The snake plant, also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, offers wonderful architectural form to space and goes well with all design types with its towering, tall leaves that almost look artificial.
Given their attractive appearance, ease of maintenance, and low water requirements, snake plants are frequently used as houseplants. The snake plant, one of the hardest indoor plants, can withstand most environmental conditions.
In this article we will discuss about snake plant.
Snake Plant Overview
| GENUS NAME | Sansevieria |
| COMMON NAME | Snake Plant |
| PLANT TYPE | Houseplant, Evergreen, Perennial |
| HEIGHT | 1 to 3 feet |
| WIDTH | 6 to 36 inches |
| FOLIAGE COLOR | Gray/Silver |
| SPECIAL FEATURES | Low Maintenance |
| PROPAGATION | Division, Leaf Cuttings, Seed |
| SUN EXPLORE | Shade to Partial Sun |
| SOIL TYPE | Sandy, Well-drained |
| SOIL PH | Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline |
Snake Plant Specialty
- Filtering indoor air
- Remove hazardous pollutants
- Can improve mental health
- Be simple to maintain
- Be helpful against allergies, and improve a space’s “energy,” according to feng shui
- Can help with minor illnesses.
Growing and Caring of Snake Plant
Choose Right Place
Snake plants can tolerate some direct sunlight but prefer bright, indirect light. Even, they also thrive in shaded spaces, dark, and other low-light light sections of the house.
Avoid bringing your plant too rapidly from low light to direct sunlight because this can startle the plant. When relocating plants, do so gradually.
Expose the plant to stronger, brighter light over the period of roughly a week. In warmer, brighter places, plants will require more water, so be sure to alter your watering strategy accordingly.
Choose Right Pot
Pick a pot with a bottom drainage hole. Growing snake plants is best done in terra cotta pots since they allow the soil to dry up more quickly than plastic pots do. Use a potting mix that drains effectively.
It is best to use potting soil intended for “cacti and succulents,” as it will be less likely to become overly wet. Avoid sinking snake plants too deeply when repotting them. The plant should be buried at the same depth as it was in its previous container.
Cutting
Cuttings of snake plants can be grown rather easily. The most crucial thing to keep in mind is that they are sensitive to rot, so free-draining soil must be used. Although leaf cuttings are typically used, dividing snake plants is perhaps the simplest approach.
The fleshy rhizomes that are produced by the roots are easily removed with a sharp knife and potted up. Once more, these must be planted in free-draining soil.
Simply cut a leaf into 2 to 3-inch pieces and bury them about an inch deep in soil suitable for snake plants. Planting cuttings should be done with their upward-facing side facing the direction of growth.
Watering
Overwatering is one of the most common concerns with snake plants and other succulents. Because they struggle to withstand moist soil, these plants usually get root rot. Don’t water too frequently. Allow the soil to mostly dry out in between waterings.
Don’t just look at how the soil looks on the surface to determine when to water. Instead, carefully push a few inches of your finger or a wooden chopstick into the mud. Delay watering if you detect any wetness or if the soil sticks to the chopstick.
If possible, draw water from the deepest part of the pot. This encourages the establishment of deep, downward roots, which aid in supporting the massive, towering leaves.
During the winter, when the plant isn’t actively developing, waterless more regularly than you would in the spring and summer.
Water only as frequently as is required to keep the leaves from puckering during the low-light winter months (October through February), but no more frequently than every two weeks.
Fertilizer
Although snake plants don’t need much fertilizer, fertilizing them a few times in the spring and summer will help them grow a little more. For indoor plants, you can use any fertilizer; to determine how much to use, read the instructions on the fertilizer’s container.
Special Note for Caring:
- The ideal places are those that are shaded by the hot sunlight.
- Water just when the soil feels dry, which should be around 3 inches down during the vigorous summer growing season then thoroughly rinse. Water sparingly when necessary to maintain the look and feel of the leaves over the winter.
- In the spring, split and replant. Take a piece with roots and leaves and place it in a pot with good-draining potting soil.
- The broad, flat leaves are prone to dust accumulation; if necessary, wipe them clean with a moist cloth.
- Snake plants can grow swiftly and may need to be divided every year under optimal conditions.
- If kept in a pot, a snake plant can occasionally bloom. Fragrant clusters of greenish-white blooms are present on tall spikes.
