends together.. what is that???
Chuck,
You have got some kind of pest. Spray the plant twice a day with a soapy dishwater mixture. If after 3 - 4 days it doesn't seem the pest is disappearing, go to your local garden center for something stronger.
Thanks,
drayas
Hi drayas,
I really don't have much to report yet about how my sanke plants are doing. You know one in water and the other in dirt.I stuck two leaves in a vase with leaves from a roadenrean plant I know I did not spell that right. But anyhow T he snake plant leaves are still very hard they aren't soft.I have'nt pull it out to really see. The one in dirt I stuck it in with the other small sanke plant.It have'nt droop or anthing yet. We will see THANKS WENDY
Hi - love your articles - they are informative. However, could you clarify fertilizer for my Sansevieria. Just brought it home today and put it in a new pot one size bigger than it was in and gave it a good water. Now I am concerned about fertilizer. Are you talking Miracle Gro, or a 10-10-10, or what do they like best? I have been changing house plants to a more low maintenance type and I have always wanted a "Snake" in the house. Now that I have one I would like to know what fertilizer is best for "her" to eat.
Linda
This page is very helpful, thank you, Drayas.
I just bought a large snake plant (with several plants in one pot) and want to re-plant each plant ito its' own pot to put them in different rooms.
I will appreciate any advice you have on my course of action.
thanks in advance.
Ire
Linda,
I just use Miracle Gro's houseplant food once a month. I think the bottle says you can do it more often.
Thanks,
drayas
Ire,
The only tip I have is that Snake plants have very shallow root systems, so be extra careful when moving them so they don't get damaged.
Thanks,
drayas
Linda, Well my snake plant did not die. I did put a little grow foodin the water as well when I started trying to see if it would root and it did. Like drayas said It would take a lot of mis care for the snake plant to die.I plan to put those two leaves with another small snake plant in one big pot AND I am sure it will do well.
Thanks Wendy
I just repotted my 30 year old snake plant. It is too tall and I wondered if you could cut the leaves down to a better size? Thanks.
Mary
this comment is to "wendy" about the snake plant.
If you cut the plant be sure to remember which end is up and which is down so that you can root the cuts.To root snake plants you first cut the stem horizon...
Let stem cut dry(allow stem cut to harden a little)then find "rooting hormone powder"(ACE or local store)
Wet end of stem cut then dip in powder(tap off the extra powder)
Then place into any type of rooting medium/loose well draining soil and in awhile you see off chutes!
I used to Live in Tennessee and had a large snake plant it was busting out of its Wal-Mart plastic pot I then moved to Indiana and took it with me shortly after I made two plants out of it, giving my sister one to replace the one my mother gave her (she grew it in to a beautiful specimen before it burned down to the dirt in her house fire). I then kept the other half for myself. The half I gave my sister is very big now she has a knack for growing them.... My half was looking pretty sad for a couple years because I never potted it out of the old pot until I took a new interest in it and re potted it out of the Wal-Mart pot and into a new plastic pot and fresh dirt but once again I moved this time to Toronto Canada Sadly I had to leave it and all my other plants with my mother in Michigan.... My mother has always had a snake plant and I have been around them all my life so of course they are one of my favourites now that I'm settled down I have a new one and I'm proud of it..... It has had gnats flying around it and after reading on here to spray it down with soapy water it seams to be working well I've only done it for a day... I also noticed that it had spider mites the soap spray should kill them but just wanted to share my long story with no real point other then the fact that I love it and want it to be a giant like the one I spotted shopping at a local RONA of Canada store it was priced for like $50.00 because of it's great size so I bought some plant food and hope to nurse it back to health and watch it grow big :)other then the bugs it has dead scab like spots that look like bug bites so I hope it's not scabs but I'm sure the bug problem came from Home Depot here, I put it in the next size pot and gave it fresh dirt but because the dirt from the store looked good I kept it and added new dirt to fill the empty space….. but I'll keep on top of it and reach my goal wit a beautiful monster Snake plant hehehehe. Any way this has all been very helpful. Thanks very much,
~Biz~
Hi Biz,
About the snake plant. Keepup the good work I'm sure your snake plant will do well. I was surprize to see that my snake plant started to root when I put it in a vase of water. I put three leaves in it together. And I check it about 3 weeks ago and you should see the roots on it.I have a big big pot that I will use to put the 3 pieces in and I have another sanke plant in a smaller pot. I'm sure it will turn out nice. I will let you all know ok Thanks Wendy
This is wendy again. I just wamted to say that I didn't have to put anything on the end of the snake plant I just put it in the water and it started to root. The one that I stuck in the dirt is doing find as well.
