Snake plants are one of the most popular houseplants in the world for a reason.
They are beginner-friendly and easy to maintain, and look great in almost any room or garden.
If you want to provide the best snake plant care possible, it is wise to be aware of things like humidity, as this is an important part of plant care.
Here’s what you need to know.
Do Snake Plants Love Moisture?
Snake plants are not as picky about humidity and thrive in a humidity range between 30% and 60% RH.
This can be easily achieved when grown indoors, as most homes or living spaces have an average humidity of around 40%.
However, this can vary, especially depending on the room, as places with water sources have higher humidity than those without.
For example, bathrooms would have the highest humidity in the house, and kitchens would be second.
So to answer the question, do snakes like humidity?
The answer is yes, but you don’t have to do too much and you shouldn’t cause too much trouble as too little.
If you are growing your Sansevieria indoors, it will probably do just fine.
Signs that the humidity is low
- rolled up leaves – The leaves of snake plants begin to curl when deprived of moisture, as this is a reaction to retain all the moisture they can hold.
- brown leaf tips – A brown-tipped snake plant can be caused by many things, including low humidity, as it needs moisture to function effectively and supply the plant with nutrients.
- hanging leaves – If your snake plant is drooping, the humidity level may not be as high as it should be, but it could also be due to improper watering, either under water or overwatering .
- cracked leaves – If the humidity is much lower than the recommended range, you may see the leaves become so dry that they begin to crack or tear.
Signs that the humidity is too high
- The leaves are constantly wet. – If the humidity is too high, your snake plant will constantly sweat and the leaves may remain damp as they cannot dry out in time.
- mold has formed – Fungal spores such as powdery mildew can form on the plant when the leaves are wet, as it needs moisture to survive. One of the many reasons why you really shouldn’t spray a snake plant.
- the plagues have come – If your snake plant attracts insects, the humidity may be too high because they are attracted to moisture.
- rotten root – If your snake plant is exposed to high humidity for too long, it will struggle not only to dry out, but also to absorb nutrients from the soil and may develop root rot. Read here how to handle this.
How to check humidity
A popular and effective way to check your local humidity is to use a hygrometer that you can buy online, like this one.
If you don’t think you need it, you can use a rough estimate, knowing that most living spaces have around 40% humidity.
Remember that rooms with water sources, smaller spaces, or higher temperatures can have an effect on local humidity increases.
For example, living rooms have the lowest level, as they usually have no water points and are usually the largest room in the house.
Bathrooms are often the wettest because they have water sources and are among the smallest rooms in a home.
Kitchens fall somewhere in the middle as they have sinks and are more spacious than bathrooms with better air circulation.
Either way, your snake plant can thrive in most rooms as long as the air isn’t stagnant and the temperature is at a comfortable level.
How to Increase Humidity for Snake Plants
There are several ways to increase your snake’s indoor relative humidity if you discover or suspect that it is too low.
group of plants
By grouping your plants together, the transpiration from each plant can be shared with the others, greatly increasing local humidity.
Just make sure that none of the plants have any insects or pests as this can make them easier to spread.
Learn how to get rid of bugs on snake plants here.
Use a pebble tray
A tray of water pebbles is an easy way to increase the humidity of your snake plant.
All you have to do is fill a container with stones and water, then place it under your pot and the water will slowly evaporate, also increasing the humidity in the room.
Just make sure the water in the container doesn’t touch the soil or roots in any way, as it’s a recipe for disaster if left there too long.
move places
If you find the indoor or outdoor humidity levels are too low, consider moving your Sansevieria to a new location, such as a kitchen or bathroom.
Use a humidifier
Finally, a very simple and effective way to increase humidity in any room is to use a decent humidifier.
I like this one because it’s made for plants, but you can definitely use it for other purposes if you want.
How to Reduce Humidity
If the humidity in your grow room is above 60%, consider trying the following.
Change culture location
If the outdoor humidity is more ideal than the indoor one, you can easily change the growing location or vice versa.
Provide good air circulation
If your snake plant is in a room without adequate air circulation, the air may become stagnant and therefore have a higher than normal humidity level than it should.
Make sure all rooms have good air circulation, but also keep your snake plant far enough away from air vents, as this can stress the plant if it gets too close.
If the outside temperature is comfortable, consider opening a window or two to lower the temperature and often the humidity inside.
use a dehumidifier
If the humidity is out of control, you can always opt for a dehumidifier to bring things down to a much more comfortable level.
final thoughts
When it comes to whether snakes like humidity the answer is yes, they need humidity to grow properly and most homes can easily provide the optimum level.
Thank you for reading and I hope it was useful for you so that you can continue to enjoy the experience.