10+ Snake Plant Varieties for Indoors (+ Care Tips & FAQs)
Dracaena trifasciata, Dracaena masoniana, Dracaena singularis…
There are various snake plant varieties, each with a beautiful ornamental appeal.
So you may be thinking…
Which type of snake plant should I grow indoors?
How does snake plant care vary with each variety?
Let’s find out!
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12 Popular Snake Plant Varieties for Indoor Growing
Did you know there are at least 70 different varieties of snake plants?
The most popular ones include:
- Dracaena Trifasciata (Sansevieria Trifasciata)
- Dracaena Masoniana (Sansevieria Masoniana)
- Dracaena Pethera (Sansevieria Kirkii)
- Dracaena Patens (Sansevieria Patens)
- Dracaena Ballyi (Sansevieria Ballyi)
- Dracaena Hanningtonii (Sansevieria Ehrenbergii)
- Dracaena Parva (Sansevieria Parva)
- Dracaena Zeylanica (Sansevieria Zeylanica)
- Dracaena Angolensis (Sansevieria Cylindrica)
- Dracaena Eilenses (Sansevieria Eilensis)
- Dracaena Canaliculata (Sansevieria Canaliculata)
- Dracaena Singularis (Sansevieria Fischeri)
Wait… Aren’t snake plants known as Sansevierias?
These succulent plants once belonged to the genus Sansevieria. Although people still use this name, they were reclassified as Dracaena.
So, Sansevieria trifasciata and Dracaena trifasciata are the same houseplant!
And that’s where we’ll begin exploring the varieties of snake plants.
1. Dracaena Trifasciata (Sansevieria Trifasciata)
Sansevieria trifasciata, native to West Africa, is the best-known snake plant variety.
It’s commonly called “mother-in-law’s tongue” and has dark green, blade-shaped leaves.
Interestingly, this snake plant variety has many different cultivars, including:
- Sansevieria Laurentii
- Golden Hahnii (Birds Nest snake plant)
- Twisted Sister
- Black Gold
- Black Robusta
- Futura Superba
- Black Dragon
- Black Jack
- Sansevieria Moonshine (Bantel’s Sensation)
- Sansevieria Whitney
2. Dracaena Masoniana (Sansevieria Masoniana, Mason’s Congo)
The Mason’s Congo, or “whale fin” snake plant, has a long, broad leaf that’s dark green with light green spots.
3. Dracaena Pethera (Sansevieria Kirkii, Star Sansevieria)
This Sansevieria has green leaves mottled with gray-brown coloring.
The common name “star Sansevieria” refers to how its wavy leaves fan out from the rosette.
4. Dracaena Patens (Sansevieria Patens)
The Sansevieria patens is a cylindrical snake plant with a rosette leaf arrangement.
It has a light and dark green leaf variegation and long vertical grooves.
5. Dracaena Ballyi (Sansevieria Ballyi, Dwarf Sansevieria)
Called dwarf Sansevieria, this dwarf snake plant has leaves with green and yellow bands. It can grow about 6 inches high.
6. Dracaena Hanningtonii (Sansevieria Ehrenbergii, Blue Sansevieria)
This plant’s deep green, boat-shaped leaves grow in stacks on either side of the stem.
The leaves may turn blue- or grey-green over time.
7. Dracaena Parva (Sansevieria Parva, Kenya Hyacinth)
The Sansevieria parva has narrow, banded dark green leaves.
The name “Kenya hyacinth” comes from its pleasant floral smell.
8. Dracaena Zeylanica (Sansevieria Zeylanica, Ceylon Bowstring Hemp)
The Ceylon bowstring hemp has upright leaves with dark and light green stripes. It grows well in groups.
9. Dracaena Angolensis (Sansevieria Cylindrica, African Spear)
The “African spear” is a cylindrical snake plant native to West Africa and South Africa.
Its cylindrical leaves have a banded dark and pale green color variegation.
This Sansevieria variety is also found as a dwarf snake plant called Sansevieria cylindrica var. Patula Boncel.
10. Dracaena Eilensis (Sansevieria Eilensis)
The leaves of this snake plant are folded over to form a cylindrical banana shape, looking similar to the Dracaena cylindrica.
Each leaf has a pointed cuticle on the tip and banded variegation in shades of green.