Very glad that your snake plant is doing well Wendy.... the soapy water spray didn't do much for the gnats but I read that if you let the dirt in my house plants dry out they couldn't live in dry soil and because the snake plant can handle being dry I think I'll try that now that I've tried soapy water and a store spray for it..... A lot of the leafs have splits I think it was a problem before I got it hopefully it will not be a problem later.... the warfare on the gnats has turned the tips of a few leafs brown I hope I can rid the plant of the gnats before I kill the plant....
~Biz~
Hi,
I have a new snake plant in my office (no natural or fluorescent light) and would like to know the best way to care for it. I'm concerned about how to water and how often.
I've already killed two (either over-watering or under-watering)... I'm I about to kill a third? Thanx
Hi I'm Amanda and I was given a snake plant and love it, seems to be doing well other then gnats. I read the other posts here and I think Brent has the same problem. He said that he tried the soapy water and it didn't get rid of the gnats. I'm worried I won't get rid of them either. I have one leaf that has a few spots that look like dried kinda light in the center, rusty around the edge, 2 or 3 on the edge of the leaf, 1 in the center. I do think that has always been there so I don't know if it's caused by the gnats. I haven't watered mine in several weeks so the soil is already dry, I read that Brent was going to try to dry out his soil to see if it helps, I don't think that it has helped mine, there seem to be more gnats now then before. Please help, I love this plant and don't want to loose it.
You don't have to do much to a snake plant.Med. light water it when you feel the soil and it feels a little dry that a good time to water it.Just don't soak it though.I have one that I lot I lost but I save it. It was 20 or 25 yrs. old and my sister took it because it was getting so big. well that shock it I was only able to save 3 leaves. And they are doing great. thanks wendy
I was thinking,, this is for amanda about your snake plant What climate do you live in? I wonder sometimes if this has anything to do with the gnats. I never had them on my snake plant. And I had mine for yrsssss. about 25. AND mine almost die. But I save it. I just stuck one of the leaves in water and it rooted I just started over. Or just water yours every 2 wks. and add some plant food. If that don't work take the leave out and put in water. that me know how you made out wendy
I was recently given 2 snake plants. I'm not really knowledgable in their care. I usually water them when the soil seems dry to the touch. I've noticed that a couple of the leaves have started to split and crack. What is causing this to happen? What can I do to prevent this from happening?
Hello,
The splitting and cracking is from the plant not receiving enough water. Water the plant more often. I usually water mine once a week.
Thanks,
drayas
Hello. Just found this blogger page.
I live in the UK and have a sansevieria of unknown age. Currently it is a massive 20" tall, very heavy, single center stem with nice clean, full, relatively short, healthy leaves and it's given me everything ... stem side-shoots, underground shoots and a huge 16"+ flower stem with about a dozen short-lived pink flowers with a yellow center. All the offshoots have done well and here's the problem ... everything is doing rather too well! The original sansevieria is so massive it has to be propped-up against a wall to support the top 60% of the stem, but it's bent at an unsightly 45 degrees to the vertical. It just can't be moved without risk of toppling out of the pot. Without the wall for support it would have toppled out long ago. One of the ''babies'' - a currently 12" tall echo of the parent - is going the same way ...
Here is the question:- can my unweildy sansevieria be pruned back i.e., 60% of the single stem simply lopped off? If so, what pre-/post-pruning precautions should I take?
I can provide pics of the parent in bloom if that helps anyone.
Cheers, Ray
Ray,
I've never cut my Snake plant. It too is tall like yours however so far has been able to stand on its own.
Can any of my readers give us a hand? Any solutions to a very healthy, large Snake plant?
Thanks,
drayas
I too have a very tall plant, actually two stems in one pot. One is 32" and the other is 26" I currently have it propped up in a corner. I came across this site hoping to find out if there was a way to get it to stand on it's own, and see there are others looking for the same answer.
