Propagating Snake Plants (Sansevieria)

Expand your indoor plant collection and have fun by starting snake plants from just a three inch section of a leaf. 

Use a sharp knife and cut one of the long leaves into several 3 inch long pieces. Notch the bottom end of the cutting to mark the side the cutting that was closest to the roots.

Stick the notched end about an inch deep into a fast-draining potting mix. Water often enough to keep the soil just slightly moist. In about a month or two you will see a tiny snake plant begin to grow at the base of the leaf cutting. The original leaf section will eventually die as the new plant grows.

Variegated snake plants will not retain their variegation with this method of propagation. Divide large overgrown clumps into smaller sections if you want to start new plants and maintain the variegation.

Simply slide the plant out if its pot and use a sharp knife to cut through the fleshy underground rhizomes.

A bit more information: Begonias can also be started from a section of the leaf blade. This is the wide flattened portion of the leaf.  Lay the leaf, vein side down on the soil surface. For more on starting new houseplants from old click here.  

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indoor-holiday-plants planting-starting-new-plants cuttings houseplants snake-plant

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