If you’ve noticed that your Snake Plant isn’t growing as you expected, you’re probably wondering what could be causing this. While Snake Plants are not known for their rapid growth, they should still produce new leaves and reach for the sky over time. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons behind your Snake Plant’s sluggish growth and provide you with easy solutions to get it thriving again.
What To Do If Your Snake Plant Is Not Growing
There are two main reasons why Snake Plants may stop growing:
- The plant lacks one or more essential conditions for healthy growth, such as light, water, or nutrients.
- Your Snake Plant is stressed due to problems like pests, diseases, temperature stress, acclimation, or overwatering.
With numerous potential causes, it’s crucial to play detective and identify the issue before attempting to fix your plant. Fortunately, identifying the problem is usually straightforward, and most solutions are simple to implement.
How Do I Know If My Snake Plant Is Healthy?
Begin by inspecting your plant and its growing conditions. Look for the following signs of a healthy Snake Plant:
- Stiff, upright leaves with minimal brown or yellow discoloration. Note that leaves not growing completely straight up don’t necessarily indicate an unhealthy plant.
- Drooping leaves, often a sign of root rot caused by overwatering.
- Signs of pests or disease. Carefully examine both sides of the leaves and the base of the plant.
- Roots growing out of the drainage holes, suggesting that your plant may be rootbound and growth may be restricted.
Do Snake Plants Grow Slowly?
Snake Plants are relatively slow-growing houseplants. On average, their leaves grow about 1-3 inches per month, depending on the growing conditions. During the growing season, Snake Plants typically produce 2-4 new leaves at a time from their rhizome and can grow 6-10 new leaves in a year. They spread approximately 1-2 inches per year and should be repotted every 2-3 years to prevent being rootbound and limiting growth.
While Snake Plants may not exhibit much growth over the winter months, they should begin producing new leaves and increasing the size of existing ones from early spring onwards.
Causes Of a Snake Plant Not Growing
Let’s explore the common causes of a Snake Plant’s stunted growth and discover how to fix them.
Lack Of Light
Although Snake Plants are often marketed as “low light” plants, they thrive much better in bright, indirect light. While they can tolerate low light conditions for extended periods as long as they’re not overwatered, inadequate light energy will impede growth. To determine if your Snake Plant is receiving enough light, hold your hand in front of a wall or floor near the plant. If your hand doesn’t cast a clear shadow, the available light is insufficient. Alternatively, you can use a light sensor app on your phone to measure the light levels your plant is receiving.
Snake Plants do best when exposed to bright, indirect light indoors and can tolerate a few hours of direct sunlight, especially in the early morning or late afternoon. Ensuring your plant receives adequate light will stimulate new growth within a few weeks.
Underwatering
While Snake Plants are drought-tolerant, insufficient water will dramatically reduce their growth rate. Signs of underwatering include dry soil, curling leaves, brown leaf tips, and limited growth. Regularly check the soil for dampness, watering only when it’s nearly dry. You can also assess the weight of the pot to gauge the level of moisture. Lighter pots indicate dry soil, while heavier ones suggest sufficient moisture.
Overwatering
Overwatering can be equally detrimental to your Snake Plant’s growth. It often leads to root rot, which halts growth and may even cause the plant’s demise. To remedy overwatering, carefully remove the plant from its pot and inspect the roots for signs of rot, such as a mushy or foul-smelling texture. Prune any affected roots, remove excess soil, and treat the remaining healthy roots with a dilute hydrogen peroxide solution. Repot the plant in fresh, well-draining soil and provide moderate light, water, temperatures, and humidity. Recovery may take several months as new healthy roots develop, but your Snake Plant will eventually resume growth.
Becoming Rootbound
A rootbound Snake Plant lacks the necessary space for new growth. While Snake Plants prefer to keep their foliage tightly packed, excessive root growth can inhibit new foliage. Repotting the plant into a pot that’s slightly larger than the current one can promote new growth. Avoid using a significantly larger pot, as it increases the risk of overwatering. The increased soil quantity takes longer to dry out, and it will take time for roots to grow into the new soil.
Acclimation
Just like humans, plants need time to adjust to new environments. Snake Plants, originally grown under optimal conditions by the grower, may experience an adjustment period when brought into your home. If your plant appears healthy and all basic care conditions are met, give it some time. Often, after a month or two, new growth will emerge.
Lack Of Fertilizer
While Snake Plants don’t require heavy feeding, inadequate nutrients can slow or halt new growth. Fertilize your Snake Plants every 2-3 months during the growing season, using a water-soluble, balanced fertilizer at half the recommended strength. Ensure you don’t overdo it, as excessive fertilizer can damage leaves and roots, stalling growth.
Pests And Disease
Both pests and diseases can cause stress and hinder your plant’s growth. Overwatering often leads to diseases in Snake Plants, while mealybugs and scale insects are common pests. Regularly check your plant for signs of pests, treating them promptly if detected. Isolate your affected plant, manually remove pests, and spray the plant with appropriate treatments. A significant pest infestation may temporarily halt growth, but patience and proper treatment will yield results.
How Can I Make My Snake Plant Grow Faster?
To promote quick growth in your Snake Plant, focus on optimizing its care conditions and minimizing stress factors. Adequate light, proper watering (neither too little nor too much), and occasional fertilization (2-3 times a year) are the keys to maximizing growth. While Snake Plants naturally slow down in winter due to insufficient light, using a grow light can help maintain year-round growth.
Why Isn’t My Snake Plant Growing Straight Up?
If your Snake Plant isn’t growing straight up, it’s likely due to the light source coming from the side, causing the plant to grow towards it. To minimize this effect, rotate your plant each time you water it to encourage the leaves to grow as straight as possible. Additionally, check for any other issues such as pests, diseases, or watering problems that may be causing the leaves to curve or droop.
Last Word
We hope this article has shed light on why your Snake Plant isn’t growing as expected. While it’s discouraging when a plant doesn’t thrive, it presents an opportunity to learn more about your plant’s preferences. By nursing your Snake Plant back to health, you’ll gain valuable insights that can benefit your other houseplants.
If you hunger for more knowledge on houseplants, be sure to check out my book, “Houseplants Made Easy.” It offers simple guidance for growing beautiful, healthy houseplants that will thrive year after year. And don’t forget to explore our other articles for further tips on keeping all your houseplants healthy, including caring for Snake Plants, fixing a dying Snake Plant, propagating Snake Plants, pruning techniques, and recommendations for houseplants in hot rooms or low light conditions.