I noticed this morning that my snake plant is going to bloom again. It hasn't bloomed in several years. A year ago we(my husband & I) moved into his parents house(now ours). We had been living in a trailer for 20 years next door. It grew, but would not blossom. Before that,we lived in a farm house, which is where it had bloomed last. It sits on the floor next to the front door, but we don't use that door. There are windows each side of the door. It faces east. It doesn't take a lot of care. I water it once a week or when I happen to notice the dieffenbachia sitting next to it is a little droopy. Two new shoots are also growing. I think it definitely likes where it is. God Bless.
Hello.
Thanks for considering my plight!
I have since read elsewhere that it's OK to prune succulents so I'm going to try it out on the 12" tall, single stem baby and cut it down to 3". Will let you know how it goes.
Cheers, Ray
My snake plant has a variegated brown patch running through the middle of one leaf. Also a couple leaf ends turned brown. I feed it and water it when it is almost dry. What could be causing these brown areas?
We have several Snake Plants roughly 4 yrs old. We recently added soil to cover some exposed roots and now a strange looking mold forming on the top of the soil in one of the pots. Also, in that pot, several leaves have turned yellow. How can we get rid of the mold-like substance and can it spread to other pots/plants?
Hello,
I have 3 questions about this plant.
1. Why do some of the leaves have a yellow boarder (it looks like it's the color of the leaf, not like the leaf is dying) while some are the regular color? I thought maybe I had bought two different types of this plant, but I noticed the yellow ones offshoots are varied in their appearance.
2. Is it good to let them stay outside in the summer?
3. How often can you expect them to flower? What conditions encourage this? I had one flower 1 1/2 years after I bought it while being in front of an east window whose sun was blocked because it's view was enclosed in a carport. Also it was hardly ever watered. I had a few of these plants of this one was one that I kind of forgot about and neglected. Since then I've been taking them outside for the summer and keeping them in lots of light and they've never flowered since.
i have a snake plant that is a couple years old and doing well..there is a section that looks like new growth/ like a clustr with a bulb like base...is this a "baby" and do you just take it off kind of like you would do with a spider plant? THANKS!
Hello,
It sounds like you do have a baby plant. I leave mine, because then the plant gets more full since you have new shoots. Or you can transplant it into another pot or if you really want to, you can simply pull it out and throw it, but I really suggest you keep it or give it to someone.
Thanks,
drayas
Something is eating holes in our snake plant outside in our screened lanai by the pool. Is this a beetle or snails or what??
Thanks,
Hello,
I have no real experience with outdoor pests. Can you see any snails or anything on the plant?
Any of my readers give us a hand?
Thanks,
drayas
Hi, I've just received almost a 20-something old snake plant and I'm wondering what to do about broken leaves that bent 90 degrees in the move. Should I trim them off at the "hinge" or leave them be? Same question for drooping leaves, is it okay to trim them off and thin it out? Please let me know. Thanks!
Hello,
I typically cut the broken spears from the bottom. If you cut them off where it's bent, the tops brown anyway so I just cut them off right at dirt level so I can cover them up.
Thanks,
drayas
hello,
i have a snake plant in my basement sweet and it has white fuzzy stuff growing in the dirt around the roots, and now there are yellow mushrooms there, i can pull them out but do you know what they are and why they are there??
Hello,
The white fuzz is probably a mold. You are probably over watering the plant thus causing the mold and mushrooms. Also, how moist, is your basement? An extremely high humidity level may be causing the problems as well.
Thanks,
drayas
My plant is doing very well in our Carolina Room, plenty of sun and TLC. Recently I noticed along stem with what looks like flower buds, growing fron the center of one of the clumps. It grows about 2" a day but no flowers yet! What have I got here??? Should I avoid contact with the stem since the plant is poisonous???
Hello,
It sounds like your Snake plant is going to flower. YEAH!! The plant is only toxic if you eat it as far as I know.
Snake Plant Poison Details.
Keep us informed.
-- drayas
How much water for my snake plant? I need help,it seems to be dry but i just watered it. Should the soil be moist at the top.
Snake plant seens to be dying,leaves are yellow. I just watered it but it seens to be dry. I water every 3 months.
snakedry,
I usually water mine every 1 1/2 to 2 weeks.
