Plant of the Week: Snake Plant
Common name:
Snake Plant
Mother-in-law’s Tongue
Botanical name:
Dracaena trifasciata
(previously Sansevieria trifasciata)
Snake Plants are a clumping, broadleaf evergreen houseplant in the Asparagaceae (asparagus) family. It is native to West Africa. Snake plants are a relatively easy plant to care for, and can do well in low light settings. This makes it an optimal plant for office settings or places around the home with low light.
- Light Requirements: Snake plants can tolerate a range of light from bright indirect light to low light conditions.
- Water Requirements: Allow the soil to become just dry before watering, then water deeply. Be careful not to overwater the snake plant, or let it sit in water. This can lead to root rot. Yellowing leaves are a sign of overwatering.
- Characteristics: Snake plants are easily recognizable due to their sword shaped leaves. Leaves can be green, striped, or outlined in yellow.
- Uses: Along with many other houseplants, snake plants contribute to cleaning the air in their environment.
- Interesting Facts: This plant is visible on the porch in Grant Wood’s 1930 painting, American Gothic
- Varieties:
- Dracaena trifasciata ‘Hahnii’: Also called bird’s nest snake plant, ‘Hahnii” grows to just six inches tall.
- Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’: This variegated cultivar has creamy yellow leaf margins.
- Dracaena trifasciata ‘Twisted Sister’: Twisting leaves bear horizontal stripes with yellow variegated edges. It grows to 15 inches tall.
- Dracaena Trifasciata ‘Golden Flame’: ‘Gold’ or ‘Golden Flame’ cultivar sports gray-green foliage that has yellow-gold patternation.
The snake plant originally comes from the dry and rocky areas of tropical Africa
Snake plants are related to aloe and agave! All are in the same family – Asparagaceae
As snake plants age, they might burst into sudden, surprising bloom – small sprays of greenish-white, fragrant flowers
Snake plants like to be very snug in their pots, and don’t mind being root-bound!
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