Bird’s nest snake plant is the snake plant for people who love the toughness but not the tall, stiff sword leaves. It stays small, forms a tidy rosette and forgives a lot. Here is how to grow it well, what university extension experts say about light, water and pets, and where it does and does not belong in your garden.
What Is a Bird’s Nest Snake Plant?
Bird’s nest snake plant is the dwarf form of the common snake plant. NC State Extension lists it as the ‘Hahnii’ cultivar of Dracaena trifasciata, describing a dwarf plant with 6 to 12 leaves forming a short, funnel-shaped rosette in dark green with creamy white horizontal stripes.
You will see it called birdsnest snake plant, dwarf snake plant and dwarf mother-in-law’s tongue. You will also see two scientific names. A paper in Phytotaxa explains that DNA studies placed the whole Sansevieria group inside the genus Dracaena, so today’s correct name is Dracaena trifasciata ‘Hahnii’.
Older guides, including plenty of ours, still say Sansevieria hahnii, so expect to meet both.
Sansevieria plants are a big group. UF/IFAS Extension in Sarasota County counts 70 species, native to Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia, and says snake plants first came to Florida in the 1800s as a fiber crop.
The common snake plant belongs to the Asparagaceae family and, per UF/IFAS Extension in Nassau County, is native to Africa. Bird’s nest is a cultivar of that plant. For the classic tall version, see Sansevieria trifasciata. There is also a golden form, covered in our Golden Hahnii guide.
Where the Dwarf Form May Have Come From
One possible starting point is a sport of the Laurentii snake plant. A 1941 U.S. plant patent (No. 470, dated June 3, 1941, to William Walter Smith) describes a Laurentii sport found at the Crescent Nursery Company in Louisiana.
Its claim to novelty was compact spiral growth: leaves tiering one above another with widely spreading tips, and much broader leaves than other varieties. The patent does not use the name Hahnii, but that description fits the bird’s nest form.
Bird’s Nest Snake Plant Quick Facts
- Botanical name: Dracaena trifasciata ‘Hahnii’ (long sold as Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’)
- Common names: bird’s nest snake plant, dwarf snake plant
- Family: Asparagaceae
- Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 12
- Size: leaves typically less than 8 inches long, in a short rosette
- Light: bright, indirect light preferred; tolerates very low light
- Water: only after the soil has completely dried out
- Soil: well-drained potting soil, such as cactus mix
- Temperature: average home temperatures; 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal
- Humidity: tolerates low humidity
- Fertilizer: not needed often; half or quarter strength in spring
- Pests: watch for mealybugs and spider mites
- Propagation: division or leaf section cuttings
- Pets: toxic to dogs and cats
Sansevieria Hahnii Care
Light and Temperature
Bright, indirect light is the sweet spot. Iowa State Extension describes it as light bright enough to cast a shadow but not directly in the sun’s rays. The plant is flexible, though.
NC State Extension says it tolerates very low light, and UF/IFAS says to protect it from hot afternoon sun. A dim corner keeps it alive. A brighter spot is where it does best. Our snake plant light guide goes deeper.
Average home temperatures work. Iowa State Extension says it prefers things a little warmer, with 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit ideal. NC State Extension says it tolerates low humidity and cool temperatures around 50 degrees.
Watering and Feeding
Watering is the part to get right. Water only after the soil has completely dried out, and use a pot with a drainage hole. Iowa State Extension says the quickest, and sometimes the only, way to kill a sansevieria is to overwater it.
UF/IFAS Extension in Nassau County says to cut watering back significantly from fall to late winter, and not to pour water on the center of the rosette. Not sure which way you are leaning? See the signs of an overwatered snake plant and an underwatered one.
Feeding is optional. Iowa State Extension says frequent fertilizing is not necessary, and that an all-purpose fertilizer at half or quarter strength in spring promotes healthy growth.
Soil and Repotting
Use a well-drained potting soil. Iowa State Extension suggests cactus mix, or regular potting soil amended with perlite.
Bird’s nest plants don’t mind a snug pot: the same source says sansevieria doesn’t mind being a bit crowded, and division helps manage a plant that is excessively pot-bound. When yours fills the pot, learn how to separate snake plants and give each piece its own pot with drainage.
Flowers
You may never see one. UF/IFAS Extension in Nassau County says small, fragrant, greenish-white flowers bloom on mature plants in spring, followed by orange berries, but that flowers and fruit rarely appear on indoor plants.
Iowa State Extension says a sansevieria given abundant light and good fertility may flower. Read more about snake plant flowers.
Grooming
Dusty leaves? Wipe them with a damp cloth. Trim back any leaf that dies, and cut off a flower spike once it finishes. If leaves flop over, see why snake plant leaves fall over.
