Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii'
'snake plant' or 'mother-in-law's tongue'
AGAVACEAE

A photo from a reader: Thought you might like this photo of my neighbour's Snake Plant . It has just flowered and he has never seen it before although he is a professional gardener.
Best Wishes, Colin

Q: I am new to house plants (before, a wild, avid gardener), and now have a glorious snake plant--but I discovered that many of its leaves are covered in many many many small hard brown scab like things. I suspect this is scale, and have washed the leaves with your soapy-water-mix--but I thought snake plants were nearly impervious to pests: what do you think, is it really scale?

Never heard of scale on a snake plant. The "A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants" says sometimes mealybugs and spidermites can occur on snake plants. That's all. If you think it may be scale and the soap spray does not do it, then try rubbing (scraping) the snake plant with one of those plastic kitchen pot scrubbers (gently). That should scrape them off, then apply the soap spray so they don't re- attach.

Another reader writes and sends photos: Our sanseveria is in extraordinary bloom now and we too experienced a strong gardenia type scent that emits only at night when the blooms are most "fairy" like.  Preceding the bloom stalks came 2 soft looking, very yellow mushrooms, one at a time, which have turned very gray and leathery looking in one night.  The blooms came and opened and now a 3rd mushroom has arrived.   Any connection between events?  The nectar droplets at the base of the flower heads is significant.  Symbiotic relationship of any sort?  Our daughter repotted this 18 year old plant this summer after we started losing some stalks (over watering) and the weight of some were problematic.  Then we relocated it in our sunroom.  Could the mushrooms present any danger to us and how do you think they came to be? Savannah, GA. 

---

Q: When it is time to divide the snake plant, it is acceptable to gently pull and break apart the thick root-ball? Or is it better to cut it with a sharp knife? Or what?

A: Divide in the spring is best. I either just break the root ball apart or, it that is difficult, then help it with a sharp knife.

Q: Hello just read thru your page on snake plants. I grew up around them but never paid attention to my g-moms methods. I just bought a small one and today my daughter just bought me another one not the tall growing ones but the shorter one. Anyway my daughter says to water it like you do a bromeliad by putting water into to the middle of the leaves. Somehow, I don’t think that is right.

A: Yes, the short kind look temptingly like a bromeliad with a convenient water holder in the middle.

But DON'T.

Very hardy plants and about the only thing you can do to kill them is to overwater them. They droop and rot easily.

In winter, let them go bone dry between waterings. In the summer you can water them every couple of weeks, but never keep them anything like what you would call "moist".

Q: Is there an ideal soil mix for snake plants?

A: I use sifted compost for almost everything. Potting soil will do it. The "A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants" says "2-parts soil based potting mix and one part coarse grit."

Q: The strangest and unexpected thing happened recently with our beautiful and tall snake plant. We have it since approximately 20 years and it started to flower, few days ago, without us noticing it.

A very strong smell "invaded" our apartment and we were trying to find the origin of that smell everywhere but in our place. It started every evening like on a timer, from about 6.30PM through the night (?), and disappeared the place during the day.

After enquiring without success (outside our windows, neighbors), this is only by chance that we found out that our snake plant had flowers, and this strong and recognizable smell was coming from them.

Can you tell us if it is one of the peculiarities of these flowers to send their smell only after sunset? We are very amazed and puzzled by this phenomenon.

A: We have had snake plants forever and have rarely seen a bloom. I put a photo of the only bloom we caught on our web page.

None of our plant books says anything about only blooming at night. One of the houseplant books says, "flowers on tall spikes appear unpredictably on mature plants when they are grown in full sun." and another says, "Flowers on the Snake appear when the plant is pot bound, on leafless stalks. They're scented and green-yellow, and not very amusing."

Q: I have several snake plants that used to be beautiful. Lately, they are all dying. The leaves are getting puckered, soft, and falling over. I do not know if I am over or under watering. I have tried both and nothing seems to work. Hope you have an answer for me.

A: Too much water. Let it go bone dry in between watering. Keep in bright light but not full sun. It will acclimate to severe conditions and survive.

In the winter, I leave mine indoors away from the window and maybe water once every six weeks. In the summer I put them outside and ignore them. Mine are in the shade, although can adapt to full sun. The only thing they cannot adapt to is too much water.

Q: I have a snake plant and I was curious if it should be watered more in the spring and summer time or just keep the same watering schedule that I have which is about once a month.

