Why is my snake plant dying? [The Most Likely Causes] –ISBUZZLE

Snake plants are among the hardiest types of plants available today, making them ideal for beginners to grow and maintain.

Although they are hardy plants, that does not mean that they are exempt from dying like any other plant.

Unfortunately, your Sansevieria, snake plant, or mother-in-law can get into trouble if proper care isn’t provided, which can eventually lead to the death of the plant.

If you’re wondering how to provide the best overall care, check out my complete guide to snake plant care.

Other than that, here are some of the major causes of snake plant dieback and what you can do about it.

Causes of Snake Plant Dieback

If you are wondering why my snake plant is dying. There is no single point of failure that can cause this, in fact it can happen in many ways and it is usually due to improper care or insufficient checking of your snake plant’s needs.

excess water

Snake plants are naturally drought-tolerant plants, so they are very prone to problems if they receive too much water. I would say that overwatering is the number one killer for a snake plant, creating multiple problems of its own and ultimately rendering the plant useless if it persists long enough.

Constantly having standing water deprives the roots of oxygen, making them unable to transfer water and nutrients to the plant as a whole.

It can also lead to a buildup of fungus that can wreak havoc on plants.

In either case, overwatering can and will eventually lead to root rot, which is one of the leading causes of death not only for snake plants, but for plants in general.

Some signs that you may have overwatered are as follows.

• Standing water on the ground
• hanging leaves
• yellow leaves
• brown dots
• pests appear
• soft leaves
• understory growth
• Stench (root rot)

Solution

If you think your snake is dying from overwatering, cut back on watering and don’t water the soil until it’s almost completely dry.

You can usually tell it needs water when the top few inches of soil are completely dry and that’s when you should water the plant well.

If the soil seems damp, hold it there until it dries.

For more detailed information on watering, see my article on how to water a snake plant.

Now, if you’re dealing with root rot, prune all affected plant parts, including diseased roots, before transplanting your snake plant into fresh soil and a new container.

cold temperatures

Although snakes are hardy houseplants, they are actually quite cold-sensitive and cannot grow in temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, at least not for long.

Ideally, you’ll be growing your snake plant between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit so it can really thrive.

Otherwise, if your Sansevieria gets too cold, it will quickly stunt its growth and go into torpor before eventually dying.

Some signs that your snake plant may be getting too cold and dying in the process may include the following.

• understory growth
• no growth or dormancy
• brown or black spots
• Losing its natural color or looking pale

Solution

If your snake plant is suffering from cold temperatures outside, it’s time to bring it indoors as soon as possible for now.

Indoor temperatures are unlikely to be too low, but growing your Snake plant near vents that receive constant cold drafts can also negatively affect the plant in the same way.

Either way, you just need to find an indoor spot that stays in a consistently warm temperature range for it to recover and thrive again.

Give it some heat!

I don’t shout (maybe a little).

If you want more information on snake plant temperature ranges, I have an article on snake plant temperature tolerance that you can check out.

poor drainage

While it may seem like you’re not overwatering your snake plant and that may be true, if the soil isn’t draining well, you may as well be overwatering because the end result is always the same.

Lack of proper drainage is another common way to cause the death of a snake plant, as water remains in the soil and the roots lack oxygen.

Snake plants not only require less water than most plants, they also need good drainage to overcome them, and by not providing adequate drainage you are just asking for trouble.

You should also use weep holes to get the best possible drainage.

Solution

Snake plants need a soil mix that has a pH between 5.5 and 7.5, which means slightly acidic for the most part, but can also be near neutral.

If your soil isn’t draining well, it’s time to switch to a completely different soil or add materials for extra drainage, like perlite or pebbles under the soil, so the water has a place to go. go.

For soil, you can use a mixture of succulent and cactus soil as it is made to drain very well, then you can add perlite as needed.

If you’re wondering if snake plants need drainage holes, here’s an article on why you should.

Either way, you must have good drainage at all costs or your snake plant will go from unhappy to dying if not provided.

rotten root

One of the worst things that can happen to plants is root rot, which is usually caused by overwatering or poor drainage.

Root rot can even kill your snake plant within a week if steps aren’t taken to save the plant, and is usually annoying to deal with.

This is why you will often hear that it is better to flood a snake plant than to overwater it and this is very true, especially when it comes to fixing snake plant problems, because the problems under- sailors are simply easier to fix than a rotten plant.

Some signs that your snake plant is dying from root rot include the following.

• dark soft leaves
• Leaves wither or fall
• There is a bad smell coming from the plant (rotten roots)
• Your snake plant is not growing.
• Soil is soggy or not draining

Solution

If you suspect you have root rot, you need to act fast to save your plant before it’s too late and it becomes beyond repair.

Some steps required to register it are as follows.

• Prune badly damaged leaves
• Trim soft, dark roots and keep roots healthy and firm
• Replant in fresh soil with a new container.
• Ensure drainage is optimized for prevention

For more information on the subject of root rot in snake plants, check out my article Root Rot in Snake Plants and How to Save It.

And if you want to know how to transplant properly, I have an article on how to transplant a snake plant that is also worth checking out.

Can you save a dying snake plant?

In the vast majority of cases, a dying snake plant can be saved as long as you eliminate the cause of death and then try to prevent the cause from happening again.

In most cases, this will be a simple fix, like being easy to water or bringing the temperature back to normal.

However, in the event of root rot, it is necessary to act quickly or before it is too late, because it is not always obvious that the plant can be saved.

If your snake plant becomes so unhealthy that you think it cannot be saved, you can always propagate a snake plant from the remaining healthy leaves and grow an entirely new plant as a last resort.