If your snake plant is looking unhealthy, it needs some attention. But, is it being under-watered? Or, is it another problem? Knowing the signs of under-watering can help you take better care of your plant baby and nurture it back to health.
Snake plants are one of the easiest indoor house plants to grow. They are perfect for the lazy (or busy!) gardener. They don't require a lot of maintenance. But, they do need to be watered regularly.
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Snake plants work well as low-maintenance indoor plants, but they will also thrive outdoors in southern parts of Texas!
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🏜 Symptoms of under watering a snake plant
It's easy to tell a plant is not looking healthy, but sometimes we don't know what the problem is. So, how can you tell if you're under watering your snake plant? Here are some tell-tale signs it's thirsty:
- Are the leaves of your snake plant curling in like a taco shell?
- Is your snake plant drooping?
- Do you see brown, dry, crackly bits on the edges or tips of the leaves?
- Is the soil very dry to the touch?
- Is the soil pulling away from the inside of the pot?
If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, then your snake plant is most likely not getting enough water.
🆘 How to save an under watered snake plant
According to Jalena Snider, native Houstonian, plant expert and florist, here are the steps you should take to revive a dry mother-in-law's tongue plant:
- First, water it well and check on it in 3-4 hours. If it has perked up and looks better, water it again, then continue watering it about once a week.
- If after 3-4 hours, it doesn't look any better, soak the potted plant in a sink or bucket filled with about 3 inches of water for 30 minutes. Then, allow it to fully drain any water that is leftover. Do not let leave any standing water at the bottom of the pot.
- Second, trim off any dry, brown tips on the leaves (these will not turn green again).
- Third, water the plant about once a week. Snake plants do not like to be wet all the time. So, allow them to dry out in between waterings. But, don't allow them to dry out so much that they suffer and look unhealthy.
🌿 Why I love this plant
I love snake plants inside my Houston, Texas home because they are:
- easy to grow and hard to kill (perfect for me!)
- great for small spaces, since they grow vertically
- air purifiers
- beautiful variegated green foliage
☀️ Plant characteristics
| Botanical Name: | Dracaena trifasciata or sansevieria trifasciata "Laurentii" |
| Also Known As (Other Names): | Snake plant, Mother-in-law's tongue, Saint George's sword, viper's bowstring hemp, golden bird's nest, good luck plant |
| Plant Origin: | Not native to Texas Native to tropical West Africa from Nigeria east to the Congo |
| Hardiness Zone: | 10-11 |
| Flower Color: | Rarely flowers, flowers are light green/white |
| Foliage Type: | evergreen 🌲 |
| Mature Plant Height: | 4 feet |
| Spread: | 1-2 feet |
| Plant Form: | upright |
| Light Requirements: | outdoors: partial shade 🌤 to shade 🌥 indoors: bright or indirect sunlight or strong artificial light |
| Moisture Requirements: | dry/drought tolerant 🌵 to moist 💦 |
| Care Requirements: | mostly hands off / just water me and I'll be happy 💧 |
| Cool Fact: | It is known as "viper's bowstring hemp" because it's used as a source of plant fibers to make bowstrings. |
Not sure what some of these gardening terms mean? Check out our glossary of easy to understand beginner-friendly definitions of plant terminology.
⭐️ Lazy gardener tips
- As indoor house plants, these are low maintenance and just require some light and watering once a week.
- If you want to grow them outside in Texas, they may need be protected or brought inside if temperatures dip below freezing. They will also require more water in the summer months.
- Don't spend big bucks on these plants in specialty nurseries. You can find large, healthy snake plants at home improvement stores for about $20.
- Liven up even small rooms with a snake plant, since they only take up about 12-18 inches of space horizontally.
✂️ Equipment
Use an indoor watering can to water your snake plant. If you don't have a watering can, refilling an empty water bottle works just fine.
❓ FAQ
If you notice your snake plant drooping, leaving curling like a taco, leaves turning brown and cracked and the soil is very dry to the touch, then your snake plant is under watered.
If it looks brown, cracked, droopy, leaves curling like a taco lengthwise or if the soil is very dry to the touch or even pulling away from the pot, then your snake plant needs more water than you are giving it.
Yes, you can save it! First, water it and see how it looks 3-4 hours later. If it hasn't perked up at all, soak the pot in a tub of water up to the top of the soil for 30 minutes. Then, drain it. Second, trim off any brown tips on the leaves (these will not turn green again). Third, water once a week.
Underwatered plants show symptoms like: leaving/stems drooping, leaves curling, soil is very dry to the touch and even is pulling away from the inside of the pot when very dry, leaves are turning brown, leaves are cracking or withering.
According to the ASPCA, this plant is toxic to dogs and cats because of saponins. It can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Once a week is usually fine. But, in some cases, twice a week is better, particularly if they are near a hot, sunny window or if they are planted outside in a container. If planted outside in summer months in Texas, they will need watering a few times a week or even daily if the weather is over 100 degrees.
According to legend, this plant makes your mouth go numb if you chew on it. So, women would use the top of a leaf as a decorative spoon-type utensil in their mother-in-law's tea so their mouth would go numb and they couldn't talk.
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