The snake plant is an evergreen perennial plant. Botanically it is known as Sansevieria trifasciata a member of the Asparagaceae family. Today we will discuss about the various benefits of snake plant.
What are the benefits of the Snake plant? It purifies the air by absorbing air pollutants as well as uptake the cancer-causing agent like formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, benzene through the leaves that we breathe. It is one of the most oxygen-producing plants and converting carbon dioxide into oxygen during the night.
In addition, the Snake plant increases the aesthetic beauty of home, office, hotel, and hospital. This plant having popularity as home decor due to its low light requirements, low maintenance, and little space to grow.
Dark green mature leaves are the beauty of this plant. Leaves are stiffy, broad and grow vertically from the base of the stem.
Leaves color and shape vary depending on the variety, some leaves are dark green whereas others are light green,
some are banded by gold/creamy color, some are cross banded, and some are sword-shaped, cylindrical and so on.
Leaves Height:
Under the optimal conditions, the height of the snake plant leaves range from 70-90 cm and wide is 5-6 cm.
Flower:
Do Snake Plant Bloom? – Yes, Snake Plants do bloom, but it is a very rare phenomenon.
Bloom comes in this plant rarely. It comes on a few years old plants. Really old snake plants can bloom, it requires perfect age with best climatic conditions.
Sometimes white or cream-colored flowers can be found in Sansevieria or Snake plant.
Propagation:
What is the easiest method to Grow the Snake plant? The leaf-cutting method is the easiest and most commonly used to grow and propagate the snake plant.
Cutting leaves are kept in a water pot for a few weeks. Wait until you see the first root growth. You should change the water every week to prevent the plant from root rot disease.
After root formation cutting leaves are transferred to sand or peat moss. You can directly propagate these cuttings to pot having loose and well-drained soil.
Lifetime:
What is the average Lifetime of a Snake plant? 3-5 years is the average lifetime of a snake plant.
Snake plants can survive for long periods with good care. Some species can live long for 20-25 years. You just have to be careful and loving for the longer sustainability of these plants.
Varieties:
How many species of snake plants are found around the world? The snake plant has almost 70 species around the world. Most of them are similar to each other.
Depending on the leaf color, shape, and physical structure a snake plant can be identified with many cultivars such as:
Mother-in-law’s tongue:
Why the snake plant is called mother in law’s tongue? It is called Mother-in-law’s tongue due to its sharply pointed leaves.
Leaves are narrowing in shape with 2.5-7 cm wide with 90 cm tall, having pale green to whitish green bands with yellowing color margin.
Twisted sister :
It’s a dwarf variety of Sansevieria. It can grow up to 37.5 cm tall. It has twisted, green and yellow colored leaves.
This variety of snake plant looks like a bird’s nest at the base. It can be easily identified and differentiated from other snake plant varieties.
Robusta snake ornamental plant:
Dark green leaves are cross banding, mottled with silver, shorter and wider than other species of snake plants.
It has strong immunity power to stand against the adverse conditions. It can easily survive the hardest summer along with the freezing cold.
Cylindrical snake plant:
Dark green leaves are round and cylindrical in shape, store water in their leaves. The diameter of the leaves up to 3 cm and grow up to 75 cm tall from the basal portion.
Adaptability:
They have the adaptation capacity to survive under the adverse growing conditions due to its succulent nature.
It can grow well under the shade as well as full sun. The best temperature for the snake plant is 10°C to 38°C.
It can tolerate excessive dry conditions rather than heavy moist/frost. Indirect sunlight is the best for the snake plant.
Dry, sandy and sandy loam soil and soil pH 6-7.5 is preferred by the snake plant.
Why sansevieria is called a snake plant?
Sansevieria is called a snake plant because of its leaves shape. When it is grown the stiffy leaves looks like a snake in their standing position.
Is snake plant good at home?
Yes, the Snake plant is good for your sweet home.
Indoor air pollution is occurred due to lack of proper airflow in the room and it is responsible for some health issues like asthma or sick building syndrome.
When you keep the snake plant in your bedroom, a drawing-room, center on the dining table, kitchen, in the washroom, lounge, or any air-sealed room.
