Dracaena trifasciata

Common Names

Snake Plant, Mother-In-Law’s Tongue, Saint George’s Sword, Golden Birds Nest, Good Luck Plant, Bowstring Hemp, African Bowstring-Hemp, Viper’s Bowstring Hemp, Lengua De Suegra, Espada De São Jorge

Summary

Snake plant is native to Africa and forms a clump of stiff, upright sword shaped leaves arranged in a basal rosette, leaves are green with banding and some cultivars have yellow margins, such as Laurentii, Moonshine, and Bantel’s Sensation, typically reaching about 0.7 to 1 m tall in common indoor settings (some cultivars up to about 2 m), it is a hardy, drought tolerant evergreen, CAM photosynthesis enables night time oxygen release, and blooms are rare indoors with small greenish white to cream flowers, in cultivation, it prefers loose, well draining soil and is drought tolerant, with watering when the top 1 to 2 inches are dry and winter watering roughly every 1 to 2 months, tolerates low to bright indirect light, with best growth in bright indirect light, repots infrequently (every 3 to 5 years), propagates by division or leaf cuttings, container friendly and suitable for indoor displays or interior landscapes, mildly toxic if ingested, watch for root rot from overwatering and pests such as mealybugs and spider mites, NASA air purification findings noted

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-4 feet

Spread

1-2 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 10–12

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade.

Soil Type

Loose, well-draining soil; cactus/succulent mix or sandy/loam soil.

Soil Drainage

Well-draining soil

Soil pH

6.0-8.0, Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline

Bloom Color

Greenish-white

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green, often with yellow margins or variegation including cream, gold, and white.

Fall Foliage Color

Green, yellow, and cream

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow; 3-6 inches per year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Division, Cuttings, Layering

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts moths during flowering