The sansevieria plant is otherwise known as snake plant, or mother-in-law’s tongue (because of its broad upright leaves) is a native West African tropical plant that ‘loves’ to be neglected. Strange right? Okay, I mean, it doesn’t mind being ignored as it’ll continue to bloom even in neglect. This has earned it the slogan – ‘the hard to kill plant.’
Its drought resistant properties and ease of growth make it the perfect indoor gardening plant to have in your home. It has also been proven by NASA to purify the air by removing toxins like formaldehyde and benzene from the air. Being a tropical plant, adding it to your tropical garden plan could be all your garden needs to liven up. The snake plant is an all-in-one type of plant that’ll bring so much functionality to your home.
You might be forgiven to think the snake plant is just a functional plant and doesn’t provide any aesthetic uses. But you’ve never been farther away from the truth. Its varying colors of green-yellow/gold or brown makes it a beautiful sight to behold. With over 70 different species of the snake plant, you cannot run out of designs to use.
Because of the numerous species available, you might find it difficult knowing the right one for you and your area. That is why I’ve come up with this piece containing some of the popular types of snake plants.
Sansevieria Trifasciata
Talking about types of snake plants, which better way to start this list than by the most popular snake plant. The leaves grow up to 3 feet in length and 2.5 inches in width. Its deep green color with lighter patches makes a nice contrast in your home.
Are you looking for a plant that can suit as both a front yard landscaping plant and an indoor décor? This snake plant type will do all that and more. It grows in well-drained soil and doesn’t require a lot of supervision from you.
Sansevieria Gracilis
This is for people looking for a smaller snake plant. This is one of the smallest you’ll find. Its leaves pointed and thin stay at just about 18 inches in length at maturity.
Its green and white color is a welcome hue, especially when it is in a desert landscape, which is usually pale and dry. This type blooms in late fall, and indirect light is ideal for its growth.
Black Gold
Deep green leaves and a striking golden edge. It is a perennial plant with stiff, straight leaves making it an excellent indoor decoration plant. This snake plant variety also strives in partial light and well-drained soil. The black gold grows up to 35 inches in height and 2.5 inches wide.
Futura Robusta
At 24 inches in length at maturity, This type is shorter than the typical snake plant. An ideal indoor plant that can be grown in the bedroom and with its grayish-green color, its twisted leaves makes a good impression as an ornamental plant.
Sansevieria Masoniana
Popularly called Shark’s fin due to its broad leaves. Short wide leaves with brown edges are some distinct features of this species.
Unlike some of the listed species, this snake plant variety loves the full sunlight and will not bloom in partial light.
Do not leave it in standing water and make sure the soil is dry before watering as the root is susceptible to rot. You also have to provide an alternative growing area as it does not do well during the winter.
Sansevieria Fischeri
At just 16 inches in height, it is even shorter than the sansevieria gracilis species. Its leaves are curved inwards and grow towards the sides rather than grow upright. Its dark green leaves with patches and brown edges mark it apart from the others.
Be prepared to enjoy its white tubular flowers in the summer. Like the shark fin variety, it loves the sun and needs to be taken inside during the winter.
Golden Hahnii
Pale green and a significant creamy edge are what describes this dwarf snake plant variety that grows just 10 inches at maturity.
Its size makes it a suitable pavilion table plant. Put it in a container matching the hue of the table for a more attractive look.
Sansevieria Cylindrica
Its likeness to the bamboo plant is due to its deep green color and cylindrical leaves. It has a typical height of 23 inches and is ideal when grown in pots indoors or among your outdoor landscape. Needs to be watered regularly for optimum growth.
Bantel’s Sensation
This is a taller snake plant variety at 32 inches, which can bring a different dimension to your indoor garden filled with shorter plants. Its narrow leaves, which grow upright,are bounded by white, which makes it seem like white leaves with green stripes in the middle.
Moonshine
This is a unique snake plant type. Its leaves, size, and colors are very different from what we’re used to and will surely attract attention if you put this in your home.
Its silvery-green hue is beautiful, pale, and shiny. Its broad leaves grow upright and not sideways and can grow up to 4 feet in height. It also has faint green lines running across its length.
Blue Sansevieria
No, it’s green and not blue, as the name may suggest. And its leaves seem to grow opposite to each other at up to 5 feet in length.Make sure the container has proper drainage channels and can be easily moved if you plan to take it indoors. It is diverse and can grow in any potting soil or regular soil mixture. It is prone to root rot so, be careful not to over-water.
Sansevieria Kirkii
Also known as the star sansevieria. It is, however, not very easy to find. Good things are hard to find, right? It is native to East Africa and has sturdy, lance-shaped leaves that are bounded by yellowish-brown edges with a pointed tip.
Even though the kirkii variety is easy to grow, it is a slow grower and may take up to 3 years to mature and produce smaller offsets that can be used for propagation. It is comfortable under indirect sun, but direct sunlight will damage the leaves and turn it yellow.
Sansevieria Cleopatra
One of the newest hybrid species of the snake plant family. It has beautifully patterned leaves with brown wavy edges growing up to 11 inches tall. It is also a slow-growing type and is not very common. Partial sun and well-draining soil are needed for this plant to grow optimally.
Verdict
These are just some of the popular types of snake plants out of the over 70 species of snake plants available right now. The snake plant, like most succulents,is easy to grow and manage. They are both functional and pleasing to the eyes. Get any of the listed species and enjoy both as an indoor décor and outdoor landscape design.
