The pros of snake plants

A college student told me that she loves her snake plant. Snake plant, Dracaena trifasciata, is a houseplant that’s easy to grow. Other common names are bowstring hemp (fibrous leaves) and mother-in-law’s tongue (comparison to sharp margins of leaves).

This college student has moved several times from dorm rooms to apartments, and the plant has survived the light in different locations. It has also survived dry air, fluctuating temperatures and irregular watering.

Formerly Sansevieria, now Dracaena trifasciata, this succulent is a perennial in the Asparagaceae family from western tropical Africa. It has thick upright leaves (18 to 30 inches tall) that are banded with gray, green or yellow. In a study by NASA of houseplants and air quality, the snake plant was shown to reduce organic chemical pollutants.

— katie martin, UC Marin Master Gardeners