We all love to see a nice and healthy Snake plant as an addition to our home, office or wherever you’re trying to grow since it looks great anywhere.
Unfortunately, the best care isn’t always provided since life can get in the way and you may have neglected your Sansevieria a bit more than you would have hoped.
Even though Snake plants are tough plants that are easy to care for, problems can still arise when you least expect it and cause your Snake plant to go from healthy to unhealthy.
So when it comes to a healthy vs unhealthy Snake plant, there are some tall tale signs that it’s healthy such as firm leaves that stand upright, or unhealthy with discolored leaves that don’t stand up straight.
Here are the ways you can tell if your Snake plant is healthy or if it’s become unhealthy.
Signs of an unhealthy Snake plant
There are a number of indicators that your mother-in-laws-tongue is unhealthy which doesn’t always come from one problem source as many different things can cause unhealthy symptoms.
Some signs you should look out for that indicate you have an unhealthy Snake plant include the following.
Yellowing of the leaves
Although Snake plants often have a yellow line in the leaves, when the leaves start turning overwhelmingly yellow then you know you have a problem on your hands.
Yellowing of the leaves can have varying causes such as overwatering, lack of light, pests and nutrient deficiency to name a few.
No matter the cause, pale yellow leaves are a major warning sign that your Snake plant is unhealthy and the root cause should be investigated, especially if you suspect you haven’t been watering properly.
If your Snake plant has yellow leaves, check out my article on Snake plant turning yellow to learn everything about this issue in detail.
Brown tips
Brown tips on a Snake plant are another warning sign that it’s not receiving proper care and is starting to become unhealthy.
Brown tips can also be caused by a number of things such as nutrient deficiency, improper watering, pest issues, sun scorch and humidity problems.
I would have to say that brown tips aren’t as serious as pale yellowing leaves though.
If you have this going on, learn more here.
Droopy leaves
If your Snake plant leaves aren’t standing upright and are rather droopy or bend down instead, this is another sign that your plant isn’t exactly thriving.
Droopy leaves also can have a variety of causes such as too much heat, underwatering or overwatering, root rot, pests, improper lighting and so on.
Normally Snake plant leaves will stand upright and firm, so when the leaves start sagging and can’t hold themselves upright, it’s time to investigate.
If this is going on, check out my article on Snake plant drooping for in depth information.
Stunted growth
If your Snake plant has either slowed down growing heavily or stopped growing overall, this is obviously a sign that something isn’t quite right.
Keep in mind that Snake plants become dormant during the late fall and winter so if it hasn’t been growing during these times then your Sansevieria is fine.
It’s just when it should be actively growing such as the spring and summer and it’s not then your Snake plant is unhealthy in some way.
It could be something as simple as being root bound and needs to be repotted, or it could be something more serious such as root rot from overwatering.
In any case it’s worth looking into.
Mushy leaves or roots
Mushy leaves are never a good sign when dealing with Snake plants since their leaves are normally firm and smooth when healthy.
If the plant has developed mushy leaves that have become heavily discolored, or there is a foul odor coming from the plant then odds are there is root rot going on.
Usually to be sure it’s rot you want to check the roots as well.
If they are also mushy or easily fall apart then you have root rot which really is the worst case scenario and by all definitions you have an unhealthy Snake plant.
If you even remotely think this is going on then it’s time to take action before it’s too late since rot works quickly and you don’t want to lose your Snake plant do you?
Nobody does.
For the most in depth guide, check out my article on Snake plant root rot so you can save it before it’s too late.
Signs you have a healthy Snake plant
Now that you know what too look for in an unhealthy Snake plant, it’s time to put your worries to rest and validate that you have a healthy Snake plant instead.
Some signs your Snake plant is perfectly fine include the following.
The leaves are upright
If your Sansevieria leaves are standing straight up, this means you are providing great care since this is how they should be.
Not bending, falling over or stretching out.
If the leaves are able to hold themselves upright then this is a great sign that your Snake plant is in fact healthy.
The leaves are firm and smooth
Snake plants store lots of water in their leaves so a healthy one should have leaves that are plump and or firm.
This is one reason why they are drought tolerant plants since they can store the water for later when they need it the most.
Also if the leaves are smooth to the touch without cracks then this means that it’s well hydrated or has proper humidity going for it.
Very good.
Your Snake plant is growing pups
When you have a healthy Snake plant, over time you will see new leaves growing near the older ones.
These are pups which are essentially baby snake plants that are growing with the mother plant, but since they actually grow their own sets of rhizomes and roots, you can actually propagate them and multiply your Snake plants.
Learn how to propagate a Snake plant here.
By growing pups, this is essentially peak sign that your Snake plant is super healthy.
Wrapping up
By now you can see the vast differences between healthy vs unhealthy Snake plants and hopefully yours is the former.
If not then you know what to look for so you can deal with any of the problems that come your way.
As always happy gardening and enjoy looking after your plants!