Snake plants are popular houseplants that take easy care to a new level. These low-maintenance beauties have an upright growth habit that adds height and greenery to a space. The stately foliage has an almost contemporary look, allowing this plant to elevate the style of a room. All snake plants are lovely, but most pale compared to the Moonshine Snake Plant. Formally known as Dracaena trifasciata ‘Moonshine,’ this variety has steadily gained popularity over the last several years. Here’s everything you need to know about this striking houseplant.
History of Moonshine
The Moonshine Snake Plant hails from regions of the Congo and Nigeria. The broad leaves taper to a point and grow in a rosette formation. The growth pattern will appear more open as the plant matures and sends up new leaves. The thing that sets this plant apart is the unique foliage color. The Moonshine Snake Plant is a pale, silvery green color. Plants grown in low light may have barely visible horizontal strips of slightly darker green, but the foliage is mostly consistent in color.
This plant was considered a Sansevieria, but due to reclassification, Sansevierias are now part of the Dracaena genus. The Moonshine is often referred to as a Sansevieria or a Snake Plant, but it may be labeled as a Dracaena in a plant shop; however, it’s all the same thing.
Moonshine Snake Plant Light Needs
Snake Plants are adaptable, a big part of what makes them so simple to grow. These easy-care houseplants can live in most light levels, although they grow slower in low light. If you want your Moonshine Sansevieria to thrive, place it in medium to bright indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, which can burn the lovely foliage.
How Often to Water Moonshine Sansevieria
Snake Plants are drought-tolerant succulents, so let the soil dry out before giving your Moonshine a drink. Overwatering is the biggest threat to Snake Plants and can cause root rot, so check the soil and water when the potting mix is dry throughout. Remove excess water from the cover pot or saucer. Dormant plants need less water, so scale back water in the winter.
Snake Plants are better off slightly underwatered than overwatered, so wait another day or two if you’re unsure when to water. Underwatered plants have wrinkled or wilted leaves. Give the plant a drink immediately, and the foliage should plump back up. Yellow leaf tips are an early sign of too much water. Brown, mushy stems are indicators of extreme or continued overwatering. Overwatered plants need lots of sunlight and time to dry out.
Soil for Moonshine Snake Plants
Well-draining soil is essential for the Moonshine Dracaena trifasciata. Most potting mixes intended for cacti or succulents are a good fit. Amend regular potting mix with sand or perlite to improve drainage.
Temperature for Moonshine Sansevieria
Sansevierias like warm temperatures, making them well-suited as houseplants. A comfortable room temperature for you will be perfect for your Moonshine Snake Plant. Temperatures between 55° and 85° F are acceptable for Snake Plants. This beauty can add striking style to an outdoor space but move it back inside before the temperature turns chilly.
Snake Plant Moonshine Humidity Needs
Low to average humidity is best for plants like the Snake Plant Moonshine. Anything between 30% to 50% is ideal. Avoid placing Snake Plants in naturally humid areas of the home. You can still enjoy the pale silvery-green foliage of the Moonshine in humid climates but try to place the plant in a bright area. Increased sunlight will help counteract increased moisture in the air.
Moonshine Snake Plant Fertilizer
All Sansevieria, including the Moonshine Snake Plant, are slow growers. Excellent care and the right conditions will help these plants grow as fast as possible, but a darling tabletop plant will still take a long time to become a large floor plant. Fertilizing is not necessary, but it will assist your plant’s growth rate.
Feed Snake Plants using a balanced fertilizer. You can apply one dose each spring or continue to feed the plant monthly during the spring and summer when the plant is actively growing.
Does the Snake Plant Moonshine Bloom?
The Moonshine Snake Plant does flower, but houseplants do not typically bloom. Flowering plants send up a flower spike or tall stem. Fragrant flowers bloom for two to three weeks during the spring and summer. This plant is grown more for its foliage than flowers, so it’s not a big deal to miss out on the blooms.
When to Repot Moonshine Snake Plant
Plan to repot your Moonshine Snake Plant every few years. Snake Plants are content being somewhat rootbound, so there is no reason to rush to repot. The roots will poke through the drainage holes in the container or emerge above the soil line when the plant is desperately rootbound.
Time repotting to the spring when possible. Select a pot one to two inches larger than the root ball. If you intend to keep the entire plant together, use a bigger container, but if you are dividing a large plant into multiple smaller plants, each container should allow room for the roots to grow.
Sansevieria Moonshine Propagation
Propagating Snake Plants is worthwhile, but it’s a long game. The rarity of the Moonshine Snake Plant makes this a tempting plant to propagate if you want to expand your collection or give a very thoughtful gift to a plant-loving friend.
Snake Plants can be propagated through division or cuttings. Healthy, mature plants will send out offshoots or pups. These tiny plants can be removed from the mother plant when a few inches tall. It is easiest to remove offshoots when repotting. The stem that connects the offshoot to the parent plant needs to be cut, and the cut end must callous over before repotting the pup in a separate container.
Leaf cuttings should be a few inches long, and it’s vital to maintain the orientation of the leaf when cutting one leaf into multiple cuttings. Let the cut end callous before placing the bottom in soil or water. Roots can take months to form, so be patient.
Are Moonshine Snake Plants Pet Safe?
The only downside to the Moonshine Snake Plant is that it is mildly toxic to pets and humans. A small tabletop plant may work out if pets or little ones cannot access the foliage, but a large floor plant may present more of a challenge. Do what is best for your home, but be aware of the risks of this plant.
Snake Plant Moonshine Styling Tips
The most important part of styling a Moonshine Sansevieria is to place this beauty in a visible spot where you can easily admire the silvery green foliage. Pots made from terra cotta or unglazed ceramic are an excellent choice because they allow the soil to dry out completely, and the natural texture complements the foliage. Although, any container works well if used as a cover pot over a nursery pot.
Moonshine Snake Plant Care Tips
The Dracaean trifasciata ‘Moonshine’ is a low-maintenance plant with lovely pale green foliage. Like all Snake Plants, the Moonshine is easy to grow and does not require much attention. The Snake Plant Moonshine is popular, which can make it hard to find, but it’s the perfect addition to a plant collection.