How to Grow a Sansevieria Plant - Care Guide

Sansevieria Plant

Sansevieria trifasciata

Mother-in-Law's Tongue Plant - Snake Plant

A Sansevieria Plant, originally from South Africa, is another hardy almost impossible to kill houseplant that thrives on neglect. Sansevieria plants, also called a Snake plant and Mother in Law’s Tongue plant, can be used as table plants or, when taller, stately floor plants. Certain varieties such as the “Trifasciata” have long, thick, stiff, upright leaves that can reach 4ft. in length while other varieties, such as the Hahni, have very short compact leaves that are only 4”. NASA lists the Sansiviera plant as an excellent clean air plantCertain houseplants clean the air of harmful chemicals..

These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants

Sansevieria

Light

A sansevieria can be placed anywhere in a room from the darkest corner to the brightest window. The better the light, the faster a sansevieria grows.

Water

Over-watering is the main reason sansevieria plants die. Allow the soil to dry out before watering. During the winter, in a low lightWhen you select “Low Light” a list of the most adaptive plants in our database appears. These plants can live in lighting conditions too low to support any other plants in our database, but will grow faster in medium and high light. Variegation (color) in the leaves is often lost in low light. A plant in low light needs less water and fertilizer than the same plant in better light. Place a low-light plant within 2-3 ft. of a window with a northern exposure, 3-5 ft. of a window with an eastern exposure, 4-10 ft. of a window with a western exposure, and 10-18ft. of a window with a southern exposure. A low light area has between 50-150 ft. candles of light. The best low light house plants are: Chinese Evergreen, Dracaena Janet Craig, Peace Lily, Heart leaf Philodendron. area, a sansevieria plant may need water only once a month.

Fertilizer

Feed a Sansevieria monthly when the plant is actively growing with a Cactus plant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Never use a fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small. that contains nitrates.

Temperature

Sansevierias grow well in temperatures between 60°F (15.5°C) and 85° F (29°C)

Humidity

Prefer low humidity.

Flowering

Sansevieria plants may produce flowers every few years during the summer. Flower production occurs when the plant is in bright lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. and experiencing some stress. Stress for a Sansevieria might be severely dry soil or being root-bound in a small pot. The flowers of a Sansevieria, which appear as clusters on long spikes, are fragrant but not particularly pretty.

Pests

Sansevieria plants seem to be immune to house Plant PestLearn how to identify and treat the plant pest called Whitefly at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/whitefly-plant-pestss.

Diseases

Red Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants. and root rot caused by over- watering.

Soil

Plant in a good, rich, organic soil that drains quickly. If the soil in the pot isn't draining well, add some sand.

Pot Size

Like to be root-bound in small pots.

Propagation

plant divisionLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary or leaf cuttings. When using leaf cuttings to propagate a Sansevieria, allow the cut end of the leaf to dry out for a few days before planting it.

Clean Air Plant

These are are excellent Clean Air PlantsCertain houseplants clean the air of harmful chemicals. that remove benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.

Poisonous Plant Info

A Sansevieria is a mildly poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. plant with a #1 levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222****** Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant. Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties. Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur. Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening. Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets. See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants toxicity.

Do Sansevieria Plants ever flower?

A Sansevieria Plant, in bright lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. and under stressful conditions (pot-bound or very dry), may produce flowers every few years. The Sansevieria Plant sends out long spikes filled with numerous small fragrant white or cream-colored flowers. These flowers won’t slow the plants growth or shape, so enjoy them.

Why are the leaves on my Sansevieria Plant brown and mushy at the base and fall off when I touch them.

Brown mushy leaves on a Sansevieria Plant means you over-watering your Plant. Remove all of the damaged leaves and re-pot the plant into a smaller container with new DRY soil. Place your Sansevieria in a warm sunny location and don’t water until the soil is totally dry.

How do I propagate my Mother in Law’s Tongue plant?

There are a couple of ways to propagate a Mother in Law’s Tongue. The easiest way is by plant divisionLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary. You can also use leaf cuttings to propagate a Sansevieria Plant. When using leaf cuttings, cut some leaves into 4” segments, allow the cut ends to dry out for a few days, then plant two or three segments per small pot.

Why are Sansevieria Plants called Mother In Law’s Tongue Plants?

Sansevierias are sometimes referred to as a " Mother in Law's Tongue Plant" because the leaves are long, sharp, and pointed. If you happen to nibble on one of the leaves, your mouth may become numb. People who don't get along with their Mother- in- Law find a connection with this description.