Home > The Unkillable Icon: A Comprehensive Guide to the Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)

The Unkillable Icon: A Comprehensive Guide to the Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)

Everything you need to know about the toughest, coolest houseplant around. No, you probably can't kill it.
Disclaimer: Images on this page are for illustration and inspiration. They represent common houseplants and indoor garden styles, not specific homes or plant collections.

Meet the snake plant. It's tough, looks sharp (literally), and is ridiculously easy to grow. This guide tells you everything you need to know to keep yours happy... though it's happy with almost anything.

A beautiful, healthy Dracaena trifasciata 'Laurentii' snake plant in a stylish ceramic pot, standing against a neutral-colored wall.

Meet the Snake Plant

You've seen this plant everywhere. Its stiff, pointy leaves look like swords, which is why people call it Mother-in-Law's Tongue or Saint George's Sword. It's super popular because it's nearly impossible to kill. 1

For ages, its fancy name was Sansevieria trifasciata . Then in 2017, scientists looked at its DNA and decided it's actually a Dracaena . 2 So its proper name is now Dracaena trifasciata , but lots of people still call it a Sansevieria (we won't tell). 4

Where It Comes From

The secret to the snake plant's toughness? It comes from dry, tropical parts of West Africa, from Nigeria to the Congo. 2 It's used to rocky places where it might not rain for ages. This is why it doesn't need much water. 8

Everything about it is built for survival. It likes gritty soil like its rocky homeland and can handle a wide range of light, from shady spots to sunny ones. 8 Basically, if you pretend your living room is a West African savanna, your plant will be happy.

How to Keep It Alive (It's Easy)

Its reputation for being low-maintenance is well-deserved. It doesn't thrive on neglect so much as the right kind of neglect.

Light

People say it's a "low-light" plant, but it's more "low-light tolerant" - it'll survive in a dark corner, but it won't be thrilled. 10 For a really happy plant with bright colors, give it plenty of bright, indirect light. 12 Near a window (but not getting scorched by direct sun) is perfect.

Watering

This is the #1 way people kill their snake plants, too much love (and water). Its succulent leaves and underground stems (rhizomes) store water, so it gets root rot easily in soggy soil. 2 Forget a weekly schedule.

Golden Rule: When in doubt, don't water! Overwatering is the fastest and most common way to kill a snake plant. Always let the soil dry out completely between waterings.

The only rule is to water it when the soil is completely dry - poke your finger in deep to check. 12 When you do water, give it a good soak until water runs out the bottom, then leave it alone. It's always better to underwater than overwater.

A person's finger poking deep into the soil of a potted snake plant to check for dryness.

Soil and Pots

Snake plants hate wet feet, so they need soil that drains fast. A cactus or succulent mix from the store is perfect. 12 You can even add extra perlite or pumice to make it grittier.

For pots, terracotta is great because it's porous and helps the soil dry out. 12 Make sure your pot has at least one drainage hole, this is non-negotiable. Their roots are strong enough to crack plastic pots, so something sturdy is a good idea. 11

Temperature

It's from Africa, so it likes it warm. Your normal house temperature is totally fine, somewhere between 60°F and 85°F (15-29°C). 18 Just keep it away from cold drafts and don't let it get below 50°F (10°C). 12

Humidity

Don't worry about humidity. It's used to dry air, so your centrally heated home is A-OK. 11 In fact, don't mist it. Water sitting between its leaves can cause rot. 10, 22

Food

This plant isn't a big eater. You can give it a little snack during spring and summer, its growing season. 12 Use a standard houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength about once a month. No food in the fall and winter, please, it's sleeping. 12

Making More Snake Plants (For Free!)

One of the best parts about snake plants is how easy they are to propagate. You can make more for yourself or give them to friends.

Division

This is the easiest way and keeps the plant's colors the same. When you repot it, you'll likely see little baby plants or "pups" growing off the main one. 12 Just use a clean, sharp knife to separate a pup with some roots and pot it on its own. 10 Voila, a new plant!

Leaf Cuttings

You can also grow a new plant from just a piece of a leaf. Cut a healthy leaf into a few sections, a couple of inches long. 12 IMPORTANT, remember which end is the bottom, because planting it upside down won't work. 23

Let the cuttings dry for a day to form a callus, which helps prevent rot. 12 Then stick the bottom end in a jar of water or directly into moist soil. 12 It takes one to four months, but eventually you'll see roots. 12

A visual guide showing the steps of snake plant propagation by leaf cuttings, from cutting the leaf to rooting in water.
Propagation Quirk: Propagating a variegated snake plant (like one with yellow edges) from a leaf cutting will almost always result in a new, all-green plant. To preserve the variegation, you must propagate by dividing the plant at the root.

Here's a weird quirk, if you do this with a variegated plant (like the one with yellow edges), the new plant will almost always be solid green. 2 The color is a mutation only in the outer layer of the leaf, so the new growth doesn't have it. 23 If you want a clone, you have to use the division method.

More Than Just a Pretty Face

Air Cleaner

You might have heard this plant cleans the air. A famous 1989 NASA study showed it can remove some nasty chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene from a sealed room. 2, 26 In your house, with air moving around, you'd need a whole jungle of them to make a huge difference. 2 But hey, every little bit helps.

