How to Prune A Snake Plant? Everything to Know About
Last Updated on January 28, 2024
Pruning snake plants is a breeze – minimal effort is needed, making them perfect for beginners.
If your snake plant gets too big or starts showing issues, some pruning might be necessary, but it’s a straightforward process with minimal trimming required.
How to Prune A Snake Plant
Learn from houseplant experts about the why, when, and how of pruning a snake plant to enhance both its health and appearance. As a low-light indoor plant, the snake plant is renowned for reducing stress, and mastering the art of pruning it shouldn’t be a challenging task.
To effectively prune your snake plant, follow these steps:
- Inspect your plant: Identify leaves that need pruning, such as those that are diseased, dead, damaged, yellowing, wilted, or have brown tips. Additionally, check for overgrown or outward-facing leaves at the soil level if you want to manage the width of the plant.
- Disinfect your tools: Make sure your pruning shears or scissors are sharp and clean. Sterilize your cutting tools to prevent the potential spread of pests or diseases.
- Cut: Hold the identified leaf at the tip, gently pull it upward, and trim it at the soil level using sharp pruning shears or scissors. Aim for a straight and clean cut to minimize the exposed surface area as the wound heals.
- Dispose of the cuttings: After pruning, collect and dispose of the trimmed leaves. Alternatively, if you’re interested, you can use healthy leaf cuttings to propagate new snake plants.
You can also watch the video below:
Why You Should Prune A Snake Plant?
Pruning easy indoor plants, like snake plants, may be necessary for various reasons. While it doesn’t have to be a frequent task, pruning can significantly improve the plant’s health and appearance.
Despite their slow growth, pruning snake plants is a helpful practice to control their size and ensure they maintain an attractive appearance. Since these plants can reach several feet in height, regular pruning keeps them compact, making them suitable for the available space.
This is particularly important if you use them as bedroom plants, as snake plants are known to contribute to better sleep.
If you notice your snake plant turning yellow, which can result from factors like ageing, insufficient light, or overwatering, pruning becomes a solution to remove these unappealing leaves and encourage new, vibrant growth.
This enhances the overall robustness and health of the plant and brings in fresh, colourful leaves to replace the yellowed ones.
Additionally, pruning can serve the purpose of propagation for snake plants. By removing sections and propagating them in water or soil, you not only tidy up the plant’s appearance but also gain new snake plants to enjoy.
When to Prune A Snake Plant?
The ideal time to prune snake plants is during their growing season, which spans spring and summer. During this period, the plants can swiftly heal cuts and channel their energy towards producing new growth.
There isn’t a strict timeframe for pruning, and she advises that if the snake plant becomes too large or if you spot dead or damaged leaves, it’s time for a trim.
While pruning can technically be done throughout the year, it’s recommended to carry it out when the plant is healthy. If you want to play it safe, pruning in spring or early summer, during the active growth period, is advisable.
Removing damaged leaves is acceptable at any time, but taking out tools and cutting during winter might stress the plant and extend its recovery time, making it potentially less effective.