If you love growing houseplants, then you will find growing Moonshine snake plants very easy. Learn how to grow and take care of this plant if you want your moonshine to shine brighter!
Today, I will be talking about one of my favorite plants among all other houseplants, Moonshine snake plants. (I feel like a moon princess, when I keep these plants at home. I wish I had bigger space to keep hundreds of these but alas, small townhouse life.)
Today, in this post I will be chatting about everything you need to know about moonshine plants, how to grow and care, and also some interesting facts about this plant. So, let’s begin!
About Moonshine plant
Moonshine snake plants or Moonglow Sansevieria plants are good-looking plants with thick and vertical leaves that add beauty to your home if you have one. The leaves of the plant have a silvery grey colour which resembles moonshine, thus these plants are named Moonshine snake plants. They thrive best in room temperatures so placing them indoors is a best idea. Also, they love to stay in dry and warm conditions but hate being in wet soil for a long time. There are some tips and tricks for maintaining a healthy Moonshine snake plant which I will discuss in this article, so keep reading till the end!
Growing Moonshine Snake plant
Growing Moonshine snake plants at home is an easy task if you provide proper care at the right time. These plants do not need much attention and can be grown indoors. These plants can grow up to 24 inches in height and can be propagated easily. Let us see how!
Moonshine snake plant propagation
Propagating a moonshine snake plant will make it grow faster and healthier. Let us now discuss the two methods for propagating the moonshine snake plants. Try to follow the steps properly that I have mentioned below!
1. Propagation through Leaf Cuttings
- Remember to take the cuttings, the plant must be healthy. Also, use sharp scissors to collect the cuttings.
- Cut a leaf which is healthy and matured, from the mother plant.
- Trim a ⅓ part from the bottom of the leaf cutting and place it in a warm and dry place.
- Allow the cutting to heal from the wound for a few days before you start propagating it.
- Select a suitable pot for planting the cutting and fill it with well-drained soil mix or cactus mix.
- Plant the cutting in the soil an inch deeper and water it enough.
- Keep the plant in bright indirect sunlight.
- Change your plant into a bigger pot, if it has produced a few more leaves.
2. Propagation through Root Division
- Select a matured plant to divide the roots.
- Use sharp gardening equipment and wear gardening gloves before you start the procedure.
- Take out the plant from its pot and gently shake it to remove the soil which is stuck to the roots.
- Now, use a sharp knife or scissors to divide the roots of the mother plant into separate individual plants.
- Plant the divided plants in different pots that are filled with fresh soil mix.
- Place them in bright indirect sunlight.
- You need to keep an eye on the new plants. Do not water them often or fertilize them until they convert into mature plants.
Caring for moonshine snake plants
These plants do not need much care to thrive. Also, they can be maintained easily at home with a little effort. To keep the plant away from some diseases and problems, you need to follow some care tips that I will guide you to know all the factors providing enough care to your plant and making it easy to grow these plants at home! So, keep reading!
1. Sunlight requirements of the moonshine snake plants
Being a succulent, your moonshine snake plant thrives in indirect bright sunlight. These plants need at least 6 hours of bright sunlight to grow healthy. But keeping the plant in direct hot sun for longer hours may lead to some problems and can turn the plant yellow. But in early morning and late afternoon, direct sunlight will help the plant to grow better, so try placing the plant outside at these timings if you can.
While talking about the placement of the moonshine snake pants, it is better to place them near the windows which are east-facing or the place that gets maximum bright light, a day long to let the plant absorb enough light. Do not leave the window open in the afternoons of the hot summer, if you place the plant near it, as the intense sun rays can really damage your plant and cause sunburns. If you are planning to place these plants outdoors then place them in a shade that gets partial sunlight. But you can also place them indoors as your plants love to stay inside.
2. Watering the moonshine snake plants
These moonshine snake plants can tolerate the drought conditions, as succulents do not need much water to survive. These plants can survive for a long period without water but it affects the plant’s growth rate. So, providing enough water whenever it is needed is important to maintain the plant’s health.
Water the plant when you observe that the first layer of the soil has become dry. Generally a matured moonshine snake plant needs to be watered only once a week, but it is better not to water your plant on a schedule, because the water needs of your plant may change with the climatic conditions. So check the moisture level of the soil to water your plant. If the soil is dry at an inch deep, then your plant needs water otherwise not.
Water your plant until the excess water comes out of the drainage system to provide enough water to your plant. Water it slowly, let the root system and the soil mix absorb the water completely. This helps to avoid the problem of underwatering. Do not water your plant often without letting the soil to dry for a while and do not overwater it, which may lead to root related issues in the plant. In cool climates, the plant needs less water and in high temperatures these plants need much water.
3. Suitable soil mix for planting moonshine snake plants
As the moonshine snake plants are succulents, they need well-draining soil mix for plantation. Cactus mix, succulent mix or well-drained soil mixed with sand can be used to plant these moonshine snake plants. Most gardeners prefer making their own well-draining soil mix by mixing normal household soil, coarse sand and perlite in a 2:1:1 ratio to plant these succulents.
The soil mix you use to plant your Moonshine snake plant will play a crucial role in the plant’s health. Because a well-draining soil mix will avoid root rot and other such diseases by draining quickly. Using compact soils to plant these plants is not a good idea because the compact soil holds the water for a long time and your plant will not tolerate being in waterlogged soil for a long time.