A Good Roommate

Here's the really cool part. Most plants release carbon dioxide at night. The snake plant is special, it releases oxygen at night. 2

This trick, called CAM photosynthesis, is how it adapted to its hot, dry home, it keeps its pores closed during the day to save water. 22 This makes it the perfect plant for a bedroom, helping to freshen the air while you sleep. 30

So Many Kinds!

The snake plant world is huge... Dracaena trifasciata 'Laurentii' is the classic one, tall with flashy yellow edges. 8 The 'Zeylanica' is similar but has cool wavy green stripes instead of yellow. 18

The 'Moonshine' is a stunner, with broad, pale, silvery-green leaves that almost seem to glow. 19 For something smaller, there's 'Hahnii' , the Bird's Nest snake plant. It's short and squat, growing in a little rosette that's perfect for a desk. 20

A collection of different snake plant varieties, including 'Laurentii', 'Moonshine', 'Hahnii' (Bird's Nest), and 'Cylindrica' (African Spear).

Then there's Dracaena angolensis (also called Sansevieria cylindrica ), the African Spear. Its leaves are round and pointy like spears, growing out in a fan - a real living sculpture. 34

Will It Flower?

Yes, it can! But don't hold your breath, it's pretty rare indoors. It's usually a sign the plant is mature, healthy, and a little bit root-bound (which it doesn't mind). 11, 35

A long stalk will shoot up from the base, covered in dozens of small, greenish-white or cream-colored blossoms. 2, 36 They often open at night and have a surprisingly sweet, strong smell, like jasmine or lily. 18 You might even see sticky drops of nectar on them. 36

A close-up of the rare and delicate flowers of a snake plant, which are small, greenish-white, and grow on a long stalk.

What's Wrong With My Plant?

It's tough, but not invincible. Most problems come down to water. Yellow, mushy leaves at the base? You're overwatering, and that's root rot. 12

If you suspect root rot (it might smell bad), take the plant out of the pot. Cut off any smelly, brown, mushy roots with a clean tool, and repot in fresh, dry soil. 14 Wrinkled, thin, or crispy leaves? It's probably thirsty, so give it a good drink. 14

Pests are rare. If you see white cottony stuff (mealybugs) or tiny webs (spider mites), just wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. 14 For stubborn ones, a bit of insecticidal soap or neem oil should do the trick. 14

A Quick Warning

Just so you know, the snake plant is mildly toxic if eaten. This goes for cats, dogs, and humans. 4, 20 The plant contains compounds called saponins, which can cause an upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting. 8, 38

Pet and Child Safety: The snake plant is mildly toxic to cats, dogs, and humans if ingested. Keep it out of reach of curious pets and small children to prevent accidental nibbling and stomach upset.

The leaves are bitter and tough, so most pets leave it alone. But it's best to place it where curious critters and kids can't get to it. 39

The Perfect Plant?

The snake plant really earns its reputation. It looks great, it's tough as nails, and it even makes your bedroom air a little nicer. 8 It's the perfect plant for beginners and experts alike.

Just give it some bright-ish light, forget to water it sometimes, and use soil that drains well. It will be your happy, pointy-leaved friend for years to come.

Works cited

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  2. Dracaena trifasciata - Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracaena_trifasciata
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  4. Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata) - Costa Farms, https://costafarms.com/blogs/plant-finder/snake-plant
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  9. Dracaena trifasciata (Sansevieria trifasciata) 'Hahnii' | Aquasabi - Aquascaping Shop, https://www.aquasabi.com/Dracaena-trifasciata-Sansevieria-trifasciata-Hahnii
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  14. Snake Plant Care, https://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/snake-plant-care
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  19. How to Grow and Care for Moonshine Snake Plant - The Spruce, https://www.thespruce.com/moonshine-snake-plant-7095618
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  21. Sansevieria trifasciata 'Golden Hahnii' (Snake Plant) - Gardenia.net, https://www.gardenia.net/plant/sansevieria-trifasciata-golden-hahniii-snake-plant
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  24. Why Variegated Leaves Turn Green - Melinda Myers, https://www.melindamyers.com/audio-video/melindas-garden-moment-audio-tips/garden-landscape-design/why-variegated-leaves-turn-green
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  26. NASA Clean Air Study - Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Clean_Air_Study
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  29. Night Breathers: CAM Photosynthesis - Laidback Gardener, https://laidbackgardener.blog/2020/01/24/night-breathers-cam-photosynthesis/
  30. C3, C4, and CAM plants (article) | Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/photosynthesis-in-plants/photorespiration--c3-c4-cam-plants/a/c3-c4-and-cam-plants-agriculture
  31. C3, C4, CAM Photosynthesis - Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society, https://hscactus.org/resources/digest/plant-info/c3-c4-cam/
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  34. Dracaena angolensis - Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracaena_angolensis
  35. www.marthastewart.com, https://www.marthastewart.com/how-to-get-snake-plant-to-bloom-11741131#:~:text=of%20the%20process.-,When%20Snake%20Plants%20Bloom,indirect%20light%20and%20temperature%20changes.
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