Snake plants, also known as Sansevieria trifasciata or Dracaena trifasciata or mother-in-law’s tongue, offer a bright splash of greenery year-round to brighten up any space in your home or office. This unique plant provides a multitude of benefits that make it an excellent choice you will not want to miss out on.
Snake plants offer benefits such as purifying the air, reducing airborne allergens, increasing oxygen, tolerating all levels of light, and producing oxygen 24 hours a day. They also have medicinal uses and can be used for horticultural mood therapy.
This article will explain all the benefits of having a snake plant in your home. It will also explain all disadvantages and the best places where you should keep your snake plant.
You should read on to find out everything you need to know about the mother in law’s tongue plant benefits.
What Are Snake Plants?
Snake plants, also known by their scientific name Sansevieria trifasciata, are a common houseplant that can bring in many health benefits. They have tall foliage with evergreen sword-shaped leaves that grow vibrantly straight up.
The leaves themselves come in various colors, including yellow, green, and variegated shades which makes them look attractive and appealing for any indoor environment. The plant’s twisted sister leaves which gives an ornamental appearance to the plant are the ones that would grow outward while the mother in laws tongue would grow towards the ceiling.
Perhaps one of the most notable benefits of snake plants is that they help in improving the indoor air quality by filtering out toxins out of the air. Snake plants produce oxygen through their “twisted sister” leaves, which makes them an excellent choice to maintain the indoor environment. Aside from this, they can also absorb airborne allergies, making them a perfect option for allergy-prone people.
Moreover, snake plants are attractive and aesthetically pleasing, which makes them ideal in maintaining feng shui. These plants can even help in promoting mental health by reducing stress levels, as well as providing an overall calming presence around the house. In addition to these benefits, Snake plants, also known as bird’s nest snake plant or cylinder snake plant, are very low maintenance, requiring minimal sunlight, and a well-drained soil to grow.
Overall, snake plants are a beneficial addition to any indoor environment, be it your home or office. They are beautiful and offer several health benefits that can help in maintaining a positive and healthy atmosphere around you.
Therefore, considering a snake plant is a wise choice for anyone who wants to adopt a healthier lifestyle and maintain a positive home environment while eradicating negative chi.
Is it Good To Keep a Snake Plant At Home?
The mother in law tongue plant is attractive and easy to maintain, requiring little water. However, they are considered mildly toxic, so they must be kept out of the reach of children and pets that like to chew.
They offer many great benefits in addition to looking lovely, making them an excellent asset in the home. From beautifully vibrant foliage to healthier air, snake plants are a smart choice for any home.
Snake plants are also considered to bring fortune to those who own them and keep them in their homes. Placing them in the ideal location absorbs negative energies and erases jealousy.
Top Snake Plant Benefits to Be Aware Of
If you’re looking to grow a snake plant, you should know of all the excellent benefits this plant offers. In addition to a beautiful plant in your home, you’ll have amazingly fresh air, an easy time caring for it, fewer allergies, and better sleep at night.
Not only that, but with its green leaves with white vertical stripes, it’s one of the most beautiful indoor plants you can grow as well.
Below, we’ll break down some of the top snake plant benefits to be aware of!
Ability to Purify the Air
Native to Africa and Asia, the snake plant is an excellent air-purifying agent. It goes so far as to remove certain toxins from the air, including toluene, benzene, xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde. Essentially, this behavior makes it an effective anti-cancer plant.
While removing these impurities, this plant produces a significant amount of oxygen and humidity. This combination results in the creation of extremely fresh air all the time. As you can see, one of the most important snake plant benefits is that it can dramatically improve indoor air quality by removing cancer-causing pollutants and alleviating indoor air pollution.
In 1989, NASA conducted a clean air study in which it evaluated the ability of plants, including low maintenance ones like snake plants, to remove chemicals from the air. NASA’s clean air study analysis was performed in response to the epidemic of sick building syndrome. It concluded that snake plants could filter volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).
The VOCs the study tested included benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde. Plants were placed in a hermetically sealed chamber with air contaminated with the VOCs, and they successfully cleaned the air. The snake plant was determined to be one of these plants.