11. Dracaena Canaliculata (Sansevieria Canaliculata)
This plant grows cylindrical, upright leaves that are grooved from base to tip. They can grow up to two feet in height.
12. Dracaena Singularis (Sansevieria Fischeri)
The Dracaena singularis has leaves shaped like a taco shell, with dark and light green stripes and a copper-colored border.
They can grow to about one foot high when mature.
10 Other Stunning Snake Plant Varieties
Here are ten more snake plant varieties worth checking out:
- Dracaena gracilis (Sansevieria gracilis): Similar to D. Kirkii, with narrow succulent leaves striped with green.
- Dracaena cleopatra (Sansevieria cleopatra): Leaves have vertical dark and light green stripes with wavy edges.
- Dracaena roxburghiana (Sansevieria roxburghiana): Similar to a trifasciata, it has blade-shaped leaves with stripy variegation.
- Dracaena pearsonii (Sansevieria pearsonii): Upright, cylindrical leaves that grow in colonies.
- Dracaena bacularis (Sansevieria bacularis): Similar to the cylindrica, but with more pointed cylindrical leaves.
- Dracaena burmanica (Sansevieria burmanica): Narrow, bright green leaves that grow in a thick cluster.
- Dracaena francisii (Sansevieria francisii): Many short, cylindrical, pointed leaves branching off from the rosette.
- Dracaena liberica (Sansevieria liberica): Broad sword-shaped leaves, bright green with yellow spots.
- Dracaena hyacinthoides (Sansevieria hyacinthoides): Clusters of sword-shaped leaves with dark green and silver stripes.
- Dracaena longiflora (Sansevieria longiflora): Wavy dark green leaves with yellow mottling (marks).
Wondering how to care for a Sansevieria?
Keep reading.
5 Essential Snake Plant Care Tips
Follow our tips to grow healthy snake plants:
-
Use Sansevieria plant soil that’s well-draining, nutrient-rich, and aerated to encourage growth and prevent root rot.
Want the perfect soil for any Sansevieria variety?
Try Rosy’s well-draining snake plant soil! - Snake plants are low-maintenance indoor plants that only require watering when the top 1-2 inches of soil are dry. Choose a pot with drainage holes to allow excess water to flow out.
- A Sansevieria plant doesn’t require frequent fertilization. Add organic fertilizer (like compost or worm castings) once or twice during spring and summer.
- Snake plants prefer indirect sunlight and low light conditions. This indoor plant can grow in bright light or direct sunlight but may require more water and fertilizer to thrive. For beginner plant parents, we recommend choosing low light (indirect sunlight) over direct sunlight for easy care.
- Propagate snake plants with a leaf cutting in water or soil, by division, or by splitting it at the rhizome.
3 FAQs About Snake Plant Varieties
Still have questions about this indoor plant?
We got you covered!
1. Can You Plant Multiple Types of Snake Plants Together?
Yes!
When companion planting, choose a pot that’s ¼ to ⅓ larger than your plants’ collective root systems.
2. What Are the Disadvantages of Snake Plants?
Snake plant is perfect for indoor settings — it’s an air purifying plant that can remove toxins like formaldehyde and benzene from the air.
But it can have some downsides:
- Some varieties are slow-growing (e.g., Sansevieria ehrenbergii, black gold, and dwarf varieties).
- They are toxic for humans and pets if ingested.
- They can be prone to fungus growth and leaf loss.
- Many snake plant varieties can grow pink, greenish-white, or white flowers, but it’s incredibly rare to see them (especially for indoor plants).
3. Which Are the Rarest Snake Plants?
Some rare varieties of snake plants include:
- Sansevieria kirkii
- Sansevieria ehrenbergii (blue sansevieria)
- Sansevieria Whitney
Nurture Your Special Snake Plant
Looking for an ornamental snake plant? Go for Mason’s Congo or the classic trifasciata.
Prefer a sturdier variety? You can’t go wrong with the African spear or Dracaena eilensis.
There’s something for all growers in the snake plant genus. But, this air purifying plant requires just a little TLC to thrive.
That’s why you’ll love Rosy’s snake plant soil. It’s well-draining and packed with nutrients — perfect for helping your Sansevieria flourish.