How to Propagate Bird’s Nest Snake Plant
There are two easy methods. Division is the first: when you repot, separate the plant into pieces that each have roots and shoots, and pot each one. UF/IFAS Extension in Sarasota County notes that new shoots, called pups, connect to the parent through an underground stem called a rhizome.
The second is leaf section cuttings, and Iowa State Extension describes the steps. Cut a leaf into sections 3 to 4 inches tall. The end closest to the base of the parent plant is the bottom, so keep it pointed down.
Dip that end in rooting hormone, insert the section one to two inches deep into moist rooting medium, and keep it warm, in bright indirect light and high humidity. New shoots should appear in about two months.
One catch: Iowa State Extension says most variegated forms of sansevieria do not come true from leaf cuttings, and that division keeps the leaf pattern. If your plant is variegated, divide it to keep the pattern. More in our snake plant propagation guide.
Pests and Problems
Bird’s nest snake plants are mostly trouble-free. UF/IFAS Extension in Nassau County says there are no serious insect or disease problems, and to watch for mealybugs and spider mites. Overwatering often causes root rot, so the watering rule above is your best protection.
Is a Bird’s Nest Snake Plant Toxic to Pets and Kids?
Yes, treat it as toxic. The ASPCA lists snake plant as toxic to dogs and cats, names saponins as the toxic principle, and lists nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as the clinical signs.
NC State Extension says it is toxic if ingested and that the sap can cause skin irritation. Keep it out of reach of children and pets. If a pet chews it, call your veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control.
Can You Grow It Outdoors?
Only in warm climates. NC State Extension lists USDA zones 10 to 12 for the species, and UF/IFAS Extension in Nassau County gives the same range. Anywhere colder, grow it as a houseplant. Indoor plants can spend the summer in a shady spot outdoors.
Florida gardeners, one caution. The UF/IFAS assessment rates the common snake plant a high invasion risk in north, central and south Florida: predicted to be invasive and not recommended by IFAS. Bird’s nest is a cultivar of that species.
The assessment does not name Hahnii, but UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County notes that most cultivars descend from the common snake plant and may be considered nuisance plants.
UF/IFAS Extension in Orange County says to keep snake plant in a pot indoors. In Florida, skip the ground cover and plant it in a container.
Ways to Use It
The small size is the selling point. Try it on a desk, a shelf, a kitchen counter or a bright bathroom windowsill.
It also pairs well with cacti and succulents in a container: UF/IFAS Extension in Sarasota County suggests pairing snake plants with succulents, air plants and cacti, which have reduced watering needs. Want another compact snake plant? Try Sansevieria Samurai.
Does a Snake Plant Clean the Air?
Not in any way that matters at home. The claim goes back to a 1989 NASA study, and mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria laurentii) was one of the plants tested.
But Iowa State Extension says NASA put the plants in small sealed chambers and saw a slow reduction in the chemicals, while real buildings have a constant turnover of air.
Engineers at Drexel University reviewed a dozen studies and found that plants removed these chemicals orders of magnitude more slowly than a building’s normal air exchange.
The American Lung Association is blunt: houseplants do not improve air quality. Its tip for cleaner indoor air is to open doors and windows for 10 to 15 minutes each day. Grow your bird’s nest snake plant because it is tough and good looking, and let the windows do the air cleaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I care for Sansevieria hahnii?
Give it bright, indirect light, a well-drained potting mix such as cactus mix, and water only after the soil has completely dried out. Iowa State Extension says overwatering is the quickest way to kill a sansevieria, and that frequent fertilizing is not necessary. Skip the extras and it is an easy houseplant. See our snake plant light guide.
How big does a bird’s nest snake plant get?
It stays small. Iowa State Extension says bird’s nest types such as Hahnii have rosettes of much shorter leaves, typically less than 8 inches long, and NC State Extension describes a dwarf plant with 6 to 12 leaves forming a short, funnel-shaped rosette. That compact shape suits a desk, shelf or windowsill.
Is a bird’s nest snake plant toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists snake plant as toxic to dogs and cats, names saponins as the toxic principle, and lists nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as the clinical signs. NC State Extension adds that the sap can cause skin irritation. Keep it out of reach, and call your vet or ASPCA Poison Control if a pet chews it.
Can I plant a bird’s nest snake plant outdoors?
Year-round outdoors only in USDA zones 10 to 12, where NC State Extension says it is hardy; elsewhere grow it as a houseplant. In Florida, UF/IFAS rates the common snake plant a high invasion risk in north, central and south Florida, so a pot is the safer choice. See our snake plant overview.
How do I propagate a bird’s nest snake plant?
Divide it or use leaf section cuttings. Iowa State Extension says snake plants root from 3- to 4-inch leaf sections, with new shoots appearing in about two months, but that most variegated forms do not come true from cuttings, so divide those instead. Our snake plant propagation guide has more.