How To Grow And Care For Sansevieria Laurentii

Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ (san-se-VEER-ee-uh try-fask-ee-AH-tuh law-REN-tee-eye) is a classic snake plant: tall, stiff, upright leaves banded in dark and light green and edged in golden yellow. It brightens a corner and adds a strong vertical line to a room.

First, a name update. Genetic research moved snake plants out of Sansevieria and into Dracaena, so you’ll now see this plant listed as Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’. Garden centers still sell it under the old name, so it helps to know both.

Where do the names come from? The genus name Sansevieria honors an 18th-century Italian patron of horticulture. The species name, trifasciata, means “having three transverse stripes,” after the banding on the leaves.

The cultivar name ‘Laurentii’ honors Emile Laurent (1861-1904), a Belgian botanist who collected plants across the Congo in the 1890s. His biography credits him with bringing Sansevieria Laurentii into Belgian horticulture after the bordered, variegated leaves caught his eye.

You’ll find it sold as snake plant, mother-in-law’s tongue, viper’s bowstring hemp, good luck plant, variegated snake plant or simply Laurentii snake plant. It is a perennial in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), and the species is native to tropical Africa.

Sansevieria Laurentii Quick Care Tips

• Botanical name: Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ (formerly Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’)
• Common names: Snake plant, mother-in-law’s tongue, viper’s bowstring hemp, good luck plant, variegated snake plant
• Family and origin: Asparagaceae; native to tropical Africa
• Size: Up to 4 feet tall in its native habitat, often about 2 feet indoors; 1 to 2 feet wide
• Leaves: Dark green with zigzags of lighter green and yellow edges
• Light: Bright, indirect light; tolerates low light; protect from hot afternoon sun
• Temperature: Average home temperatures; ranges vary, with 70 to 90°F or 60 to 85°F given as best; tolerates cool temperatures around 50°F; keep away from cold drafts
• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 12
• Water: Let the soil dry out completely between waterings; water far less in winter
• Soil: Cactus mix, or potting soil with perlite or grit
• Fertilizer: Light feeding with an all-purpose fertilizer at reduced strength in the growing season
• Propagation: Division (leaf cuttings lose the yellow edges)
• Pests and diseases: Mealybugs and spider mites; root rot from overwatering
• Safety: Toxic to cats and dogs; the sap can irritate skin
• Florida note: High invasion risk; keep it in a pot indoors

Sansevieria Laurentii Care

Size and Growth

In its native habitat the foliage can reach 4 feet tall, but it is often smaller, about 2 feet, on indoor plants, according to Missouri Botanical Garden, which lists a spread of 1 to 2 feet. The leaves can be up to 4 feet long and 2 to 4 inches wide.

The leaves rise stiffly in a rosette from a thick underground rhizome. ‘Laurentii’ is dark green with zigzags of lighter green and yellow edges, which also show as bright yellow or golden bands along the margins. The yellow sits on the edges, not down the center.

The growth rate is medium. Give it time, though, because these plants last. Some sansevieria varieties have been known to live 20 to 25 years, and Mississippi State Extension says snake plants can be enjoyed for years, sometimes decades.

Flowering and Fragrance

Yes, it can bloom, though it rarely happens indoors. Mature plants can produce small, fragrant, greenish-white flowers in spring, followed by orange berries. Timing varies, though: blooms often come in winter to early spring on mature, well-established plants, and a plant is more likely to flower when it is slightly root-bound and growing in bright, indirect light.

The flowers are often pleasantly fragrant, especially in the evening, and the stalk may drip sticky nectar. Related: Details on the Snake Plant Flower

Light Conditions and Temperature

Laurentii handles a wide range of light, but it has a favorite. It tolerates everything from low light to bright, indirect light, and its colors look best with a little extra light. Low light can mute leaf coloration and patterns, so a plant in a dark corner may look duller.

Go easy on direct sun. Protect the plant from hot afternoon sun: snake plants can take some morning sun, but direct afternoon sun scorches the leaves. Aim for direct sun for only part of the day, 2 to 6 hours.

For temperature, average home temperatures work, though the plant prefers it a little warmer, with 70 to 90°F ideal. Ranges vary, and some put the best range a little lower, at 60 to 85°F. It tolerates cool temperatures around 50°F, but keep it away from cold drafts and chilly windows in winter.

Outdoors, it is hardy in USDA zones 10 to 12. Colder than that, it is a houseplant.

Watering and Feeding

Here’s the rule that matters most: let it dry out. Water only after the soil has completely dried out. Let the soil dry between waterings from spring to autumn, and in winter water only every one to two months.

When you do water, water the soil. Don’t pour water into the center of the rosette. Use a pot with drainage holes, and don’t let the pot sit in a saucer of drained water.

Feed lightly. Frequent fertilizing isn’t necessary, and an all-purpose fertilizer at half or quarter strength in the spring promotes healthy growth. Some guides feed a little more often, monthly through the growing season (spring and summer) at half strength. Either way, keep feeding to the growing season, so skip fall and winter, and follow the product label.

