If you love houseplants, you're almost certainly going to love Snake Plants. As a show-stopping centre piece in your home, few plants can rival it - beautiful shiny leaves, full of detail and interest. In feng shui, the Snake Plant is seen to provide positive energy, and they have also been proven to purify the air.
It stands to reason, therefore, that something this good must take an awful lot of maintenance - nothing this good could be easy, right?
Wrong!
To care for Snake Plants is surprisingly easy - just as long as you know a few key details. And that is exactly what we're going to run through with you in this blog so you know everything you need to know about caring for these stunning indoor plants, to keep it healthy and vibrant.
Are Snake Plants easy to care for?
Snake plants are well-known for being particularly easy to care for. They are ideal houseplants for beginners or anyone who wants a low-maintenance plant - making them great gifts for people. You're not giving something to your friends and loved ones that will require them to learn huge amounts, or need them to devote hours to. All they need is the plant and a link to this blog!
If you are looking for a quick answer, perhaps if you are unsure whether you will be able to care for an indoor Snake Plant then allow us to put your mind at rest here - yes, you will be able. It's actually quite difficult to kill a Snake Plant, so you will be fine, even if you haven't yet developed your green thumb! Everything that follows in this blog is here to help it thrive.
What are Snake Plants?
Sometimes known as Sansevieria trifasciata (or Mother-in-Law's Tongue), the Snake Plant is one of the most popular houseplants around. The tall, stiff, almost sword like leaves, with intricate patterns in dark green and white vertical stripes, are known to help brighten up a living space and can help make up a great indoor plant display in your home.
Their adaptability is emphasised by the various parts of the world that they can be found in. Originally they were from southern and western Africa, but they are also found in the wild in Florida and Hawaii. They are also equally at home in plastic pots on your windowsill...
Part of the appeal of Snake Plants is that everyone is slightly different. The cool little pattens on the leaves will vary from plant to plant and from variety to variety. It all just makes them a fin, exciting plant to have in your home.
One quick work of warning - they are mildly toxic, so best to keep out of reach of babies and pets.
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How to care for Snake Plants
There isn't much to looking after a Snake Plant, other than the bare minimum you'd probably expect to have to do to keep a living thing alive. However, keeping a plant going is one thing, but with a little more effort and knowledge, you can help it thrive! That's what we're here to help you with.
When it comes to how often to water a Snake Plant, they prefer a very light watering frequency. If the soil is dry on top, then a little water will help, but you won't need to do this very often - once every couple of weeks and less in the winter months when it is outside of growing season.
You'll need to let the water drain fully before you water again so that you don't get root rot, and if you see water pooling on the soil line, or soggy soil, then make sure you have a sufficient drainage hole. If you have yellow or brown leaves, you may be overwatering. The only thing you can really do wrong is to let your plant sit in water.
In terms of light conditions, they are again pretty robust. Short of being left in complete darkness, they should survive! They prefer to be in a bright, warm spot, but they can cope with direct sun as well as indirect sunlight. They are slow growers, so won't need to be repotted very often, if at all.
Here are the key things you need to know about how to care for a Snake Plant:
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Origins: West and south Africa
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How much light: Bright indirect light
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Water requirements: Doesn't need much, just when the top soil is dry
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Humidity requirements: No thanks! Dry environment is the best.
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Soil requirements: Well-draining potting mix or cactus compost
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Temperature requirements: 15°C to 23°C, minimum 10°C
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Pruning requirements: Very occasional trimming if it grows too large
Propagating Snake Plants
While it is possible to propagate Snake Plants with leaf cuttings, the easiest way to literally chop off a chunk of the plant (leaf and root) and plant it in a separate pot. Use plenty of well draining compost and water well, then place it in a bright spot out of direct sunlight.
Where should you put Snake Plants?
You can't really go wrong with where you put your Snake Plant, but aim for a nice bright spot. While it can survive in low light conditions, you'll get much healthier growth with a bit of light. You don't need to worry about humidity - these will be absolutely fine with average household humidity, and as long as your house doesn't dip below 10 degrees (which hopefully it never will!), it will be plenty warm enough. Just be mindful of drafty windows in the winter months.
Build your dream setup with Prickle
A Snake Plant is the perfect addition to your indoor plants setup. We stock all houseplants you could ever wish for in our extensive selection, so check out the Black Coral Snake Plant, the Lil Snake Plant or browse one of countless others to help build up your perfect display.
If you have any questions, or want any other gardening tips, then don't hesitate to get in touch via social media @prickplantsuk or email contact@prickleplants.co.uk and our team of experts would be more than happy to help you out.