- Once every four months, give them fertilizer.
Types of Snake Plant
Masoniana Sansevieria
(i)”Whale Fin”
The broad, enormous leaves of these amazing snake plants resemble a whale breaking the water’s surface.
Sansevieria trifasciata
It is the snake plant species that are most prevalent. Tall, dark-green leaves with bands of light grayish-green alternate with darker bands.
(i) Bantel’s Sensation’
Narrow leaves are up to three feet long and have white vertical lines. Finding this kind of variety can be challenging.
Sansevieria hannai
(i) “Bird’s Nest,”
Short, broad, dark and light green leaves are arranged in a tight, bromeliad-like nest formation. This variety doesn’t need a lot of light to survive. Only 6 to 8 inches are grown on leaves.
(ii) The “Golden Hahnii”
Similar to the common “Bird’s Nest,” but with yellow-variegated leaf edges.
Cylindric Sansevieria
(i)”Cylindrical Snake Plant”
As the name implies, this snake plant has cylindrical leaves that end at a sharp point.
(ii) “Starfish Snake Plant”
The cylindrical leaves of the starfish snake plant fan out from its base, giving it the appearance of a starfish.
Benefits of Snake Plant
Promotes Mental Health
According to research from 2018, the premise that plants play a good function is well established, even though the benefits of indoor plants on mental health still need more in-depth research.
Horticultural therapy is even utilized to treat mental diseases because of its therapeutic benefits.
Due to its therapeutic properties, horticultural therapy is even used in the treatment of mental illnesses.
A low-cost, low-risk option to improve the atmosphere in companies, schools, and healthcare institutions is by adding indoor plants.
Enhanced Sleep
You can find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep in this stressful existence. A poor sleep schedule can result in excruciating headaches, eye pain, and a lack of focus. Your productivity suffers, and you can experience more unwelcome stress as a result.
Take a deep breath if these are the things that upset you. To your rescue are the benefits of snake plants in the bedroom. Once more, better air quality is the answer, owing to this plant’s ability to purify the air. You get a better night’s sleep that is of higher quality.
Place your snake plant close to your side table if it blooms, where it will provide a sweet scent that may promote deeper sleep.
In addition to releasing oxygen at night and capturing dust particles, snake plants can help you sleep more soundly. More restful sleep is promoted by inhaling aromatic plants before bed, according to other studies.
Eliminate harmful contaminants
Snake plants remove harmful air pollutants. It can absorb cancer-causing chemicals in tiny amounts, such as:
- Xylene
- Formaldehyde
- CO2
- Benzene
- Trichloroethylene & Toluene
- Formaldehyde
Snake plants can absorb cancer-causing chemicals in tiny amounts, such as:
This plant may provide a powerful barrier against allergies brought on by airborne pollutants due to their capacity to absorb and eliminate these toxins.
Purify the air inside, even at night.
Like other household succulents, snake plants aid in air filtering. Because it is one of the few living things that can convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen at night, this particular plant is unique. This quality makes it the ideal plant for bedroom décor because it can maintain healthy airflow.
Effective at preventing allergies
By releasing oxygen and moistening the air, snake plants can help reduce the effects of airborne allergens like dust and dander.
Low indoor air quality has been linked to a number of health issues, including allergies and asthma, so this is certainly favorable.
Cancer-fighting plant
Cancer-causing substances like toluene, xylene, benzene, and formaldehyde are removed by snake plants. They tidy up the surrounding area.
Effective for Allergies
Snake plants could be beneficial if you have allergies that are airborne.
Snake plants release oxygen and moisture while absorbing airborne toxins. In order to reduce allergy symptoms, the created clean air functions similarly to an air purifier.
The benefits of indoor snake plants include removing more dust and pollen from the air and catching it. Despite the lack of scientific proof, people report positive outcomes from having these in their bedrooms.
A snake plant can be placed close to your bed to improve air quality, promote restful sleep, and reduce your risk of respiratory allergens like stuffy nose, sore throat, and asthma.
Snake plants are a wonderful addition to the house or office since they have so many positive effects on health, beauty, and feng shui.
This low-maintenance plant will fit right in with your surroundings. In addition, buy plants online to transform your life into a lush paradise.