See more: Indoor plants that clean the air and remove toxins
May Help Reduce Airborne Allergies
Because of the amount of oxygen and humidity added to the air, the snake plant has the potential to help reduce your allergy symptoms. It can reduce the effects of dust and dander in the air. With these allergens pulled from the air, breathing will be much easier.
Poor indoor air quality goes hand in hand with asthma and allergies, so keeping one of these snake plants on hand to purify the air makes a lot of sense. The snake plant is an ideal plant for removing indoor air pollutants – and it’s a low maintenance plant, to boot!
If you suffer from breathing problems, then, growing the white snake plant is a popular choice – it can remove excessive amounts of air pollutants and help you breathe a bit easier!
Makes a Great Decoration for Home Decor
Many Dracaena trifasciata varieties also make a gorgeous addition to any room. Its foliage features sword-shaped sword-like leaves. It is also evergreen, so you will never have a period without its vibrant dark green colors. There are many types of snake plants, so you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for you.
With various types available, there is one that fits every situation. Strategically placed smaller snake plants work well on an office desk, while taller varieties are perfect for corners.
Can Tolerate Direct Sunlight
While able to tolerate direct sunlight, you will want to ensure it is not too strong. This will prevent your snake plant from experiencing burns. However, the general rule is the brighter the sunlight, the better it will grow.
An ideal location is roughly ten feet away from a south or west-facing window. This will allow the perfect amount of sunlight to reach your plant without scorching the foliage.
Can Tolerate Low Light
At the other extreme, the snake plant can also tolerate low light. While its growth won’t be as quick as with brighter light, it will still successfully thrive with lower intensity, such as in a dimly lit bedroom.
You will need to ensure that the plant is getting some sunlight. A few hours daily is ideal for the best health and growth. Otherwise, your leaves will become elongated and leggy, reaching for more light.
Resistant to Underwatering
One of the ways plant owners end up killing their plants is by underwatering. The snake plant is drought-hardy, making it susceptible to overwatering but reasonably resistant to underwatering.
The best way to avoid overwatering is to check the soil and ensure it is dry. If you are unsure, it is best to wait a bit longer. Because the plant is resistant to underwatering, it will be fine during this extra waiting period.
Gorgeous Foliage
Snake plants are simple, with thick upright leaves and no stems. Its structure makes it an ideal selection for a floor plant in a compact space.
Its foliage is beautiful, with variations depending on the species. The most common coloring features green with streaks of gray-green color. Some variegations have cream or gold-colored edges.
Can Be Used for Medicinal Purposes
There are several widely accepted medicinal uses for snake plants. While these are not scientifically proven, they are generally believed true by snake experts. Examples of their therapeutic use include:
- Healing wounds and burns on the skin
- Reducing inflammation
- Strengthening the immune system
- Flushing out parasites
- Supporting healthy blood pressure
- Relieving headaches
Caution should be taken whenever attempting to use this plant for anything other than decorative purposes, as the leave’s sap can be toxic in larger doses. The leaves contain saponins, which are in many choleretic, laxative, and diuretic medications.
Repels Some Types of Pests
While snake plants are susceptible to the common pests that invade plants, they will help you. Their saponin production is an excellent deterrent for mosquitoes. So, if you have a problem with these pests, get a couple of snake plants to boot them out.
Great For Feng Shui
If you want to add good virtues to your space, the snake plant is the ideal selection. Praised in Chinese culture for its ability to absorb negative energy, this plant has a central spot in Feng Shui. It is also believed to eliminate jealousy and bitterness.
A recommendation is placing the snake plant in a room where people are known to argue. Another excellent place is near an appliance that emits radiation, such as a microwave.
It is also believed that the snake plant can enhance the owner’s quality of life, beauty, intelligence, and strength.
Produces Oxygen at Night
Despite what many believe, plants do not produce oxygen 24 hours a day. In fact, during the night, they produce carbon dioxide from respiration. Snake plants, however, are one of the few that continue to make oxygen through the night.
This is another reason why they are such great additions to your home. They continue to process the air, purifying it and releasing fresh, clean oxygen.