Then it plays a vital role for your health as well as for your mind by producing the oxygen at night, and purify the air by absorbing air pollutants.
Why Snake plant is considered beneficial for us?
Snake plants produced oxygen at night and control the emission of carbon dioxide and give you quality sleep.
So keep some snake plants on the bedside table.
During cooking, some harmful gasses are produced, from cookware like a micro oven and stoves, the snake plant can absorb these poisonous gaseous and filter the air.
In fact, some chemicals come out from the carpet, cookware, synthetic material, plastics, toilet tissues, modern furniture, these chemicals make indoor air polluted. You can Grow Snake plants to get rid of these easily.
What Experts say About Snake plant?
It is recommended by NASA clean air study that at least 15-18 medium to large size plants required for an 1800 square foot area to remove the toxic chemicals in an airtight room.
Interesting Fact about snake plant— A man can stand in a room without oxygen if only 6-8 snake plants are present there.
Benefits of snake-house-plant
Health benefits of Snake plant:
The snake plant has some correlations between plant and human health.
Snake plants can absorb toxins from the air, especially enclosed areas with little airflow.
Everyone can be benefited from the snake plant in the following way:
Man can get filtered air for their respiration in their home, Office or anywhere he wants. The snake plant purifies the air by absorbing air pollutants.
When the airflow is increased around you, in your home and office room then you will feel less stressed and increase the concentration to do the work.
Protect human health from airborne allergies and fighting against sick building syndrome (SBS) by releasing moisture into the atmosphere. Poor indoor air quality is responsible for SBS.
It helps to make a man proactive, energetic, reduces the headache and man can calm during hard times.
Snake plant absorbs the benzene, toluene, formaldehyde from the air thus way you can be safe from the cancer-causing pollutants.
Does the Snake plant bring good luck?
In some contexts, it is a “yes” that snake plants bring good luck to human beings. It is also called as the good luck plant.
The snake plant and good luck are very much closely related to each other. The capacity to absorb the poisonous gases from the air, release oxygen at night, and keeping us healthy is really good luck- isn’t it.
The reasons to consider the snake plant as a good luck plant.
The Chinese used to place these plants close to the entrance in their house cause they believe that the plants having the ability to enable the eight virtues (prosperity, long life, beauty, intelligence, health, art, strength, and poetry) upon them.
Values of snake plant in indoor vs outdoor:
Snake plants can grow well indoor and outdoor. It has the ability to clean the air surrounding you and enhance the aesthetic look of your garden and home.
A comparison of snake plant values between indoor and outdoor planting:
Indoor values
Outdoor values
Humans are directly benefited by this plant in terms of when plants are kept indoor
Humans are not benefited directly due to plants are kept in an uncovered place
Plants can be grown well in a confined area of small space
Plants are grown in open place little better
It increases the oxygen flow during the night at home that is used by human
Produced oxygen by the plants can not use at night due to its placement
It enhances the beauty of your home
Increase the beauty of the garden
Convert the carbon dioxide into oxygen during the night and useful for man in a home
Conversion of carbon dioxide at night does not use by man
It is better to grow the snake plant indoor.
Is Snake plant dangerous?
Generally, this plant is considered relatively safe, but it will be harmful if it is consumed on a larger scale.
If children, dogs, cats, and pet animals ingest the leaves of the snake plant then it will be harmful to their digestive system.
Especially The Snake plant is more toxic to dogs and cats if they eat the leaves. It can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. So be careful during the placement of the plant at home and keep away from kids and animals.
Does the snake plant attract the snake? No, there is no chance to attract a snake by the plant. You can easily place a snake plant in your home without any anxiety. On the other hand, its flower has a very pleasant fragrance.
Which of these benefits of the Snake plant do you like the most? Do you have any of these plants in your garden? Write your opinion about this topic below in the comment section.
Hi, My name is Sukant. I am an I.T professional. Gardening for me is not just a hobby, it's a way of living life with nature. My Ancestors were Commercial farmers: So I personally feel attached to the green. I am not an expert, I'm here only to share my gardening experiences. It's always Refreshing.
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