Snake Plants: The Perfect Houseplants For Lazy People

Before you impulse-buy that snake from the exotic reptiles store in pursuit of a cool new hobby, hear us out: indoor plants are a way more low-maintenance alternative. A snake would be awesome and all, but let’s face it, they’re a lot of work, and you forgot a pizza pop in the microwave twice this week. You might not be cut out for snake ownership. You are, however, fully capable of taking care of a snake plant. And that’s almost just as cool!

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Snake Plants: A Low-Maintenance Alternative to Actual Snakes

“But I suck at taking care of plants,” you might say. “I always forget to water them!” Seriously dude, you can handle a snake plant. They actually thrive off a bit of neglect, so you don’t have to feel guilty if you forget to water them for a week (or three). On top of that, they’re super pretty and have a distinctive, upright growth habit that gives them a modern, artsy vibe. A collection of snake plants in your house will definitely give off cool guy vibes, whereas actual snakes will probably just give people the creeps.

Watering and Fertilizing Your Snake Plant

Snake plants, or sansevierias, seem practically indestructible, but there is one common mistake that can kill them: overwatering. Seriously, don’t overdo it with the water—these plants like their soil to dry out completely between watering. Embrace the laziness. Leave ‘em alone. Overwatering encourages mold and fungal growth in the soil that can rot your plant’s roots, which is both gross and difficult to deal with.

snake plants the perfect houseplant for lazy people oc succulents

In winter, when your plant is dormant, you can scale back on watering even more to around every three to four weeks. So, if you feel like jetting off for a long winter holiday, you won’t come home to a house full of dead plants. Increase watering in the spring to every two to three weeks, and consider using a water-soluble, all-purpose fertilizer every few months from March until October. Alternatively, you can sprinkle a slow-release granulated houseplant fertilizer into your snake plant’s soil, which should fortify the soil over several months.

Snake Plant Sunlight Needs

Even if you’ve got super small windows in your home with just a tiny bit of light streaming through, your snake plant can survive in that environment. You have no excuse! You can make this happen and finally be a successful houseplant owner. Now, if you were buying an actual snake, you’d have to buy all sorts of crazy lamps and rocks and equipment. Snake plants barely require anything, and they still look amazing.  

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Remember, low light doesn’t mean no light at all, so you won’t want to put your snake plant in a windowless room. You can get away with placing one a few feet away from a window or on the opposite side of a room with few windows. That’s why snake plants are so popular for bedrooms and bathrooms—they’re down to hang out in rooms with minimal window light.

The Best Varieties Of Snake Plants

What’s the easiest way to cultivate an impressive houseplant collection without actually trying that hard? Buy a whole bunch of different snake plants! There are over 70 different varieties of snake plant, so we’ve narrowed it down to some favorites that we think you’ll really love.

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Sansevieria Laurentii: Each long, sword-like leaf of this snake plant is dark green with silvery streaks, bordered with a banana yellow trim.

Sansevieria Flame: It looks as though someone took a paintbrush and painted several streaks of yellow down the length of each green leaf on this comparatively elegant snake plant. 

Sansevieria Misty Star: A gorgeous deep emerald with a subtle grey, horizontal streaking that looks almost like a sponge paint effect, with a thin, silver line bordering each leaf like a halo.  

Sansevieria Jade Star: No fuss, no frills, just a gorgeous jade green plant that brings plenty of rich, jewel-toned color to the scenery.  

    snake plants oc succulents

    Sansevieria Starfish: The leaves of this peculiar snake plant are chubbier and pointed at the end, kind of like the arms of a starfish. 

    Sansevieria Twist: This snake plant looks like it got caught in a tornado—it brings a sense of movement to your decor that feels cutting-edge and artsy.

    Sansevieria Hahnii Gold: The sunny warm golden tones of this cheerful snake plant are perfect for brightening things up a dimly lit room.

    Sansevieria Moonshine: Pretty much the minimalist’s dream, this snake plant has neutral, stone grey leaves that are soft, subtle, and effortlessly cool.

    Wondering where to buy snake plants in Orange County? OC Succulents is where it’s at. We’ve got so many incredible new varieties of plants coming in every week, so visit us in store or follow us on Instagram to catch a glimpse of the latest arrivals! Visit OC Succulents today, and we’ll be happy to help you get started.

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