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Verdejar

Snake plant care: watering and light

With its upright, sword-like leaves, the snake plant copes with low light, dry air and forgetfulness. What it can’t cope with is too much water. It comes from the dry regions of West Africa.

Snake plant needs water roughly every 12 days in summer and every 24 in winter (east-facing window, in a 16 cm plastic pot with a drainage hole). Before watering, always check with a finger in the soil: if it’s still damp, wait.

At a glance

Scientific name
Dracaena trifasciata
Also known as
Mother-in-law's tongue, Sansevieria
Preferred light
Bright indirect light
Difficulty
Easy
Tolerates drought
Yes
Tolerates shade
Yes
Where it lives
Indoors

Where to put it

A snake plant lives almost anywhere, from a dim corner to a sunny window. It grows best in bright light, where its markings get stronger, but it’s one of the few plants that will put up with a dim bedroom.

How to water

The thick leaves store water, so only water when the soil is completely dry, top to bottom. In winter, in cool or dark homes, waterings become very rare. Water the soil, not the centre of the rosette.

Use cactus and succulent compost, or multipurpose compost mixed with coarse sand, and always a pot with a drainage hole.

Common mistakes

It’s nearly always overwatering: soft leaves that yellow or flop over, and a soft, dark base. If the base rots, take the plant out of its pot, cut away the soft parts, let it air-dry for a day or two and repot it in dry compost.

How many days between waterings, spot by spot

Where it livesIn JulyIn January
South- or west-facing window11 days21 days
East-facing window12 days24 days
North-facing window19 days38 days
Hallway or corner with no window27 days54 days
Days between waterings, in a 16 cm plastic pot with a drainage hole. Worked out by Verdejar’s engine, northern hemisphere.

From the Journal