Q: I have a snake plant and it is almost in direct sun, should I be watering it more now in the spring and summer months?

A: Water about once a month is about right. Let it go dry between waterings. With this plant, neglect is good. Too much water will kill it. Plants can get used to different conditions so yours may be doing ok in sunlight, but in general, sunlight is not good for it. Bright (indirect) light to even less light is good.

In the winter mine are in a bright kitchen but not near the window (under the rubber tree, actually) and they summer outside in the shade.

Q: I am looking for a hardy houseplant but am worried about my cats safety.  Is a snake plant a good choice to create a safe environment?

A: There is a great pet and plant web site http://www.sniksnak.com/plants.html that has two lists "non-toxic" and "toxic" plants for pets. The snake plant (Sansevieria) is listed as non-toxic.

 

We get quite a few e-mails about dogs that actually die from eating part of a houseplant or outdoor plant. Cats, I think, are a lot smarter, although we have gotten a few e-mails about cats getting sick.

 

We have had cats forever and with all our houseplants (always 100-200 indoors in the winter) have never had a problem with them eating one that is poisonous. But, better safe than sorry. Snake plants should be ok.

Q: I have a problem with my snake plant. The stem falls down and when I pull it out of the pot, the bottom stem is dripping wet. Then a week later another one does the same thing. Now I'm down to five stems left. I repotted it this weekend to see if it will happened again. What could be the problem?

A: I suspect you are overwatering..................once a month is good for these guys.

Q: I have a mother-in-laws tongue that from time to time a leaf will wither from the bottom up. Too much water or what? I inherited the plant with the house so I don't know how old it is. But it has some pretty tall leaves. Could you tell me what I am doing wrong? Thank you

A: The sansaveria requires very little water and especially in the winter, it can go long periods without any nourishment and water. If a leaf withers oddly it may mean it does need some moisture....

If it gets mushy, it is beginning to rot.

This is a pretty iron cast plant. Neglect it and it survives and not only that, it thrives.

Mine just went into bloom after being neglected all summer under a shrub.

Q: I have been trying to propagate my snake plant and am constantly having a problem with mold. Within a few days I have a moldy, mushy mess. I am using a cactus-type potting soil and cutting leaf sections approximately 4" long. How do I prevent the mold?

A: Make sure after you cut the snake plant into pieces, cure for a day or two, even three.

Use perlite and sand if you can. Do not water ......even a couple of weeks or more would be ok.

Mold means moist so keep things as dry as possible.

A cactus mix should be ok but I suspect there is still some peat in it. Add perlite to the mixture.

Q: I am hoping you can offer a solution to a little problem that I am having with a dear old indoor snake plant of mine. The plant had been in the same pot for several years, but seemed to be growing out of it, so I repotted it in a larger pot. I was surprised to see that it had very short roots, and that each stalk was an individual bulb! Anyway, ever since the replanting, several stalks have died and I have no idea what is wrong!! It still receives the same care it has thrived on for years, the only change is the repotting. I am at wits end, any help would be greatly appreciated....Thank you!!

A: When repotting, one should only pot up to the next size. There is always that factor of stress and strain when one repots and this may be a sign of your activity.

Do not overwater and perhaps a clay pot is the best medium to use.

There should be a high degree of drainage and no fertilizer should be given until the plant acclimates itself for a few weeks.

Placing in the shade and summering out may help to renew your plant.....

The roots are really a mass of root and just that - there is no bulb involved.

Prune off the dying stalks and lessen the effort going to those leaves.

These plants like to be pot bound. And before you know it will be.

Q: I have a yard full of snake plants and recently re-sodded the yard. I pulled up all the snake plants I could see but they are growing back and are interfering with the sod taking root. Is there any way to get rid of them permanently? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

A: It sounds like you have real strong root systems going on for the sansveria to be returning so easily. I am afraid manual digging is the safest method so you will not curtail and kill the root system of your new sod. If you use a herbicide this will injury the roots of the sod.

Can you roll back the sod and so some digging?

Just keep snipping the new growth, eventually they will die back from injury.

Q: My snake plant is about 13 years old and has always done well, has leaves up to 4' tall.

Over the past several months, the leaves started getting brown on the edges (in small areas) and tips. The color would slowly disappear and the tip turns brittle and stringy, some spread several inches down the leaf. Spots are forming in different areas of the plant.