Thanks,
drayas
Hi, over the summer i received some mother in law tongues, that were propogated from a larger one. All but one have a little tiny baby on them, but they aren't really growing. I could put them in more light, but they do get light, and i water about every 1 or two weeks through the bottom. They have a drainage hole. Is there anything i could do to promote growth on it!?
Hello,
I was wondering if you could help me with some snake plant questions. The plant was given to me originally by a friend a few years back. An offshoot formed a few months into me owning it and there became 2 plants. A few years ago, they survived a move from the midwest to the west coast. Some leaves were sunburned and became hard and yellow as a result of my stupidity in leaving it in the hot car. You can see that the stalk has remnants of the hard, crispy, yellow leaves in the photos.
The plant has done quite well on the west coast for the last few years, until recently.
About 6 weeks ago, before Christmas, the leaves on one of the plants began to turn yellow. The leaf's texture felt just like the others, and there was no cracking or anything noticeable in the texture. I think I started overwatering it because it went so long without water. The leaves on the sick plant started turning yellow one by one.
I repotted the plant, thinking that was the problem. The two plants were very crowded in the small pot, about 4 inches in diameter. I read that snake plants like to be pot bound, but the lady at Home Depot insisted I should go with the larger pot and some cactus soil.
When I repotted, I noticed that the sick plant had root rot. After repotting, the leaves on the sick plant continued to turn yellow one by one until only one or two green leaves remained.
Sensing impending doom, I cut the remaining leaves and planted them in the smaller pot in hopes that I could propogate some new roots. You can see in the picture of the small pot that the leaf segments are beginning to turn black and that my experiment is a failure. I don't think they are going to make it.
In the pictures of the large pot, you can see that the healthy plant is leaning on its side. Is this because the pot is too big? Also, just a few days ago I noticed one of the leaves starting to turn yellow, and it's really loose, as if it's detached from the plant. The texture is the same as that of the yellow leaves on the other plant, except the leaf feels loose, like it's softer near the stem.
In the pictures -- 0173 -- you can see a shot of one of the leaves beginning to yellow. What is causing this to happen, and what can I do about it? Is it because the pot is too big? Why is it leaning? Most importantly, why are the leaves yellowing one by one and what can be done to stop this, if anything?
Please email me at savethesnakeplant@opensourceopportunities.com if you have any tips or advice, thanks!
Below are links to the pictures. If they don't come through properly you can email me for the links.
Leaning plant 1
Leaning plant 2
Leaning plant 3
Yellowing leaf 1
Yellow leaf 2
Yellow Leaf 0173 (best quality)
Thanks,
James
I have two questions for you if you can help me.
1. Is it okay for it to be in a hot apartment that has very little air flow? We also have little natural light. Will this harm it?
2. Will it hurt the plant to put it outside, if the above will affect it negativly?
Thanks,
Crystal
THIS IS FOR JAMES ABOUT YOUR SNAKE PLANT. WELL I HAD ONE JUST LIKE YOURS. AND WHAT I DID I TOOK WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE SNAKE PLANT AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE DIRT AND PUT IT IN A DARK COLOR VASE A SMALL VASE. AND PUT WATER IN THE VASE AND PUT WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT OF YOUE SNAKE PLANT PUT IT IN THE VASE AND IT WILL ROOT IN THE WATER. I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD WORK BUT SOMEONE MENTION IT TO ME AND I DID IT NOW IT HAS STRONG ROOTS ON THE END OF IT. AND I STILL GOT IT IN THE VASE OF WATER. I HOPE THIS HELPS WENDY
HELP A wonderful friend of mine gave me a Snake Plant with about 5 stems about 2 feet tall I placed it outside in my garden and it looks like an animal sat directly on the middle of the plant breaking all of the stalks. How can I get some of these stalks to root so I don't lose the entire plant?
Hello drayas,
First I want to say I enjoy your helpful hints and comments by other concerned plant owners! My Question is I left my snake out to long in the cold and I think it is dying ? It was a beautiful specimen and now it is drooping to one side and the leaves look dark and bent over...I don't know what exactly to do? Does it have root rot? can I save it by changing the soil and using the root starting powder? or can it come back from it's present state by just letting it dry out and warm up??? Or am I the one person you know of in a long time that has in fact killed the snake plant (LOL)!M
I had my snake plant in my kitchen which has no heat. Have had some very cold temps (pipes-froze-cold), and with lack of watering my plant isn't looking so hot. Brought it upstairs where there is heat, watered it, too. 90% of leaves are drooping now. Any chance it will survive this? should I do anything else, or just give it some time? thanks in advance!