Soil Type and Transplanting

Use a fast-draining mix, such as cactus mix or potting soil amended with perlite. Penn State Extension’s Allegheny County Master Gardeners suggest a cactus potting mix or one with added perlite or grit.

Pick the pot with care. The plant doesn’t mind being snug in its container, but it can break a clay pot if it gets too root-bound, and taller snake plants do best in a heavy pot because the weight of the leaves can tip it over. Clay pots that are wider than they are high help keep this tall, narrow plant from toppling. Always choose a pot with drainage holes.

How often to repot? Not often. Snake plants like fresh potting mix every 5 years or so, and dividing helps manage plants that are badly pot-bound. Related: What Kind of Sansevieria Soil Mix?

Grooming and Maintenance

• Dust the leaves occasionally. A damp cloth does the job.
• If a leaf is damaged, remove it by cutting it off at the soil level. Use a sharp, clean tool.
• Separate pups when the clump crowds its pot (see propagation below).

Laurentii Snake Plant Propagation

Division is the way to go with Laurentii, and there’s a good reason. Iowa State University Extension says cultivars with variegated leaf edges, such as Laurentii, lose their coloration when propagated by cuttings, because the variegation comes from a chimera. A leaf cutting will still root, but the new plant comes up without those yellow edges.

To keep the pattern, divide. Separate clumps or rosettes of leaves by cutting the thick underground rhizome, making sure each section has both roots and shoots. Snake plants are most easily propagated by division, and after a few years the plant makes offspring you can split off.

Repotting time is the easiest moment. Slide the plant out, cut the pups away from the parent with a sharp, clean tool, and pot each one in fresh, fast-draining mix. Then treat them like adult plants.

Related: More on propagating snake plants

Sansevieria Laurentii Pest and Disease Problems

This plant is quite durable, easily grown and difficult to kill. Give it bright, indirect light, a fast-draining mix, warmth and the right amount of water, and problems are uncommon.

Two insects are worth watching for: mealybugs and spider mites.

The bigger risk is root rot, and it comes from overwatering. If plants stay wet, root rot develops, causing leaves to turn yellow and collapse and eventually killing the plant. Soft, mushy, yellowing leaf bases on a plant that has been kept wet or left standing in water are the warning sign.

What can you do? The University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension says that often the best and most cost-effective way to deal with a houseplant with root rot is to throw it out. If you want to try saving it, it says to reduce soil moisture, and to disinfect tools, work surfaces and clay pots afterward. A practical step many growers try is to cut away any healthy pups or firm sections, pot them in fresh mix, and fix the watering.

Is the Laurentii Toxic or Poisonous?

Yes, keep it away from pets. The ASPCA lists the snake plant as toxic to dogs and cats. It names saponins as the toxic principle and lists nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as the clinical signs. If you suspect your pet ate some, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or your local veterinarian as soon as possible.

NC State Extension rates the poison severity as low, but says the plant is toxic if ingested. Its symptom list also includes depression, loss of appetite, drooling and, in cats, dilated pupils. The sap can also cause skin irritation, so wash your hands after handling or trimming the plant.

Related: Are Snake Plants Poisonous?

Is the Laurentii Plant Considered Invasive?

In Florida, yes. The UF/IFAS assessment for Sansevieria trifasciata concludes that it is predicted to be invasive and is not recommended in North, Central or South Florida (assessed in 2011, reassessed every 10 years).

It spreads by underground rhizomes. The runners don’t quit, and planted in the ground without a barrier it can overgrow a yard. Any part of the plant, including leaves, seeds or underground tubers, can regenerate, no herbicides are labeled for snake plant control, and it is best kept in a pot indoors.

So if you garden in Florida, keep it potted. Snake plants are rated a high invasion risk there, so keep them in a pot indoors rather than planting them in the landscape. Outside Florida, check your own state’s invasive plant list before planting it in the ground.

Suggested Uses for the Laurentii Sansevieria Plant

Laurentii is an easy, forgiving houseplant that adds a strong vertical line to a room. It will do best in the bright, warm spots described above.

As a potted plant, it looks great in a group. Pair sansevieria with plants that also need less water, such as succulents, air plants and cacti, for container combinations.

It can enjoy summer outside, too. Indoor plants may be placed in shady outdoor spots in summer. Wait until temperatures are consistently warm and nighttime lows stay above 55°F, then set it in bright shade or filtered sun, out of direct afternoon sun. Bring it back in before the weather turns cold.

What about clean air? Sansevieria was one of the plants used in NASA’s clean air study. But in reality houseplants have little effect on air quality in a home or office, because NASA tested them in small sealed chambers and real buildings have a constant turnover of air. Grow Laurentii for its looks and easy care.

More Sansevieria Snake Plants to Grow and Collect

• Tips On Growing Sansevieria Black Gold
• Sansevieria cylindrica, the spear snake plant

Do you have a Laurentii with a few pups ready to divide? Tell us how yours is growing.