How To Root Snake Plant Cuttings Fast

When days are dreary, cloudy, or cold, what gardening project could divert you from dark thoughts and bring meaning to your hibernating soul? Turn one snake plant into two, three, or four. It's a quick, easy, and cheap way to multiply your plants and share.

Also called mother-in-law's tongue due to the length of its slender leaves, snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata, previously known as Sansevieria trifasciata) is an uber-popular houseplant because it tolerates low light and dry air, needs little watering or fertilizing, and is truly hard to dispatch. In fact, being too attentive is a good way to kill it.

If you grow a snake in low light perpetually, however, its leaves become lanky and eventually fall over. When you get tired of looking at the same old mess, cut off a few floppy leaves, root them, and rejuvenate your plants. Here are three easy methods for propagating snake plants.

What You Need

• Sharp garden knife
• Clean garden pot with drainage hole
• Fresh, light-weight potting mix (such as cactus/ succulent soil)

How To Root A Snake Plant With Leaf Cuttings

This approach is one of the easiest ways to propagate snake plants, especially if you are trying to rejuvenate a lanky plant. However, the process takes one or two months, and the pups that emerge may not have the same variegation as the mother plant. Follow these steps to root leaf cuttings in soil:

1. Use a sharp knife to cut off an actively growing leaf near the soil line and cut into sections at least 3 inches long, making certain to keep track of which end goes up. You may also take a shorter cutting from the tip that is at least 3 inches long.
2. Place the cut leaf on a table or countertop for a couple of days. This allows the cut end to heal over before it hits the soil. If you skip this step, the leaf may rot.
3. Stick the cut end or bottom of each cutting into a pot filled with moist, lightweight potting soil—no rooting powder is necessary. The pot must have a drainage hole and saucer and be tall enough that the eventually top-heavy plant won't pull it over.
4. Place your pot in bright, indirect light. Keep the soil lightly moist, waiting until it is almost dry before you water again. Always empty the saucer of excess water.
5. In a month or two, you should see new leaves emerging from the soil. From then on, care for it as you did the mother plant.
   

Alternative Method: Root Leaf Cuttings In Water

Leaf cuttings of snake plant can also be rooted in water. As always, leaf cuttings may not produce the same leaf variegation as the mother plant, so division is best if that's your goal. Also, rooting in water increases the chances of rot. To root in water, take leaf cuttings as described above, then do as follows:

1. Place cuttings in a glass of water, covering the bottom quarter of the leaves with water.
2. Set the glass in bright indirect light and change the water weekly.
3. Once roots sprout, plant the cuttings in soil. Roots may take as long as two months to appear.

How To Divide A Snake Plant

Let's say you're working with the most popular selection of snake plant, 'Laurentii.' It features leaves with horizontal bands of green and silver edged with vertical yellow stripes. This plant is a chimera. Two types of genetically different tissue—the green and silver parts and the yellow stripes—grow together to form a leaf. If you root it as a leaf cutting as described above, you'll get only the green and silver, not the yellow. To preserve variegation, you'll need to divide the plant instead.

There's another good reason to divide a snake plant. If the plant's roots have filled the pot, dividing it into two or more plants to give it more space to grow. Follow these steps to propagate your snake plant by dividing rhizomes:

1. Pop out the snake plant from its pot. Shake off all the soil. Don't worry, the plant will be OK.
2. The roots of the plant consist of a cluster of rhizomes (swollen underground stems with feeder roots attached). Use a knife to separate a thick rhizome from the mother plant, making sure the cutting has multiple leaves and roots attached.
3. Choose a pot that is about 2 inches wider than the root ball of each plant, and fill it 2/3 with lightweight potting mix. Repot each plant so that the top of the root ball is about 1 inch below the soil surface. Fill in with soil around the plant.
4. Water the pot, making sure to let any excess water drain out. Set in bright, indirect light.

How To Take Care Of Your New Snake Plant

Once your new snake plant is established, you'll want to water it just as you would the mother plant. After all, it's overwatering that most often kills these supposedly indestructible houseplants. The frequency of watering depends very much on light exposure, so the best bet is to check for soil moisture. Stick your finger well into the dirt to see how dry the soil is. If you detect moisture, wait until the top inch or two of soil has completely dried out. You may only need to water once a month in winter.