# Snake Plant (*Sansevieria trifasciata*)

The Snake Plant, also known as Mother-in-Law's Tongue, has tall, sturdy leaves that look like snakes. It's easy to care for and can grow in low light, making it a great plant for beginners.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Indoor
- **Also known as:** Mother-in-law's Tongue, Viper's Bowstring Hemp

![Snake Plant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sansevieria_trifasciata_flower.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Mlogic, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sansevieria_trifasciata_flower.jpg)

## Appearance

The Snake Plant has stiff, upright, sword-like leaves that can be dark green, often patterned with silvery-grey bands or golden edges. Its distinctive patterns and sharp, pointed tips make it visually different from most soft-leaved houseplants. Flowers are tiny, greenish-white, and grow on a tall spike.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Asparagaceae
- **Genus:** Dracaena

## Interesting facts

- Ancient cultures once used its strong fibers to make bowstrings, baskets, and clothes!
- Its unique leaves can grow over 6 feet tall, towering above many other houseplants!
- Snake Plants can survive weeks without water, making them super easy for beginners!
- This tough plant is often called 'mother-in-law's tongue' because it's so hard to kill!

## Special abilities

- **Night Breath Power:** Snake Plant can absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen at night, which helps it survive in hot, dry conditions by saving water.
- **Desert Drinker:** Snake Plant has thick, succulent leaves that store water, helping it survive long periods without rain or watering.
- **Underground Explorer:** Snake Plant can spread underground using rhizomes, which helps it find new space and resources to grow and thrive.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-120 cm
- **Spread:** 15-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring_summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Convolvulus Hawk-moth (*Agrius convolvuli*) — visits its fragrant night-blooming flowers for nectar.
- **Eaten by:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — sap-sucking pest that may occasionally infest leaves.
- **Eaten by:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — may chew on the plant's leaves in outdoor settings.

## Traits

- [Variegated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/variegated): Pertaining to plants with leaves or petals exhibiting different colors in patches or stripes.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Succulent](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/succulent): Succulent plants have thickened, fleshy parts, usually leaves or stems, adapted to store water in arid climates.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Foliage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/foliage)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Avoid touching the leaves as they can be sharp. Keep out of reach of pets and small children.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Snake Plant?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Snake Plant?

30-120 cm

### How wide does Snake Plant spread?

15-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Snake Plant?

0.5-1 cm

### When does Snake Plant bloom?

Spring_summer

### Is Snake Plant edible?

No

### Is Snake Plant toxic?

Mild

### What is Snake Plant's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Overbrook Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/overbrook-park) — Florida, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Snake Plant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/snake-plant)