very easy · windowsill
How to grow snake plant
The most forgiving houseplant there is. It tolerates low light, dry air, and being forgotten for weeks.
Dracaena trifasciata · Asparagaceae
Why bother
It is the plant most likely to survive a first-time grower, and it thrives in the low-light corners where nothing else will.
What it needs
- Light
- Anything from bright indirect to genuinely dim. Avoid harsh direct midday sun.
- Water
- Every 2-6 weeks, only once the compost is completely dry. Far more of these are killed by kindness than by neglect.
- Soil
- Cactus or succulent compost, or ordinary compost mixed with grit or perlite.
- Temperature
- 15-27C. Keep above 10C.
- Container
- A snug pot. It actually flowers more readily when slightly pot-bound.
- Time to harvest
- Not harvested — grown as a foliage plant.
Step by step
Day 0
Choose a gritty mix
Use free-draining compost in a pot with drainage holes. Getting drainage right at the start prevents the only real risk.
Day 0
Position it
Anywhere with some daylight. A north-facing room is perfectly acceptable.
Ongoing
Water sparingly
Water thoroughly, then wait until the compost is bone dry all the way through before watering again. In winter that can be six weeks.
Every 2-3 years
Propagate by division
When it fills the pot, tip it out and separate a rooted offset with its own roots into a new pot.
What usually goes wrong
Soft, mushy, yellowing leaf bases
Cause: Root rot from overwatering. This is the only common way to kill one.
Fix: Stop watering, tip it out, cut away any soft brown root, and repot into dry gritty compost.
Leaves creasing or folding lengthways
Cause: Underwatering — unusual, but it happens after many months.
Fix: Water thoroughly once and let it drain fully. Do not start watering frequently.