There are many types of snake plants out there, and in this post, I wanted to introduce 13 beautiful varieties of Sansevieria. Technically, they are no longer Sansevieria, but rather, belong in the Dracaena genus now. Whatever they are to you, let’s look at some beautiful varieties of this nearly indestructible houseplant.
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HOW MANY TYPES OF SNAKE PLANTS ARE THERE?
There are roughly 70 species or so, and most/all are now in the Dracaena genus.
The genus Sansevieria was originally named Sanseverinia by Vincenzo Petagna in 1787 in order to honor his patron, Pietro Antonio Sanseverino who was the Count of Chiaromonte. Vincenzo had seen this plant in his patron’s garden.
They belong in the Asparagaceae plant family (asparagus plant family). This genus of flowering plants (yes they do flower!) are mostly native to Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia.
If you include various cultivars and hybrids, there are, of course, many more than 70, but I wanted to share with you my favorites in this post. I know you will love them too!
TYPES OF SANSEVIERIA TO GROW IN YOUR HOME
Here are my 13 favorites to grow. At the end of this post, I’ve include other resources and blog posts that I have written on various aspects of snake plant care, including general care, propagation, flowering and where to purchase them.
1. Dracaena trifasciata (Sansevieria trifasciata)
In its native habitat, Dracaena trifasciata can even reach about 4 feet tall, but indoors it will be a bit shorter in most cases. This is the plain snake plant that you see everywhere.
It is tough as nails and like any snake plant, will survive low light environments, but will do much better in a bright window. Even ones with a few hours of direct sun.
When my snake plant bloomed! The flowers have an unusual fragrance.
2. Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’
This is the ‘Laurentii’ cultivar of the Dracaena trifasciata species. It has lovely mottling on the centers of the leaves, with beautiful yellow stripes along the leaf margins.
It is often commonly called the Striped Snake Plant or Striped Mother-in-Law’s Tongue.
Note that if you try propagating this plant by leaf cuttings, the resulting pups will not have the yellow markings on the leaf margins and will revert to the plain species.
Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’
3. Dracaena trifasciata ‘Moonshine’
This cultivar has beautiful silvery-green leaves. If you keep this plant in a darker area, the foliage will turn a darker green color. The leaves will also naturally turn darker as they age.
Sansevieria ‘Moonshine’ won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
My ‘Moonshine’ snake plant.
4. Dracaena trifasciata ‘Bantel’s Sensation’
This stunning, variegated cultivar has narrower leaves than most snake plants, and a distinctive white, vertical striping in the foliage. It can grow up to about 3 feet tall.
My small, ‘Bantel’s Sensation’ snake plant.
5. Dracaena masoniana
Commonly known as the Whale Fin plant, or Mason’s Congo, Dracaena masoniana has enormous leaves and makes a statement in any collection!
It does not grow quickly, and my own plant produces 1 leaf every 1.5 years or so.
6. Dracaena masoniana ‘Variegata’
This is the variegated version of the Whale Fin plant. You can see both versions in the photo below. The vertical, pale yellow stripes are lovely.
This is a short growing species of snake plant, only growing about 4-6″ tall. The leaves take on a V shape and grow in an alternating pattern, which is different from most snake plants.
It is extremely slow growing, so don’t expect this one to budge much!
My ‘Samurai’ snake plant.
8. Dracaena angolensis (Sansevieria cylindrica)
Apparently Sansevieria cylindrica is only a synonym for the accepted species, Dracaena angolensis. I can’t keep up with all the different classifications, but this is a beautiful plant with round, cylindrical leaves, compared to the flat leaves of most snake plants.
One of my cylindrica snake plants.
9. Dracaena cylindrica var. patula ‘Boncel’
This unusual variety of snake plant has short, fat, round leaves that grow in a fan-shape. Over time they will fill up the pot with several growths.
It is commonly known as the Starfish snake plant, and sometimes called Spear Orchid (though it not an orchid).
This is commonly known as the Bird’s Nest Snake Plant, and is another short-growing snake plant, growing anywhere from about 6 inches to 12 inches at the most.
This is the variegated version of the ‘Hahnii’ and how beautiful it is! It forms beautiful, low-growing rosettes with pretty, creamy-yellow margins on the foliage.
This is another lovely, small snake plant to grow if you’re short on growing space.
I personally think this is one of the most beautiful snake plants (though I yet need to acquire one!) The deep green centers with beautiful, lighter markings on the leaf margins are unique and unusual.
If you’re looking for an amazing potting mix that you can use straight out of the bag for your snake plant, check out the Tropical Succulent Soil Blend from Oh Happy Plants. This is an amazing mix and you will get 10% off at checkout automatically if you use my link.
Here are some other blog posts that I have written on specific varieties, care, flowering and propagation of snake plants that you might enjoy:
