Snake Plant
The snake plant is the plant we recommend most often to people who tell us they kill everything. Its stiff, sword-shaped leaves stand straight up, banded in dark and pale green, and it asks for very little: a spot out of deep shade, a pot that drains, and water only once the soil has dried out completely.
Botanists now file it under Dracaena trifasciata, but you will still see the older name, sansevieria, on plant labels and in older books. Either way, it is the same plant.
At a glance
- Light: low to bright indirect light. It tolerates a dim corner but grows faster near a window.
- Water: every two to four weeks, once the soil is dry all the way down.
- Size: about 18 inches tall in a 6-inch pot, slowly reaching 3 feet.
- Pets: toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.
- Price: $28 for the 6-inch size, $64 for the 10-inch floor size.
Light
A snake plant will survive a long way from the window, which is why it sits near the top of our low-light plants. In a dim hallway, though, it may put out one new leaf a year. A few feet from a bright window, out of hot afternoon sun, it sends up new shoots every few months.
Watering
Overwatering is the only reliable way to kill one. The thick leaves store water, and roots left sitting in wet soil will rot. Push a finger or a wooden skewer into the pot, and if it comes back damp, wait. In winter, when growth slows, once a month or less is usually right. Our watering guide explains how to read the soil for any plant, not just this one.
Potting
We ship each plant in a plastic nursery pot filled with a fast-draining mix. If you repot, go up only one size and choose a pot with a drainage hole. A terracotta pot is a good match, because the clay wicks moisture away and the soil dries faster. Snake plants like being slightly crowded, so expect to repot every two to three years.
Pets
Snake plants are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Keep the plant out of reach of pets, and if one does eat part of a leaf, call your vet.
Is it the right plant for you?
Choose a snake plant if you want height and a clean, upright shape in a small footprint. If you would rather have softer, glossy leaves that arch outward, the ZZ plant is just as forgiving and handles even less light. Plenty of our customers end up with both.