Plant bio: Snake plant – Sansevieria
Snake plant, sometimes more interestingly referred to as Mother in law’s tongue, is a low-maintenance indoor plant. One of my favorites, because it can put up with a variety of situations and does not complain. Snake plant is known to improve indoor air quality by absorbing airborne toxins. It’s a great plant to start with or if you already have a few indoor plants, it can be a great addition.
- Snake plant can tolerate high light, low light to almost no light! I have one in our bedroom next to a window facing West and the neighboring house shades out any late afternoon sun. Plus, the blind is always left drawn, minimizing what little light it gets even more.
2. Snake plant likes to dry out between waterings. Meaning, check the soil and it should feel dry below the surface before watering again. The more light it receives the more water it will require. And the other way around, the less light it receives, the less water it will need. Where my cave-of-a-bedroom snake plant resides, I only need to water once every two weeks. In a more regular situation, it’s more likely to need water once a week.
It’s also important to note that the pot it is planted in needs to have drain holes in the bottom. One drain hole is acceptable, but more is better in this scenario! I would recommend leaving it in the (cheap) plastic pot it comes in and use a more decorative pot as sleeve. The decorative sleeve does not need to have a drain hole, but it would be wise to make sure that the snake plant is never sitting in standing water, otherwise its roots will rot.
- It likes to be snug in its pot. So really, it prefers to be left in the pot is comes in even if it’s growing right up to the edge – no transplanting necessary.
Despite the nickname, mother in-law’s tongue, it is a very forgiving plant. If you happen to forget to water it, it will be just fine until you do remember. And it isn’t unusually susceptible to any pests or diseases. This no drama plant should last you years to come. Click here for more “no drama” interior plants.
We’ve been seeing some new and interesting varieties come through our greenhouse lately – Come in and take a look for yourself.
Happy Gardening!
Kate Wilson
