Snake Plant Varieties

The snake plant, or Sansevieria trifasciata, is a variety native to Africa and Asia. Also known by the peculiar name of Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, it is one of the most common house plants worldwide. The plant looks boldly at any area of the house it is placed in. The swordlike leaves and patterns are awe-worthy.

Aesthetics is not the only reason people wish to keep this plant in their homes. The snake plant is easier to grow than other indoor plants. It is truly one of the very few statement plants to keep in your home.

In reality, the snake plant has many benefits. It is a great indoor filter that helps remove toxic pollutants in the house. It helps eliminate allergies from the area. Additionally, it is known for its therapeutic effects. Horticultural therapy is one of the most used ways of treating patients with declining mental health.

Moreover, the snake plant is known to relieve minor physical ailments. It helps reduce inflammation and headaches and heal minor wounds and skin burns.

28 Snake Plant Varieties

If you’re thinking of increasing the beauty and improving the air quality of your home by welcoming a snake plant, you need to know which one to pick. You might be surprised to know that a snake plant comes in many shapes and sizes.

Let’s look at the different snake plant varieties and the best choice for your home.

African Spear Dracaena

The African Spear Dracaena has a mixture of long greenish-grey leaves with stripes. It stands out because of its cylindrical leaves. They can go up to seven feet tall and three feet wide. You can water these snake plants once every two weeks, and they are good to go. During winter, water the plant only once a month.

Aloe Guineensis

The Aloe Guineesis makes olive green leaves in the shape of a sword. It is one of the most unique-looking snake plants that go up to four feet. It needs moderate to bright secondary sunlight to grow and should be watered once a week during summer and monthly in winter.

Bantels Sensation Dracaena

The Bantels Sensation Dracaena has long and slim leaves with white stripes. This snake plant produces extensive vertical clusters of flower stalks in each stem. It can go up to three feet tall in bright sunlight. You have to water it once every two weeks and once during winter. 

Black Dragon

The Black Dragon is a dwarf snake plant, unlike others. However, that doesn’t compromise its beauty of it. It has dark green glossy leaves and goes up to ten inches tall. The plant might appear black when you first see it, but the dark green color eventually grows on you. They can produce vertical flowers that have a pleasing fragrance.

Black Gold

The Black Gold snake plant is recognized well by its bright yellow margins. It also has dark green leaves that grow in full and partial shade. It goes up to three feet and is one of the most low-maintenance snake plants. You can keep it in any area of the house, and it will thrive.

Birds Nest

The Birds Nest has broad dark leaves covered with white horizontal stripes on them. It goes up to one foot tall. The best part about this snake plant is that it grows and spreads quickly, making the area look beautiful. However, if you wish to propagate, separate the new growth. Flowers are rare; however, they are white and green when they bloom.

Blue Dracaena

The Blue Dracaena has beautiful thick leaves with pointed edges growing in two separate lines, making it look like a fan. It can get as tall as five feet and thrive under harsh conditions. The trick is not to water it too often. Once every week would do.

Ceylon Bowstring Hemp

The Ceylon Bowstring Hemp has green leaves with light green horizontal stripes that can go up to three feet. It has short but erect leaves. It doesn’t bloom; however, you will see green and white flowers when it does. It requires complete to partial sunlight to grow.

Cleopatra Dracaena

The Cleopatra Dracaena grows in the shape of a rose if you look at it from above. This variety has slow growth but is beautiful to look at. It requires warm and bright light, and you do not need to water it regularly. You can expect it to go no more than ten inches. It does get too heavy after a while, and you might want to look after the other plants growing next to it.

Dracaena Ballyi

Dracaena Ballyi makes cylindrical leaves that have brown tips. This snake plant can go up to six inches tall. It is best known as the Dwarf snake plant. Moreover, a smaller variety named Minnie has small leaves and can grow around two inches wide.

Dracaena Burmanica

The Dracaena Burnanica snake plant has thirteen leaves that grow on it. It can go up to three feet tall. Since it is native to hot regions in the tropical areas of Africa, it prefers warm and bright weather conditions. It also grows in the pattern of a rose which is stunning when fully grown. The leaves’ edges are said to turn white with time.

Dracaena Concinna

The Dracaena Concinna is also on the shorter snake plant side, growing to only 1.5 feet. Thus, it is not as popular as other snake plants. However, this variety has unique leaves that look like spoons and grow in bright sunlight. The flowers that grow on this variety have the most beautiful colors, purple and white.

