Snake plant, mother-in-law’s or devil’s tongue, ribbon plant and friendship tree are just some of the common names for this houseplant. Even botanically it can cause confusion as for many years it went under the name of sansevieria but is now classified under dracaena since DNA testing proved its closer relationship to other dracaena. However, you call it, snake plant is a versatile and easy-care houseplant.
Hailing from the tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar and parts of Asia, snake plants have uses beyond the ornamental among the indigenous communities where they are native. Dracaena trifasciata has been used to make rope and textiles in Africa, while in Malaysia it has been used as a remedy for ear infections.
As a houseplant it also has some interesting attributes. It is one of the top plants for air purification, being able to pull harmful VOCs out of the atmosphere and in turn (as all plants do when they photosynthesize) release oxygen into the air. It is also a propitious plant if you follow Feng Shui, as snake plants represent protection and energy, so that the correct placement is believed to protect against negative energy and bring prosperity into the home.
However, as far as plant lovers are concerned, it is their versatility and ease of care that wins over converts. They are succulents, but a type that can tolerate a range of light conditions. Most snake plants found in garden centers are generally adapted to lower light conditions, as it can be hard to find plants to take the darker corners of our homes. But if you have the opportunity, they will appreciate time outdoors during our warm summer months – just put them somewhere shady as they cannot adapt quickly to a change in light intensity. And given the right conditions some will flower. If you are lucky to have one bloom look closely at the shape of the flowers as they bear a strong similarity to those of other dracaena such as the corn plant, D. fragrans. But even without ever seeing any flowers, it is the varied and eye-catching leaf patterns along with a tolerance of infrequent watering that make this plant such a hit.
There are many varieties of snake plants, but those in our stores generally fall into a couple of groups appearance-wise.
D. trifasciata comes in many varieties. A number of them grow long, strappy leaves about 3’ tall, while others, cultivars of D. Hahnii for example, are commonly known as bird’s nest snake plants and form compact rosettes around 6-8” tall. Cultivars can have various patterns such as horizontal or vertical stripes and can also include variegation in their patterning which can be yellow, white or multiple shades of green.
D. angolensis commonly known as bowman’s hemp, African spear or in Brazil as St. Barbara’s sword is a 7’ tall plant with cylindrical leaves. It too has several cultivars such as the starfish snake plant, D. angolensis var. patula Boncel and this is also the snake plant that you can find braided. This is also a species that flowers regularly compared to others.
As mentioned, they are not difficult to care for. They can go weeks without water, but to prevent them starting to shrivel, check on them every two to three weeks. One thing to mention is that they are not pet-safe, however unless you have a pet prone to chewing things, they are not appealing to pets in that regard.
If your snake plant is happy, it will ultimately push up new shoots surrounding the original plant so that in time it will either need a larger pot, or dividing, if a larger container is not desired. The rhizomes are quite tough so a knife can sometimes be necessary to divide them. When potting, use a free-draining cactus and succulent mix and you should continue to have many years of enjoyment from your plant. As an interesting aside, while it is possible to grow snake plants from leaf cuttings, the colorful cultivars do not come true to the parent and you will end up with a plain green leafed plant, which is in a way unusual as this is not what you see in garden centers!
This article cannot do justice to all the remarkable cultivars of snake plants available, but if you are looking for a plant that comes in many sizes, leaf shapes, colors and patterning that doesn’t demand much snake plants are for you.
Sources:
15 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know About Snake Plant – CactusWay
