Care for a Sansevieria or Snake Plant

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Sansevieria trifasciata has broad strap-like, upright leaves that are dark green and marked with a pattern of wavy cross stripes in a lighter color. The striping gives it the common name of “snake plant”. It is also called mothers-in-law tongue, perhaps because of the sharp point to the leaves. There are also sansevieria that form a short rosette of leaves and these are often called birds nest sansevieria. All sansevieria are very adaptable and easy to care for. Here are some tips on caring for sansevieria.

Steps

Planting

  1. Pot your sansevieria plant correctly.
    • Use a good houseplant potting medium, not garden soil.
    • Repot only when the plant starts breaking the pot with its roots.

Positioning

  1. Place the sansevieria plant in the right light.
    • Put the sansevieria plant in an east, west or north windowsill any time of the year. If it's a south-facing window, place the plant about one foot from the window, to the side, year round. (This advice is directed at the northern hemisphere.)
    • Provide bright fluorescent or other lighting. This will provide enough light so that the sansevieria plants grow well.
  2. Use the sheer drapes to filter intense sunlight during the day.
  3. Turn the pot quarter turns weekly for even light exposure.
  4. Keep plants in temperatures between 40º and 85ºF (4.4 to 29.4 C).

Watering

  1. Use a probe hydrometer to check the soil moisture weekly. Water when reading almost zero or when dry to prevent root rot
    • By hand: Let the pot surface feel dry to the touch before watering in spring and summer.
  2. Water very little in winter or in a cool air-conditioned room. Wait until the pot is quite dry before watering.
    • Water if you notice the leaves are drooping and the pot feels dry.
  3. Water the sansevieria plant correctly.
    • Use room temperature water.
    • Use distilled or rainwater if possible. If using tap water-- allow it to stand for at least 48 hours to dissipate chlorine, fluorides etc. If possible, one week is better.
  4. Water along the sides of the plant. Try to keep water out of the center of the leaf clump. Water until water drains from the bottom and empty drained water from trays promptly.

Fertilizing

  1. Fertilize sansevieria plants once in the spring with houseplant fertilizer mixed according to label directions.
    • Fertilize in spring with a 20-20-20 fertilizer mixed in a watering container.

General care

  1. Wipe the leaves of sansevieria with a damp cloth if they get dusty.
  2. Transplant when the plant is getting too big for pot. Other signs that it needs transplanting include: When the roots start to come out of drain holes or if the pot breaks (clay pot).
    • Water thoroughly when transplanted.
    • Add soil to pot when it settles after transplanting.

Video

Tips

  • Sansevieria or snake plants come in several color variations. Some have gold edges or cream stripes. Bird nest varieties can have some pink color to them.
  • Sansevieria plants are one of the oldest of houseplants, being kept by the ancient Chinese in homes.
  • A great balanced fertilizer is Flora-Nova Grow NPK is 7-4-10 this prevents over fertilizing and provides the plant with a majority of micro and macro nutrients.
  • Sansevieria or snake plants have sprays of tiny white and powerfully fragrant flowers in the summer if they get enough light and proper watering.

Warnings

  • NEVER use Miracle Gro on a Sansevieria! It will likely die if you do. This is due to the NPK value of it being 24-8-16, too much nitrogen can burn the plant, resulting in root death.
  • Sansevieria is poisonous to pets, and potentially toxic to cats in particular. Little documentation exists, but ingesting sansevieria, particularly the "aloe" contact with the mouth, has been known to cause a rash and/or temporary laryngitis in humans.

Things You’ll Need

  • Houseplant planting medium
  • Houseplant fertilizer

Sources and Citations

  • Editors, Sunset Magazine, Sunset National Garden Book, Menlo Park, CA, Sunset Books, 1997 pg 488.
  • Hessayon, Dr.D.G., The Houseplant Expert, London, England, Expert Books, 1994, pg. 204.

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