Can you tell me why this is happening, I have several plants but this is my largest and favorite, sure hope you can be of some help.

A: I too grow lots of snake plants. Over watering and under watering seems to have the same effect of snake plants, leaving brown spots. Check closely that there is not an invasion of some minute insect, but I am inclined to think more of a disease or a watering problem. If the leaves become limp and mushy, start trimming off.

Q: I am considering a snake plant. Do you know if they are safe around cats?

A: This is a good site for reference for many plants for pets: www.sniksnak.com .

I have grown the snake plant for almost 35 years and my cats have not bothered them at all. 

Q: Can you put snake plants in a flower garden? I am planning to do a succulent garden but everywhere I look, it references snake plants as indoor plants or only for growing in a pot.

A: Snake plants generally are thought of as houseplants (Victorian era) because they are native to Indonesia and Africa. Which means they need close to that climate year round. I summer mind outside and barely have them winter over in an 8b zone.

So unless you can provide that in your rock and succulent garden they might not return year after year or withstand the winter temperatures.

You might want to think about having them remain in their pot and countersink them for the effect of being in your flower garden.

Q: My snake plant has been growing very strong for the last 5 maybe 6 years -- I think (I KNOW) my husband and I were watering it too many times this winter -- There are a lot of weeds around it. How can I save it please help.

A: Yes, you can save your snake plant by repotting it all in drier potting soil. Use a clay pot as a container..... summer it outside.....If rot has started cut away until it is clean.

Q: I recently purchased a very expensive vintage piece of pottery. I bought a snake plant to put in it and was wondering if the roots can grow large enough that it could crack the pottery?

A: Yes, in time the snake plant could possibly create enough pressure to crack a piece of pottery. Often times my clay pots are cracked by growing roots. However, this is over a long period and the plant has great maturity.
You will be able to catch such a thing happening way before it does. I would not hesitate planting in the piece of pottery.

Q: How on earth do I propagate a snake plant with no tips? I took 2 inch sections from the plant and it failed miserably. I've also tried putting the leaves in water (without tips) and that also failed. The plant I am trying to save was a gift 25 years ago from a friend's mother that has passed. There's a lot of sentimental value here - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

A: Sansevieria (snake plant) is best propagated by division and section cuttings. Root leaf cuttings from summer to autumn are the best time. Prepare a cutting box of perlite/vermiculite and sand. Keep moist but not wet. For added humidity you may use a plastic bag for coverage but remove or open up for circulation if it becomes too wet. using a rooting hormone compound will enhance root development. Rooting hormone also may contain some fungicide properties which will prevent damping off. Do not over use. Just dip the cut area and tap off excess.

Division is simply digging apart the existing plant and cutting apart the root mass and then repotting for new separate plants.

This plant does not root well in water.

Try again and good luck.

Q: I recently inherited a rather large snake plant. The plant stood tall and straight in its former home but from the moment it was removed from the truck it has been laying down. I am told it tipped over during transportation. I have staked & tied it but don't know if this will help.
What should I do to get it standing tall again?

A: Snake plants tend to grow talk and will be" top heavy" if not supported well in a big pot. I would replant in a larger pot/new sterile soil, water well, anchor in with a top dressing of medium size rocks. A clay pot would be
very good for this plant.

This is a plant that thrives on neglect.

Good bright light but not full sun

Water well and let it go dry (very dry) before watering again. Moist soil will not do well for this plant.

New shoots may appear in the spring.

If the leaves are 4 ft or higher you may have to trim some of the larger ones away.
The key is not to over water this plant.

You can stake with a bamboo pole or rod or yardstick to help support.

Good luck.

Q: I discovered my snake plant was standing in water in the decorative planter. It is soft and droopy. I tried replanting, but I am losing stalks rapidly. I've had this as a housewarming gift for 17 years, I don't want to lose it. It gets moderate to low light and low humidity, I water it weekly.

A: I am sorry to hear your misfortune.

Snake plants can literally go for weeks without any water so when it gets plenty and over plenty it needs to dry out for a loooooong period of time.

I would suggest potting it in a clay pot so it can 'dry' out in the shade.... and slowly bring it into brighter light.

If it is a huge plant you may want to divide in half and cut the tops off and then concentrate of getting the root system going again with one of the divisions. Hope for the others.

It may have drowned too long.