Snake Plants
Since the early 20th century when their global popularity took off, Snake Plants have enjoyed a ubiquitous presence in indoor spaces around the world. Known for their toughness and tolerance of neglect, these plants have rightfully earned their place in shops, homes, and offices around the world. Also known as Mother-In-Law's Tongue and Saint George’s Sword, Snake Plants are succulent members of the genus Dracaena, though they were formerly classified under their own genus Sansevieria. The outdated term Sansevieria is still often used to distinguish them from the other, leafy tree-form plants in the genus Dracaena, such as the popular Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata)—another excellent houseplant.
Originally hailing from hot and dry regions of West Africa, Snake Plants have been used in many ways for a very long time. They have traditional uses in modern-day Nigeria for warding off evil, and they’ve also been used for making cordage, textiles, and bow strings with their long, tough fibers. During the time of European colonization, Snake Plants made their way around the world and took hold as a popular indoor plant during the Victorian Era in Europe, being prized for their tolerance of neglect and ease of care in various lighting conditions.
Snake Plants have evolved some amazing traits to help them survive in their native hot, dry regions of West Africa. Like many succulent plants, Snake plants have evolved the ability to photosynthesize using a water-saving method called Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM). Most plants, when photosynthesizing during the day, will open their stomata (microscopic pores on the surface of leaves) for the gas exchange required to make glucose, resulting in a large amount of water evaporation through the open stomata throughout the day. Conversely, plants that use CAM for photosynthesis will only open their stomata for gas exchange at night, resulting in much better water retention in comparison, as temperatures are cooler at night and evaporation is limited. When they open their stomata at night, these plants inhale all the CO2 needed for the following day’s photosynthesis and store it in the form of malic acid, while simultaneously exhaling all the oxygen that was the byproduct of the previous day’s photosynthesis. Why is this important? Well, apart from being a neat adaptation for survival, it also means that if you put a bunch of snake plants in your bedroom, they will be inhaling CO2 and pumping out fresh oxygen all night long, improving one’s health and quality of sleep. On top of night-time room oxygenation, they can also purify the air. In NASA’s 1989 study, Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement, the common Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata “Lorentii”formerly Sansevieria) was among twelve common houseplants studied for their air purifying abilities. It showed promise as an effective mechanism for removing several volatile organic compounds like benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene, and was the only one in the study to actively clean the air at night due to CAM. It should be noted that these studies took place in air-tight chambers with controlled levels of pollutants, so to be effective in cleaning the air in your home which is not air-tight, you’d likely need to fill your home with hundreds of plants (we won’t judge).
Snake Plant Care
Watering
Allow the soil of your Snake Plant to fully dry out between thorough waterings. If kept too moist, Snake Plants can easily succumb to rot. Due to the hot, dry conditions of their native West Africa, they’re adapted for drought and will be more tolerant of underwatering than overwatering.
Light
One of the enduring charms of the Snake Plants is their ability to survive in various light levels. They are tolerant of low light, making them a popular choice for low light conditions in homes and other interior spaces. That said, they will grow their healthiest when exposed to bright shade or even direct sun. In West Africa, they can be seen growing along the roads in full sun to full shade.
Repotting and Feeding
As with most plants, Snake Plants enjoy being snug in their pots and won’t benefit from a larger pot unless the plant has become root-bound. When root-bound, Snake Plants are even known to burst out of their pots when they’ve become too tight. The rhizomes (underground stems from which leaves emerge) will puncture through plastic nursery pots when they begin outgrowing them. Snake Plants are light feeders, meaning they do not need frequent fertilizing to maintain healthy growth. When fertilizing, use a weak concentration of nitrogen fertilizer during periods of active growth.
Snake Plants come in many shapes and sizes and bear striking patterns on their foliage. From the common tall ones (Dracaena trifasciata) that come in greens and yellow variegated forms, to the massive Whale Fin varieties (Dracaena masoniana), there is a Snake Plant variety that can fit the space and aesthetic of any home or office. There are skinny, round leaved varieties (D cylindrica), and there are even smaller, compact forms of D. trifasciata that grow in the shape of a rosette, known as Bird’s Nest Snake Plants, which are perfect for desks and smaller spaces where height is not ideal. Whatever space you may be trying to fill, there is a Snake Plant variety for you. Come visit any of our three Cactus & Tropicals locations in Salt Lake, Draper, and Midvale to pick up your very own Snake Plant today!
By Nathalie LeBaron