I recently bought a Snake plant at Walmart. The leaves look just fine, but the SOIL is full of gnats of some kind. When I water the plant, the gnats go crazy and crawl around in the soil Can they eat the roots? They do not bother the leaves at all. How do I get rid of these pests? I am afraid the gnats will attack other houseplants.
this site is so helpful! but i can't even keep a snake plant alive. it droops AND wrinkles at the same time. it grows spindly, not wide like a tongue. then it has trouble staying upright. new growth all the time is nice. but always growns spindly floppy and wrinkly tops even when it doesn't seem like the soil has dried out enough. killed off my last plant. clay pot retained too much water and it rotted. this clay pot is glazed inside and out. help?
i killed off the last one. please help me from killing this one. leaves are long, spindly, floppy but also wrinkled if i don't water. always new growth. always grows skinny and flops over. never wide like a tongue. help?
gnats are often found in newly purchased plants as they result from a greenhouse environment of warmth, high humidity and an abundance of peat in the soil mixture. Solve this problem by isolating the plant from other house plants (a diff room) and spray the plants with a mild soapy solution daily for 4 consecutive days. On the 5 day I like to place the plant in the bathtub and run the shower on it (room temp water) for about 10 minutes. After the plant has fully drained, I return it to its isolated room and wait a week before checking to see if the gnat problem has been solved. If not, repeat the process in another 2 weeks to allow the plant to dry thoroughly between the heavy watering. Gnat WILL spread to other houseplants which is why you will want to isolate the infected one. Hope that helps. = )
So much has already been covered here. Snake plants are slow, everything about them takes time, sick snake plants got sick slowly, they recover the same way. If you have a plant with root rot, I have found it best to gently remove the 'mushy' parts, allow the firm part to dry overnight, dust it with a fungicide/root hormone combination and then 'replant' the root just below the surface of the potting mixture, in time, the remaining live root will send up new leaves (small at first).
About flowering: snake plants are solar collective (just like african violets), that is , when the leaves collect enough sunlight, the energy stored in the roots releases a specific enzyme that triggers flower production. Usually, in established plants, a single flower stalk bearing many small unremarkable flowers will ensue. One point of interest is the flowers are nocturnally fragrant and a single bloom results in an unusually intoxicating sweet aroma that disappears with the dawn.
I have a snake plant in a terarium environment where my anole lizards live. It is too tall for the tank. Can I trim it shorter, or should I pull it out, repot it and buy a shorter one for the tank?
Hi Drayas~ I took some leaf cuttings late summer last year. Got good roots, but now that they are potted up in their own pots, there is not alot happening in terms of growing another plant! Root systems are still good and strong. Does it usually take this long? Thanks.
I'VE HAD MY PLANT FOR 31 YEARS. YES 31 YEARS. AND IT HAS FLOWERED SEVERAL TIME OVER THE YEARS. CAN ANYONE GIVE ME ANY INFO ON WHAT MAKES IT FLOWER?
I have a snake plant over 40 years old . Its flowered once to my knowledge. I would also like to know what makes them flower...Also, My leaves are begining to take on a rolling shape like a tube. What causes this?
I have had two snake plants for about ten years on for seven one for three reppotted the seven year one about three years ago. AND HAD NEVER HAD ANY OF THEM BLOOM. They get watered once a month in the shower, and that is about it. The leaves are stong and upright some of them three foot tall,baby leaves spring up all the time. How do you get them to bloom?????????
I'm repotting my houseplants and there are no roots! What should I do?
I am a kid 10 years old and I have a snake plant about 1 year old I got at IKEA. My plant was outside for a week or two and when it came in it had this weird, yellow, papery, patch in the middle of one leaf. What is it? Can it be cured?
I'm the one who asked about the patch. I also wanted to know if I can transfer it outside?
~Boto
I've had mine for 10 years now and no flower. Another reader commented above that lighting is the reason they flower. Worth a try!
plantlovingkid - I don't have any experience with outdoor plants. Maybe one of my readers can help us out.
