Gardening Life 365 ™

If you’re new to gardening or just want a low-maintenance plant, the snake plant is for you! This very hardy, slow-growing plant is one of the easiest to care for. It adapts well to high and low light conditions and requires minimal watering.

Some may know the snake plant as bowstring hemp or mother-in-law’s tongue. But its botanical name is Dracaena trifasciata, which was recently changed from Sansevieria trifasciata. The plant was reclassified because of its many similarities to the Dracaena species. Although many people still refer to it as Sansevieria.

Native to West Africa, this tropical plant thrives in warm weather and can be grown in or outdoors. Snake plants must stay in warmer climates when planted outside. Zones 9-11 are recommended. As an outdoor plant, it is considered an evergreen perennial with a very long life span, growing up to 8 feet tall.

As an indoor plant, the snake plant is popular in home spaces and office settings because of its compact upright growth. This beautiful plant provides a modern, contemporary, and elegant look. It has thick, stiff, sword-like, shaped leaves with dark green variegated yellow leaves and a yellow border. The snake plant also helps purify the air of toxins, such as formaldehyde and nitrogen oxide, while also improving oxygen levels.

Note: Our flower facts and care are based on an indoor snake plant.