Sansevieria; Mother-in-law's tongue; Viper's bowstring hemp

Why We Love the Snake Plant

High-impact but very low-effort, a Snake Plant is the perfect beginner’s plant. It'll handle neglect, low light or missed watering and just keep on looking fabulous.

Snake Plant Care Tips

Light Watering

They don't need a lot of water, particularly in winter. Give a drink when her soil feels dry, about every few weeks

Dusting

Every now and again - just whenever you remember - give the leaves a light wipe to keep her pores free of dust.

Most light Conditions

It will thrive in almost all light conditions (though not a windowless room). More is better, but anything is fine.

About Snake Plant

If you’ve never taken care of a plant before and want an easy start, Snake plants are the one for you. You’d have to try pretty hard to actually kill one. They thrive on neglect, responding best to the lightest of watering and then just being left alone. They’re a great bedroom plant as they pull toxins from the air during the day then release oxygen at night.

Low-key as they are, Snake plants have been treasured all over the world. In Nigeria, they’re associated with Ogun, the deity of war. In other parts of Africa, they’re connected to Oya, the bringer of storms. In China, they’re the ‘Tiger’s tail orchid’; in Japan, the ‘Tiger’s tail’; in Brazil, the ‘Sword of Saint George’; in Russia, ‘Pike’s tail’. Basically, this plant is pretty famous.

Did you know?

Another nickname for this plant is ‘Viper’s bowstring hemp’, because its strong fibres were once used to make strings for bows.