Hydra plants ( also known asmother - in - law ’s tongue ) are among the tough and easiest houseplants to raise . Their low-spirited - maintenance charm and noteworthy tenacity make them an attractive choice for tiro indoor gardeners .
You might be flummox by its botanic classification . Is it a succulent ? Or perhaps , a cactus ? Let ’s enter on a horticultural exploration to demystify these category and pinpoint where the snake plant resides .
Indeed , snake plant proudly fag the succulent badge . Regardless of the variety you bring home , they descend under this umbrella .
However , they do not sit down at the cacti tabular array . While the two portion some similarities , the Snake River plant miss certain characteristics that delineate a cactus .
The fascinating interplay between Snake River plants and cacti can indeed interweave a web of confusedness for budding flora enthusiasts . As we delve bass , we will excavate what makes a plant succulent and describe between succulents and cacti .
arm with this knowledge , you ’ll better understand why snake industrial plant proudly champion the succulent category . So , continue reading and heighten your botanic agreement , as we navigate the green labyrinth of the intriguing ophidian flora .
What Is A Succulent Plant?
Water Storage
The main defining feature of a succulent works is its power to hive away water system . These works have leaves , stems , and branches that collect water to keep open it for the class ’s drier months .
Succulents typically have hardy leaves , and their internal water storage capability helps them to survive drouth .
This is especially crucial to their survival as many succulent plants are native to quick or tropical climates locate in Africa , Eastern Asia , and South America .
Overall , succulents can vary greatly in their colouring material and form , but one commonality will always be their ability to stack away piddle .
This explains why the leaves of a snake plant can stand tall and firm , as opposed to droopy or lean — they’re typically full of water .
Propagation
Many succulent plants can well be propagated by cut their leaves . Once the leave are clipped , they can be placed in water or topsoil to create an off - shoot of the female parent works .
This can be done for multiple plants , and they can also be grown alongside the mother plant .
If you take a clipping from the rose window of your snake plant , for example , you will discover that it will set out to develop its own stems in a period of six to eight weeks .
This is another grounds why place growers sleep with succulents , as indoor plants — it ’s easy to grow more of them . This means that you do n’t have to spend money on new plant .
Leaves and Appearance
Many succulent plants are screw for their ability to endure brief temperature freeze without becoming hoarfrost damage .
One of the biggest characteristics of a succulent plant is its boneheaded fleshy leave ( or , in some cases , inking pad ) , though there are definitely succulent varieties to have slight leaf .
For example , the snake plant ’s leaves are less than mediocre in footing of heaviness for the typical succulent industrial plant .
Another vulgar characteristic of succulent industrial plant is their short stature . Though there are lush flora that can produce several feet tall ( such as the snake works ) , many have a wide , bush - similar soma , which is probable an adaptative change to survive in their aboriginal environment .
You ’ll find these plants available in various colouration , including dark-green , white-livered , flushed , and even empurpled hues .
The Differences Between Succulents and Cactus Plants
It ’s common for the great unwashed to use the terms cacti and succulent interchangeably ; however , they do not defend the same type of plant categorizations .
To sympathize the relationship between cacti and succulent , it ’s important to be able to tell apart them from one another . Let ’s look at the conflict between these plant life .
Succulents
As note before , succulent are known for their power to lay in water in their leafage , roots , and subdivision .
presently , there are over 50 jazz plant life family unit that fall into the category of succulents , and cacti are one of these works .
Why ?
Because cacti can store H2O . Therefore , all cacti are considered succulent plant .
Cacti
It ’s common for succulent to be mistaken for cacti , as they can have spines and thorns as well , but there is a divergence between the two .
It does n’t matter the plant ’s anatomy or size , or whether or not they have branches or leaves . The recognize factor between succulents and cacti are what are known asareoles .
Areoles are small round cushion mounds of flesh where bloom , haircloth , and leaves grow from cacti . Areoles are not present on all succulent , however , they are present on all plants classified as cacti .
So there you have it , that ’s the main difference of opinion between a succulent plant and a cactus . Though , there are some grey-headed sphere of these categorizations .
How Do You Identify Snake Plants?
presently , there are over 70 get laid serpent plant ( or GenusSansevieria ) diverseness . So this can make it a bit challenging to signalise snake plants from other case of plant .