Dracaena Liberica

The Dracaena Liberica has dark green leaves when it grows; however, they turn grey when it matures. They can be as tall as four feet or even more when fully grown. In some areas, it is known to be an environmental weed, and cultivating it will spread its intense colonies uncontrollably.

Dracaena Longiflora

The Dracaena Longiflora is up to four feet tall and blooms beautiful white flowers every summer. The scent is lovely. The snake plant has dark, smooth green leaves that grow up to four feet.

Dracaena Patens

The Dracaena Patens has leaves that are V-shaped and curved with light green streaks. It grows up to three feet tall and is one of the most flowering snake plants. Once it starts growing, the foliage will show more of a navy-blue shade. The white-gray flowers might take you by surprise every year.

Father-In-Law’s Tongue

Dracaena Aubrytiana, best known as the Father-in-Law’s Tongue, reminds you of a beautiful marble because of its marble effect and dark glossy green leaves. It grows up to two feet tall. It has large leaves and is easy to grow. It is not known to produce flowers.

Fernwood Mikado

The Fernwood Mikado is an evergreen perennial that grows thin foliage and pale green leaves that appear cylindrical. However, these grow in a unique pattern and have a much larger width than the others.

Fischeri Singularis Dracaena

The Fischeri Singularia Dracaena is primarily an indoor plant; however, it can grow outdoors in the right climatic conditions. There are primarily found in offices and are known to survive the most challenging weather conditions. If you have an indoor garden, these can be your go-to plant. It also produces flowers that have a pleasant scent. The speed of growth will depend on the sunlight, temperature, and type of soil it has.

Francisii Dracaena

The Francissi Dracaena is a different type of snake plant as it grows and looks apart from the rest. It makes thick and entire rows of leaves that have deep green lines. It produces greenish-white flowers. This snake plant can go up to two feet tall.  

Gracillis Dracaena

The Gracillis Dracaena is a light green leaf snake with a rose and pointed leaf type. It is three feet tall and needs full sun to grow properly. It has a beautiful spiral pattern. The best part about this snake plant is that it is known not just to produce stunning flowers in the late fall but also to produce berries

Jade Marginata

The Jade Marignata has dark green glossy leaves with stunning yellow streaks. It also comes under the dwarf category of snake plants. It is one of the most demanded succulents for home offices, offices, tabletops, etc. They look beautiful in any area of the house.

Moreover, it serves as an air purifier in any room you place it in. it produces oxygen at night and helps the area feel cleaner and more relaxed.

Kenya Hyacinth

The Kenya Hyacinth is distinguished by its bright green leaves. The name is such because of the fragrance it releases. This snake plant is known to bloom regularly, a rare trait not all snakes have.

Kirkii Star Dracaena

The Kirkii Star Dracaena produces fleshy leaves that lean more toward the ground as they mature. The crown shape is unique and adds to its beauty. It grows up to 3.5 feet tall and is known to grow in tropical regions.

Mason’s Congo Dracaena

The Mason Congo Dracaena will make the room toxin-free and allow you to enjoy the fresh air at home. The bigger the snake plant, the better the indoor air. It is on the larger side as it can go up to five feet. It almost looks like a whale’s fin! It is indeed one of the most stunning plants to keep.

Metallica Siam Silver

The Metallica Siam Silver produces soft green leaves with gray lines vertically. However, you don’t often see it on the shelves. It has a haunting beauty due to its gray appearance, thus the silver in its name. It not only has sweet-scented flowers growing on it, but it also produces berries with striking colors of red and orange.

Moonshine Dracaena

The Moonshine Dracaena is unique because of its appearance. It truly looks like a snake plant from the moon. The perfect silver-green leaves are stunning and produce white flowers. However, this variety can only go to two feet tall.

Mother In Law Tongue

The mother-in-law’s tongue snake plant resembles that of a snakeskin. It has dark green leaves that have stripes all over them. Once fully bloomed, it will produce berries. They are as tall as snakes can be. The tallest they go is five feet.

Rhino Grass

The Rhino Glass snake skin has pointy yet cylinder shapes leave that have a gorgeous dark green color. It produces pink flowers that have a tint of blue in them. Small yet stunning, this snake plant grows in the summertime. It grows in two rows, and once it has matured, it becomes lengthwise indented.

Final Thoughts

These snake plant varieties are certainly ones that you can keep indoors and outdoors. The best part about these snake plants is that they can blend in anywhere and don’t require as much maintenance as other plants. They are highly drought-tolerant and can grow in severe weather conditions. Besides adding to the overall look of your house, they also improve its air quality. There are many varieties, so we are hopeful you will find one that fits your home’s aesthetics.