Snake Plant Silver Queens Care Easily
Sansevieria Silver Queen or Sansevieria trifasciata Silver Queen refers to one of the variations of the snake plant. As you can guess from its name, this one has silvery foliage and irregular green horizontal stripes. The leaves are thick and fleshy. Its appearance makes it one of the most popular variations of the snake plant.
Just like any other variations of snake plants, it is not hard to take care of the snake plant Silver Queen. If you just started planting and is not familiar with a lot of things, below is the information to take care of this plant.
- Watering:
The snake plant Silver Queen can survive in the drought. When watering it, please be careful to not water it too much as overwatering can damage it. If you want to make them live longer, you can copy its natural habit. In its natural habit, it is usually exposed to the long drought and the drought is followed by the heavy rain. You are recommended to water the soil and then wait for it to completely dry out before pouring it water again.
During the cold winter months, the snake plant Silver Queen will not be active and it is not needed for you to water it at all. In the summer, you can just water it once in two weeks, depending on conditions, if you grow it in the pot. The one that is planted directly in the ground does not need to be watered manually when the drought comes in the summer. In case you are not sure whether to water it or not, it is better for you to wait for a few days. Keep in mind that it is always better to leave it neglected than to give it too much water as overwatering can rot the root.
- Temperature:
The best temperature for the snake plant Silver Queen is between 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. It is able to survive the cooler weather for a short time but please do not do that frequently as the cool temperature can damage or even kill it. The critical condition for it is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you place the snake plant Silver Queen in your home or office, it can survive as long as the place has a normal comfortable temperature and it is actually fine for it to be left alone in the cool place for a couple of weeks when you are not around.
If you plant the snake plant Silver Queen outdoors, please bring it home when the winter comes to protect it. Leaving it outside with the temperatures under 50 degrees Fahrenheit is fine for a short time and it is effective to help it to adapt to the cooler temperatures. When it is about to frost and snow, do not forget to protect it by covering it from these things.
- Humidity:
The ideal humidity for the snake plant Silver Queen is around 40%, which is standard in most homes and offices. If the humidity is increased, it is better to reconsider watering due to the extra moisture in the air.
- Fertilizing:
The snake plant Silver Queen does not actually need fertilizer. However, a small amount of it will not harm the plant. You can give it the small amount of fertilizer before the growing season comes as it will help the plant to grow.
In case you have no idea about the fertilizer, you can give it any all purpose, organic houseplant one. It has to be diluted to between ¼ to ½. This kind of fertilizer is available in most gardening centers and home improvement stores.
Remember that there is no need for you to apply the fertilizer more than twice throughout the growing season. Once is enough, unless the plant looks bad. Keep in mind that too much fertilizer is not good as the roots can be burnt and the plant can be damaged.
- Air circulation:
The snake plant Silver Queen is good at dealing with the dry, stale air, and it does not rely on the airflow. However, the case might be different, depending on the growing environment. For instance, if you regularly wet the plant, the airflow will be needed to help in eliminating the standing water that is the one behind fungal infections and mold.
- Propagation:
It is possible to propagate the snake plant Silver Queen from cuttings or by division. If you want to do it from cutting, the first thing that you have to do is to remove a section of leaf from the bottom of the plant. Then, make a clean cut with the help of a sharp knife or secateur. The wound has to be allowed to heal over before planting the cutting. It is also good to lessen the possibilities of the plant to get diseases and to die before they can establish. It is time for you to plant it in a pot or tray when it is completely calloused over the cutting. Do not forget to put the callous end into the soil and maintain the moisture.
Propagating the snake plant Silver Queen takes months before the new plant establishes itself and to show the sign of the growth and the patience is definitely needed. If you are a kind of one with limited patience, the best option is propagating by division. To do so, you can remove the pups from the parent using a knife and then transplant it to the pots. Before planting it, please allow the pup to callous over. When the time is perfect, you can plant it the same way as cuttings. The difference is that it needs a shorter time to establish itself.
In conclusion, the snake plant Silver Queen is such a strong one from the tropical areas. This one has an ability to adapt to diverse conditions, even though it will have hard time to survive in direct sunlight and be overwatered. Basically, it is the low maintenance one and better to be neglected than getting too much of something.
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