Thanks,
drayas
My snake plant bloomed! It grew a spike-like stem (just a little shorter than the leaves) and attached to it were small, very fragrant white flowers that looked like they were covered with a transparent, sticky substance. The flowers themselves resembled clover flowers that grow in lawns. What am I doing right? Has anyone else ever experienced this?
Hi,
Something is happening to my snake plant. I noticed 1 of the foliage was turning yellow. then today it started to drop.when touched its feels like a 'blister', when pressed it feels like its all watery inside.also it produce a weird smell. what can be the problem??
can anyone tell me if this plant attract flies (big black flies like horse flies?)
Giving a "mother in law" plant to new husband in the family has been a long long tradition in our family. I actually never knew it as a "snake plant" till I read your post. I am now getting ready to give a start to my future son in law. I am not a plant person so the snake plant is definitely one that is easily maintained.
My plant(the one with the patch)is worse. An edge of it is cracked a broken and I'm afraid it will rot out the whole plant! Got any advice?
Hi,
My snake plants are dyings. the roots are all mush. Tomuch water? Can I cut the stem and make new roots.I need your help , these plants are thirty years or better.
Can I replant them with no roots or can I root them in water
TO ALL THE PEOPLE WITH KNATS.....
knats generally only thrive in nice moist soil. I have had this problem with other plants in the past, though not my snake plant because it does not need to be watered often.
If you have knats you are probably over watering. you need to let the plant dry out completely between waterings, as the knats will die without a water supply. Plants soak up more water anyway when they are watered thouroughly, less often.
Since snake plants are so tolerant, its often hard to tell if they are over watered or not. be sure the pot ensures good drainage. if its one of those pretty decorative pots with no holes, just drill some in the bottom!! or just place your ugly well draining pot that it came in into the pretty pot. lol. dont forget over watering also causes mold, which kills the plant quickly, and makes your house smell weird.
Sometimes when my plants grow too large, or are top heavy, they start to fall over. i find a good way to fix this is to just put it in a much HEAVIER pot. (like a heavy decorative terra cotta one, vs the cheap plastic one it came in) just balances it out a little. You can also put a layer of gravel/rocks on the bottom to keep it heavy. Also helps with drainage.
I do both, with many of my plants. also helps from children and pets from knocking them over!!
Good luck guys, and enjoy your plants!
Hi, just found this site and it is very informative. I grew up with a snake plant and really don't like them. But this one that my mom had bloomed only once and I have a photo of it, which is actually lovely. I too would like to know why they rarely bloom. Thanks for great info.
Okay, I think my snake plant is fairly healthy, but it recently had a shoot growing off horizontally and out of the pot. The plants leaves are about 4 feet tall. Since it flowered a year and a half ago (from what my Grandmother has told me...they only bloom when well root bound) and therefore I assumed it is root bound, I repotted it. The problem is now the leaves fall diagonally and the plant looks like a giant fan or peacock tail. Should I add soil? Will that choke the plant? Is it alright to stake the plant or make use of something to tie the leaves together? With leaves that long, the plant now literally takes up half my dining room! Any suggestions?
Thanks, lynx
I've been having these plant in the garden n covered terrace of my hse for abt 3 yrs--growing nicely. 1 of my friends say this wud be a good plant to put in the office as it is suppose to give out lots of oxygen. Is this correct? Any special care if I pot it in my office?
I have two snake plants. One has leaves that are 53 inches tall and the other pot has leaves that are 46 inches tall. Both flower all the time. They are both root bound with new leaves growing off them continually. They are potted in two identical plastic pots, 8 inches diameter in the bottom, 15 inches at the top and 12 inches high. They both sit in front of our south facing deck doors. We ignore them, brush the cats and their hair falls into them from their perches. My wife waters them when she feels like it. She is the best plant killer I have known, and yet, these two snake plants continue to thrive. Now, because the leaves are so tall and want to fall over (we tied string around them to keep them straight up) she wants me to thin them out by pulling out the outside leaves. I came to your blog to check out how to do this but after reading all the stories, it sounds like I should just leave them alone. Do you have any thoughts on this? We live about 200 miles north of Toronto on Georgian Bay. I have photos if you are interested. In the photos you can see where the flowers have come and gone on both plants. We have had the plants for years. Your comments will be appreciated.
Thanks for all of the wonderful words. I have a snake plan which I absolutely love. It was doing perfectly for months. Now I notice a brown almost transparetn spot on two of the leaves. This is a large... almost rectangular spot. Hmmm. Any ideas?
My husband recently brushed against my Snake plant which resulted in one of the clusters of leaves to break off. How do I save the cluster so I can grow a new plant? One of my older houseplant books says to let the root dry, yet in another section it says to keep the root moist. The book also says to use "potting compost". I had never heard of it so I inquired at my local Agway store. They had never heard of "potting compost" either and suggested that maybe it means a mixture of peat moss, potting soil, and cactus soil. Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated. I'd hate to lose any part of the plant as I inherited it from my mother 25+ years ago.
Hello,
I bought a snake plant a few months ago, as my first house plant. I water the plant every 3-4 weeks, or pretty much when the soil feels on the dry side. When I water it, I give it about 1 cup of water from a measuring cup (trying my best to evenly distribute the water around the soil). I keep it on the floor next to my window, where it gets a medium amount of light.
Most of the leaves are very strong, however, a few have died. Two grew very mushy and were easily torn out at the root, which I attribute to over watering... but then two more are growing very dry from the top down, which I would guess would be underwatering. Any suggestions for how to keep more leaves from dying?
Also, just today I noticed that while the top of the soil is dry, the soil poking through the drainage holes at the bottom is very wet, and a few tsp of water have leaked out into the plastic support container. Is this normal?
Thanks,
Eric
I noticed a shoot growing up in the middle of one of my snake plants, and these little green balls were growing on this shoot. All of them fell off, or were eaten by birds, except one. The remaining one has turned orange. It looks like a tiny tomato! Anyone ever hear of this?
GeekLady
Hello,
I planted two snake plants in large pots a few weeks ago. THey are outisde, get morning shade and arvo sun. I was told not to overwater them, but have noticed that the tips are browny/yellow. they dont look too good! I don't know if i should leave it and water them or if i should just pull out the stakes hoping new ones will grow. Any advice would be appreciated greatly!!!
Hi!
My snake plant is over 60 years old, having come to my family after my grandmother's funeral in 1949,and has survived in some very difficult conditions. It's good that snake plants enjoy being root-bound and dry, since that's how it was maintained, quite inadvertently, throughout the years. I recently took up an interest in it (small but hardy as it is), repotted it into a larger pot, and put it on the shower ledge, thinking that it would like the more tropical conditions. It seemed to be doing fine, until someone dropped the shampoo directly into the middle of it. Now it's flat, and looks pitiful. I moved it out of the shower into the kitchen, where someone there flattened it again!! The plant may be trying to grow new leaves to continue its survival (hope so). I have tried to root some of the leaves that came off it, without success so far...they just get mushy and rot in a glass of water...I am going to try cutting the leaves across the bottom, letting them dry, and then putting them into some more soil, as HorTkuLtuR suggested, to get them to root. It would be a shame to lose this 60-year old extremophile!
hi, my snake plant is over the patch thing (the whole top half of the leaf just fell off!) but it grew a baby who is now even taller than it's parent and it now has another tiny shoot growing out if the bottom! the pot isn't really a pot anymore, it's too cracked and destroyed by the babies! I want to repot my baby snake plant and mabye give it away but I don't want to damage it! How do i repot it?
My snake plant looks perfectly healthy, but then it started getting some rusty looking mold(?) at the base of some leaves. One leaf turned yellow and shrivled now a couple others are. the leaf that displayed the rust first still looks fine, but i woke up this morning with that fine looking leaf on the floor. It was standing tall a few hours ago. It still looks fine except for the rust at the bottom and the fact that it's not attached to the rest of the plant anymore. the very bottom looks fine. should I put it in some water? My mom used to work at a nursery and has part of my plant(they grew in the same pot). she couldn't figure out what the rust was since plants don't rust...
I have a small clipping of a snake plant. I took it from the root of my sisters plant and I have had it in water for a month now. It has plenty of roots and I have grown snake plants before but I have always went out and bought the plant. For some reason every time I plant my clippings they die (spiders,wondering Jew) and more. So if I plant this snake plant clipping will it grow? Thanks Holli
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