Sansevieria Laurentii

The snake plant, Sansevieria Laurentii, does great in a variety of light conditions and it’s likely the easiest houseplant for a forgetful plant parent.  There’s really not much to it, but here are some tips to keep it growing:

Watering

Wet it and forget it – for up to a month!  Seriously, this plant really thrives in dry soil and needs an occasional good dose of water – so, make sure the soil dries out between waterings.   See our watering guide for more information.

Light

This native of Africa and southern Asia thrives in bright light, but it can be maintained in medium- and low-light conditions for a long, long, time.

Nutrition

The Snake Plant will not need to be fed during the first 6 months after it has shipped. During this time, it will use the residual nutrients from nursery production. After 6 months, it can be fed quarterly with a complete fertilizer formulated for interior plants. Please refer to our nutrient guide for details.

Cleaning

It’s a bit of an odd-ball plant with mainly leaves that are vertical to the floor and less likely to accumulate dust.  When it does get some dust, dirt, or anything else on it (that prevents the full availability of light from reaching the leaf surface), break out a towel and wet the towel with a light soapy solution and stroke both sides of the leaves with it.  Easy peasy.

Pruning

Again, the Snake Plants odd growth habit makes it a lot different from most other houseplants.  Sometimes an older leaf will become yellow or brown.  When this happens, prune it all the back to at or below the soil level.  It’s important to get it all the way down and remove the entire leaf.

Bugs

We’ve rarely seen an insect on a snake plant.  Maybe a chance for mealybugs and scale.   If you see one, get out the soapy towel and wipe it off.

Trouble

In good light, this plant will not give you any trouble – provided you water it occasionally.