Sansevieria (Snake Plant)

Sansevierias may be native to Africa, Madagascar, and South Asia, but they’re among the best-known tropical plants all over the world. They’ve been cultivated for more than 250 years and have several colorful names, from “snake plant” to “mother-in-law’s tongue” (eeeew) to “bow string hemp”—a reference to the fact that the plant’s fibrous leaves can be used to make … you guessed it … bow strings. Cool as that is, plant enthusiasts love sansevierias for entirely different reasons: They are striking, they are unique, they are air purifiers … and they are almost impossible to neglect to death.

The Sansevieria Family - beautiful tropical plants for indoors and outdoors

There are more than 70 species of sansevieria, all classified as part of the Dracaena family. While all sansevierias have meaty, succulent-like foliage, they also showcase a wide range of visual appearances. The flagship species, Dracaena Trifasciata ‘Laurentii’, features tall, sword-shaped leaves that can grow to 24” tall or more, with no need for stems. By comparison, the Hanhii Sansevieria’s leaves are barely 6” long and arranged in a rosette-like “bird’s nest”. Then comes Dracaena Angolensis, the Cylindrical Snake Plant, whose leaves roll themselves into tubular shapes almost like long green spikes. However, no matter what form a sansevieria takes, they almost always have these two things in common: Really cool and beautiful looking, and easy care requirements.

It's like having your own tropical plant nursery…

It’s been said that sansevierias are so easy to care for that they “thrive on neglect”. This is an exaggeration, but just barely. We can’t think of many plants that stay looking this fantastic regardless of where they are and how much care they are or aren’t getting. Sure, there are steps you can take to keep your sansevierias looking their best. But those are almost 100% optional. If you’re a busy plant parent and you need something that’s not only beautiful, but easy? They don’t come much easier—or much more beautiful—than a sansevieria.