4. Potting and repotting the moonshine snake plants
The pot you use to plant your plant will be the home for your plant until you repot it. So using the best pot to plant your Moonshine snake plant will help to stay happy. To select the best pot for planting your Moonshine snake plant, you need to consider the material of the pot; size of the pot and its drainage system.
Use clay pots, unglazed ceramic pots and unfinished terracotta pots for planting these types of plants. Since, these pots have porous walls which allow the aeration into the soil and help to dry the soil which is in contact with the walls of it quickly.
Do not use large pots for planting your moonshine snake plants. Because large pots that are filled with soil mix hold water for a long time which may lead to root rot. The pot size must always be one or two inch larger than the root system of the plant and smaller than this will not allow the roots to grow.
Repot your moonshine snake plant every 2-5 years to maintain its good health. Use 1-2 inch larger pots for transplanting, because the roots of the plant spread 1-2 inch in a year. The growing season is the best time for repotting moonshine snake plants.
5. Ideal temperature range for moonshine snake plants
Moonshine snake plants thrive best at room temperatures. The suitable temperatures of the moonshine snake plants are ranging between 13 to 29 degrees Celsius. The temperature above this range may dehydrate the plant and the temperatures below this range will stop the growth of the plant. It is okay if there is a slight change in the temperature for a short period.
Maintain the plant in the above temperatures to encourage its growth. Change the watering schedule of the plant to balance the temperature, during the climate change. Use plant heaters when the temperature falls to maintain the temperature.
6. Ideal humidity level of moonshine snake plants
These plants work well in normal humidity levels. Being a succulent plant, it does not like to stay in high humidity levels. It is a fact that the plant adapts the humidity levels of the place that it is growing in. Do not mist the leaves of the plant, even in the dry conditions to avoid the fungal growth of the plant.
7. Pruning moonshine snake plants
Moonshine snake plants do not need to be pruned. Many moonshine snake plant growers prune the plant to maintain it at a certain height. For doing that you need to cut the tallest leaf at the joint. However it is better to trim all the dead leaves and damaged ones like mushy leaves, discolored ones, brown and droopy ones to enhance the look of the plant and also to save the energy and the nutrients of the plant. It is better to prune the bottom leaves that are in contact with the soil to avoid fungal growth.
8. Fertilizing moonshine snake plants
Moonshine snake plants do not need much fertilization. Overfertilization and under fertilization may trouble the plant. Fertilizing moonshine snake plants once or twice in the growing season will help the plant to thrive. Do not fertilize it in the winter. Because the plant stops its growth during winter and fertilization in that period may cause stress in the plant.
Fertilize your plant two to three times in a year. Use mild liquid fertilizers, or dilute the concentrated fertilizer to feed your plant. Because concentrated fertilizers damage the root system of the plant.
9. Pests and diseases that attack Moonshine snake plants
While talking about the pests, these hardy plants sometimes might get affected by mealybugs and spider mites which I will discuss below!
Mealybugs: These are the small insects that are white in color and are bulbous. They suck plant liquid and stay in the undersides of the leaves.
Spider mites: Spider mites are also smaller ones that too grow on the inner side of the foliage but are dark red in colour. These insects cause damage to the plant by sucking the sap of the plant.
How to avoid these pests
- The better ways to avoid these infestations are wiping the plant with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol, spraying soap water on the affected parts and applying neem oil on the leaves. You can also use pesticides to get rid of these infestations.
- These hardy plants rarely get affected by any diseases until they are cared for. But be prepared to help the plant in fighting with some diseases if they knock on your plant’s door.
Root rot: Frequent watering, providing more quantity of water, improper soil mixes and poor drainage system will lead the roots of the plant to rot. If the plant is suffering from root rot, gently cut-off the rotten parts of the root system and repot it using fresh soil mix.
Fungal growth: Fungal growth in Moonshine plants is also caused by the same reason that causes root rot. In fact fungal growth in soil also becomes a reason for root rot in plants. Southern blight, soft rot and red spots on the foliage are some diseases that come under this section.
Fungal growth damages the plant and may eventually kill it. Use fungicides to recover the plant from fungal growth. Remove the affected parts from the plant to avoid the spread.
Discoloration of foliage: Discoloration of the foliage takes place in your Moonshine snake plants when you fail to provide enough care for your plant. Commonly, improper sunlight, watering and fertilization leads to discoloration in moonshine snake plants. If you provide enough care to the plant, they will recover from the damage.
Facts you need to know on Moonshine snake plants!
Do you know that moonshine snake plants are very unique and rare?
Let us check out the interesting facts of moonshine snake plants given below!
- Moonshine snake plants turn into dark green color, if they are exposed to direct sun. It looks silver only when it is placed in shade.
- It is toxic to pets like dogs, cats and fishes. So keep these plants out of their reach.
- Although Moonshine snake plants have toxic qualities, they are not harmful to humans.
Conclusion
Moonshine snake plants are beautiful plants that thrive with low care. If you are a beginner and trying to start your gardening, it is one of the best houseplants to start with. The toxicity of the plant harms your pets only if they ingest the parts of the plant.
Remember that providing enough care is the key to keeping the moonshine snake plant’s gorgeous minty green color!
I hope this article will help in guiding you to grow and care for your Moonshine snake plant. If you have any doubts in your mind related to this topic, feel free to comment down below, and don’t forget to share this article with your family and friends!