However , there are a smattering of commonalities that all of the varieties possess . All snake plants are considered succulent , and their diversity have long steel - form green leaf that are flat and put up erect .
Most Hydra plant life will be various unripened hues , though some can take yellow , red , and purple leaves .
When you buy a snake plant life , whether it ’s online or at a local indoor plant supplier , it should be labeled accordingly .
If you are unsure whether or not your new works is a snake plant , you’re able to call in a local plant nursery or touch a horticulturist online to be sure .
Are Snake Plants Tropical?
Snake plant are tropic and sub - tropic plants . They ’re aboriginal to various Continent , including Africa , Europe , and Southeast Asia .
Being tropic plants , they can thrive in areas with moderate wraith as well as in area with very promising luminousness . This is one of the many benefit of grow an indoor Hydra plant — you may place it almost anywhere in your home , and it will still fly high .
Snake plants are drought - resistant , and count on their salmagundi , they can go anywhere from four to six hebdomad without being water .
Snake plants flourish when they ’re placed in environments that are like to their native kingdom . Let ’s briefly talk about the component that will aid these tropic plant grow best .
Water
Proper watering is in all probability one of the most important facial expression of sustain a snake plant healthy . Snake plant life require very little soil to thrive and grow .
In fact , it ’s powerfully recommended that you let the soil dry out out between each tearing sitting . On average , you wo n’t need to water your snake plant more than once or twice every month .
Even if the plant is damage or in a state of ill - health , over - watering will seldom be the solution . During the wintertime months , it ’s recommended to only water the plant once or whenever the filth is extremely juiceless .
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Temperature and Humidity
Hydra industrial plant prefer temperatures similar to that of their aboriginal environments , which imply 50 degrees Fahrenheit or higher is ideal .
The idealistic temperature range for Hydra plants is anywhere between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit . Always keep your plant life off from zephyr conditioners or drafty arena of your base , as this can induce the folio to swag .
Light
Snake plants are be intimate to be highly forgiving plant . They can be placed under direct sunshine for a few hours a day without their leaves becoming scorch — which is mostly due to their high body of water content .
They can also be placed in areas where there is collateral sunshine and can adapt to shining conditions fair quickly .
Soil
Best when placed in loose well - drain grunge . This gives their roots free rein to grow freely and provide the flora with the nutrients that it needs to outlive .
you’re able to even use an all - purpose cactus grime for your snake plant , as they have like maintenance and nutritional characteristics .
It ’s best to stay away from plant culture medium that have a small amount of peat , as they may make it difficult for the soil to stay hydrous or debilitate properly .
Fertilizer
Snake plants do n’t ask a lot of fertilizer to thrive and grow . However , you could utilize a soft fertilizer if your plant needs a growth rise or if it ’s suffering from a wellness viewpoint .
The good plant food to use for snake plants is one with an NPK ( Nitrogen , Phosphorous , Potassium ) ratio of 10 - 10 - 10 . It ’s good not to fertilize the snake plant life in the winter ( it ’s the slow - raise season ) , as it can induce a chemical substance burn .
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What Other Plants Can You Arrange With A Snake Plant?
A serpent works can be flux with almost any other succulent for a more interesting calculate plant life skunk — or for widget .
you may also partner off Hydra plants with various annual to add a bit of coloration to their coherent greenery . yearly that are commonly mate with snake plant admit fittonia , petunias , and ivy variety show .
In particular , Hedera helix can add a bit of mass to your snake plant ’s pot , as they will typically spillover if you allow them to grow fully .
Snake plant with fittonia :
Snake industrial plant with petunias :
Snake plant with ivy :
Can You Combine Snake Plants In A Pot?
Yes , you could blend multiple snake industrial plant in one pot . It ’s best to coalesce plants that are near the same stage in lifetime .
For exemplar , you may want to avoid mate a baby Hydra plant with a flora that is five days old , as they may have vastly dissimilar nutrient requirements .
It can also become challenging to handle for both of the plants ; every one of them begin to suffer from health issues .
Wrapping Things Up
Before you go , be sure to jibe out our other Charles William Post :
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