May Improve Quality Of Sleep at Night
Because the snake plant produces oxygen through the night instead of carbon dioxide, you will likely get a better night’s sleep. Having cleaner air with higher oxygen levels will promote better breathing and lower allergy symptoms risks.
Boosts Mental Health
Increasing the flow of oxygen by the amount that the snake plant can ultimately boost your mood, relieving stress. Horticultural therapy is believed to significantly and positively affect mental health and is used more frequently in treating patients.
Easy To Propagate
No species of snake plant is challenging to propagate. You can propagate by cuttings in soil or water. The process takes a few weeks for the snake plants to finish growing but is overall not very difficult.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Snake Plant?
Before you purchase one several disadvantages of the snake plant need to be considered before you purchase one. They can impact the health and well-being of those in your home and make caring for this easy-going plant difficult.
Contains Some Toxic Substances
The plant is toxic to humans and pets. Common gastrointestinal problems can be caused by ingesting parts of the plant, including abdominal pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Handling the sap can lead to allergic reactions and rashes.
May Grower Slower Than Other Plants in Your Home
Snake plants have a significantly slower growth rate than other plants. While it can grow to seven feet tall, it can take many years to reach this height. You’ll also notice this slow growth rate when attempting to propagate new plants.
Too Much Water Can Impede Healthy Leaf Growth
Extremely susceptible to overwatering, you will need to ensure you keep a close eye on your plant when you water to prevent adding too much. The snake plant does well with very little moisture and can even survive with a small amount of neglect.
Overwatering can lead to soggy roots, which will cause the leaves to turn yellow and droop. Once the root system becomes completely mushy, a condition known as root rot, the plant is beyond rescue.
Hot and Dry Climate Plants
The snake plant is a subtropical plant, which means it is sensitive to extreme temperature changes. Excessively high temperatures will cause brown rings to appear on the leaves. Eventually, the plant will go into a state of trauma.
They cannot handle freezing temperatures. Once the leaves get frost damage, it is permanent and cannot be reversed.
Too Much Water or Lack of Healthy Airflow Can Make the Plant Not Grow Upright
Snake plants’ leaves can also become bendy or droopy. This is generally an indication that you have overwatered the plant. Allow the plant to dry out so the leaves can perk back up, and ensure the soil is dry before the next watering.
This plant is also susceptible to fungus problems. You will generally see a crimson leaf spot develop on the leaves as your first sign that there is a problem. Preventative actions will be necessary to keep fungus from being a problem.
Not the Ideal Choice if You’re Looking for a Constant Bloomer
While snake plants are flowering plants, they do not always consistently produce buds. Some will bloom yearly, while others will randomly decide when to make flowers, which could be decades in between. You will find that blooms on a snake plant are rare.
Where Should I Place a Snake Plant in My Home?
You can keep your snake plant in several places, but it depends on your goal. For comfort purposes, the ideal placement is in your bedroom. The plant will help with oxygen flow, ensuring a good night’s sleep.
For Feng Shui purposes, there are several guidelines to follow. The best places in the home for this type of plant include the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, entryway, dining room, and home office. It’s great for low light areas, like a bed room, and can make a great addition to your home decor, especially when placed with a few plants of other species.
You will need to choose a room that does not have a high humidity level. This will help ensure your plant does not get overwatered. Also, place it in a room where the temperature is constant so that it does not get damaged by sudden shifts.
It is also best to place it where it is going to receive adequate sunlight for the amount of growth you want to achieve. Remember that snake plants have a slow growth rate, so the less sun it receives, the slower that rate will be.
Final Thoughts
With all the benefits snake plants offer, it is no surprise they are such popular houseplants. Their vivid green foliage will brighten your room while cleaning the air, making it a safer place for you to be. You may even enjoy fewer allergy symptoms with your snake plant around.
Easy to care for, you can forget to water this plant, and it will be fine for days. Susceptible to overwatering, you will have to take care not to provide too much, or else you run the risk of causing root rot with all your leaves turning yellow and drooping.
Placing your snake plant strategically in your home is said to boost your fortune based on Feng Shui principles. It is believed to eliminate negative energy, bitterness, and jealousy.
See more:
