Starlight Snake Plant

• Low Water Needs
• Light Preference/Tolerated (Bright Indirect Light, Medium Light, Low Light)
• Well-draining Succulent Soil
• Mature Height 12 inches

Few houseplants can claim the ‘low-maintenance’ title as emphatically as Snake Plants, and the Starlight Snake Plant is no exception. Thriving on neglect, the Starlight (Sansevieria trifasciata) is succulent that requires little more than occasional watering. This Snake Plant variety stands out with its thick, pointed, dappled gray-green leaves, edged with dusty yellow and emerging from the plant’s center in a tight rosette. Its petite size and wide range of acceptable lighting allow it to fill any space needing life, from a bright spot on a patio to a desk in a windowless office. Snake Plants are toxic and therefore should be placed out of reach of pets and children. 

Best Locations For Growing Starlight Snake Plant

Snake Plants may be the only houseplant that can thrive in both full direct sun as well as artificial light. For this reason, Snake Plants are the go-to option for housewarming presents, office plants, and plant-lovers alike, without the worry of having to find the perfect spot for it immediately. Place the Starlight on a desk, bookshelf, or on the floor next to a bright window–you really cannot go wrong! 

Starlight Snake Plant Sunlight Requirements

Some are surprised to learn that Snake Plants do not have to be limited to low light spots, though they are often chosen for their low light tolerance. With a gentle introduction, Snake Plants can adapt to receiving bright, direct sunlight, allowing them to fill any window in a home regardless of what time of day sunlight enters. On the flipside, the Starlight Snake Plant can survive in a room without natural light, as long as there is access to artificial lighting for several hours a day. Plants placed in low light are likely to grow slowly and may need water infrequently. 

Starlight Snake Plant Care

Snake Plants require little maintenance and rarely need to be repotted. When placed in bright light and after having grown significantly, however, you may find that the Starlight is ready for a larger pot. Choose a pot with drainage holes that is only an inch or two larger than the previous size. Repot using a cactus or succulent soil that is well draining. 

Watering Starlight Snake Plant

The most common reason for a Snake Plant’s demise is overwatering. These plants are succulents, storing water in their thick rhizomes and leaves. The frequency of watering will greatly depend on where a Snake Plant is placed. In bright light, watering may be necessary about once a month. In lower light, watering may be necessary even less frequently, possibly once every two or three months. Allow the soil of the Starlight Snake Plant to dry completely before watering deeply, until the soil is thoroughly soaked. Like other succulents, the leaves of a Snake Plant will become soft, pliable, and wrinkled when the plant is ready for water. Bottom watering, when the pot is placed in a few inches of water to be absorbed through the drainage holes, is often a beneficial practice when watering Snake Plants. This helps to avoid wetting the leaves and prevents water from getting into the curled center of the Starlight crown, which often leads to crown rot.

Feeding Starlight Snake Plant

Snake Plants are slow growers, therefore needing fertilizer infrequently. Dilute a liquid cactus or succulent fertilizer into your water twice a year, once in the spring and again in the summer, to provide the Starlight Snake Plant with some extra nutrients. Fertilizing in the winter is not necessary as plants slow down their growth. Take care not to over-fertilize Snake Plants, which can lead to root damage and stunted growth.