Think you can’t successfully grow houseplants? Maybe you just have the wrong ones. Once upon a time I thought I wasn’t a houseplant person. My shrubs, roses, vegetables, and crepe myrtles did well in the garden, but my houseplants did not do so well. Then my mom gave me a pot with a tiny three-leaf snake plant that she had split up. I’m now proud to say that I like houseplants. Here’s why I love snake plants (and how to grow them)!.
Snake plants, also known as mother-in-law’s tongue or Sansevieria, are a popular and easy to care for houseplant. But beyond their visual appeal, snake plants actually provide a number of health and wellness benefits. Here’s a complete overview of all the ways these hardy plants can improve your indoor environment and your overall health.
1. Filter and Purify Indoor Air
One of the most well-known benefits of snake plants is their ability to filter indoor air. Studies by NASA have found that snake plants are effective at removing harmful pollutants like benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene from the air.
These chemicals are emitted from sources like chemical cleaners, paints, furnishings and more Exposure can cause headaches, nausea, allergic reactions and worse Snake plants absorb and break down these pollutants through their leaves and root systems, improving indoor air quality.
2. Release Oxygen and Absorb Carbon Dioxide
Snake plants perform a unique type of photosynthesis that allows them to take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen at night. This makes them especially great for bedrooms since they can help regulate oxygen levels while you sleep. The constant oxygen production also helps counteract indoor pollutants.
3. Reduce Allergens and Irritants
By moisturizing the air and trapping dust and allergens within their leaves, snake plants can help reduce irritation from allergies and asthma. Their removal of air pollutants like formaldehyde also cuts down on allergy triggers. Those prone to allergies may notice less irritation when snake plants are present.
4. Require Minimal Care
One of the reasons snake plants are so popular is that they are extremely hardy and easy to care for. They can tolerate low light and irregular watering, surviving even neglectful plant parents. This makes them an ideal choice for beginners or anyone with a busy schedule.
5. Suit Any Decor Style
With their sculptural shapes and striking patterns, snake plants have a very stylish, contemporary look. Their simple elegance works with any decor from modern to bohemian. Small varieties can sit on a desk or tabletop, while larger types make excellent floor plants.
6. Improve Mental Health
Having plants in your living and work spaces has been shown to reduce stress, increase productivity and boost mood. The presence of live plants triggers relaxation responses in the brain. Simply caring for and looking at a snake plant can provide therapeutic benefits and improve mental well-being.
7. Remove Toxins According to Feng Shui
In feng shui and other Eastern traditions, snake plants are believed to absorb negative energies, remove toxins and promote feelings of health and vitality. Their upright leaves symbolically cut through bad chi. While not scientifically proven, many plant lovers find meaning in this idea.
8. Help Alleviate Minor Ailments
Traditional medicinal uses for snake plant include treating skin inflammations, parasites, headaches, burns and wounds. The sap can be applied topically. While research is still limited, some natural health enthusiasts use snake plants as a gentle folk remedy.
9. Improve Sleep Quality
The ability of snake plants to produce oxygen at night makes them especially beneficial in the bedroom. Having one near your bed may help increase oxygen levels and promote more restful, better quality sleep.
10. Require Infrequent Watering
Snake plants thrive on neglect when it comes to watering. Overwatering is much more likely to damage them than underwatering. Allowing the soil to completely dry out between waterings is best. This makes snake plants ideal for those who tend to over-love their plants.
11. Filter Dust from the Air
The stiff, upright leaves of the snake plant are perfect for trapping airborne dust particles. As they move through the air, the dust gets caught between the leaves. This helps keep your indoor air cleaner.
12. Resist Pests and Diseases
Snake plants are very resistant to most common houseplant pests like spider mites, mealybugs and fungus gnats. Their tough foliage and lack of moisture makes them an inhospitable environment for bugs. These low maintenance plants stay pest-free with minimal effort.
13. Lift Your Mood with Greenery
Studies show that having plants in your home or workspace can make you feel happier and calmer. The natural beauty of plants triggers positive psychological effects. Snake plants add lovely greenery without requiring much care or maintenance from their owners.
14. Fit Any Space
From tabletops to floors, snake plants adapt to any area. Small varieties work wonderfully as desk plants in offices. Large, tree-like types make stunning floor plants. Their simple elegance works with any decor style too, from modern to bohemian.
15. Clear the Air Day and Night
Unlike most plants, snake plants purify the air 24 hours a day. Their unusual respiration allows them to take in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen at night, not just during daylight hours. This round-the-clock air cleansing makes them a perfect plant for the bedroom.
The Takeaway
With their strong air purifying abilities, oxygen production, toxins removal and other health benefits, snake plants are much more than just a visually appealing houseplant. They can genuinely improve your indoor environment and your overall health. Given their stylish look and easy care requirements, snake plants are an excellent way to boost your wellbeing.
Are snake plants good for you?
Yes, snake plants are one of the best houseplants you can grow because they naturally clean the air at night by releasing oxygen. That’s pretty cool, right? That makes them even better to have in your bedroom, where they’ll help you sleep better by cleaning the air. I’m a quest to have one in every room for this reason.
Are snake plants hard to grow?
Nope! Snake plants are a GREAT choice for beginner gardeners because they tolerate all sorts of light conditions. It’s very low maintenance. Snake plants do best with 6-8 hours of indirect sunlight. They do flower in their native West Africa but are unlikely to flower indoors.
7 Great Snake Plant Benefits Proven In Research & Studies
FAQ
What are the benefits of a snake plant?
Is it good to put a snake plant in the bedroom?
What are the spiritual benefits of snake plants?
Do snake plants make good houseplants?
Snake plants owe one of their names, viper’s bowstring hemp, to their fibers, that were used to make bowstrings. There are many types of snake plant and most of them also make good houseplants. The leaves are wide and often sharp-edged, and they have unique brown or cream patterns on them.
Are snake plants good for the environment?
Snake plants have the added benefit of helping filter out pollutants from the air. Indoor environments are more likely to have air pollutants such as benzene, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, xylene, trichloroethylene, toluene, etc.
Are snake plants good home decor?
Snake plants are often used as home decor since they’re pleasing to the eye, are easy to care for, and require little water to survive. Snake plant benefits The snake plant, commonly referred to as mother-in-law’s tongue, is a resilient succulent that can grow anywhere between 6 inches to several feet.
Why should you eat a snake plant?
Removing carbon dioxide also improves your sleep quality at night and mental state in the day. Besides producing fresh oxygen, the snake plant can also absorb mold and cancer-causing toxins from the air like benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, carbon monoxide, and toluene.
What is a snake plant?
A common houseplant, the Sansevieria trifasciata is native to Asia and Africa. It can be recognized by its evergreen sword-shaped leaves that grow upright and almost resemble artificial foliage. Snake plants are often used as home decor since they’re pleasing to the eye, are easy to care for, and require little water to survive.