If one day you have woken up to find that your Snake plant has no roots, this can certainly be quite alarming.
In fact this should be cause for concern as this is a pretty serious issue to have.
Most of the time the reason for there being no roots on a Snake plant can be from overwatering the plant which causes root rot, but there are also other reasons as well.
One of the most important things needed to provide good Snake plant care is to identify issues and solve them quickly before they get too far gone.
So here are the most likely causes and solutions for the lack of roots on your Snake plant.
Overwatering
I would have to say the most common cause for your Snake plant having lost it’s roots can be attributed to overwatering the plant.
When you water too much or have poor drainage, this starves the roots of oxygen and deteriorates them causing all sorts of issues including root rot.
Some signs you may have an overwatered Snake plant include the following.
- Leaves are drooping
- Leaves turning yellow
- Brown leaves or tips
- Stunted growth
- Mushy or soft leaves
- Standing water in the soil
Above all else, root rot is what you have to worry about the most as this is likely why your plant now has no roots.
If you notice a foul odor coming from the roots, or where they should be then you have rot.
For this issue specifically, you can check out my article on Snake plant root rot so you can save it!
Fungal Issue
Another cause for there being no more roots on your Snake plant can be caused by a fungal issue that has destroyed the roots.
Fungal issues arise more often when plants are in very humid conditions or there has been too much moisture or water present.
This is why it’s very important to water correctly and make sure you are always using well draining soil as a best practice and prevention measure.
Also be sure to not get water on the leaves themselves when watering as this can cause fungal issues on their own.
If you still have even just a few roots rather than none at all, you can prune away all of the damaged roots and treat your Snake plant with some neem oil as it’s quite an effective fungicide.
Just be sure to cover the plant and soil with it and only do this in shade until the neem has a chance to dry as it has a tendency to burn leaves if exposed to bright light.
Fertilizer Burn
You may not have heard of this before, but over fertilizing plants can cause what is known as fertilizer burn.
This is when excess salts build up in the soil which can damage roots in the long run.
It’s even possible that fertilizer burn could be the cause for your plant having no roots since damage can get pretty severe and may cause them to fully deteriorate and fall out.
It’s best to stay on the safe side of things and use a well balanced fertilizer at only 1/4 to 1/2 strength since fertilizers can be quite strong for plants.
If you still have some roots left then you can either prune back damaged roots and repot, or you can prune back damaged roots and flush the soil.
Can Snake plant regrow roots?
While it’s certainly possible for a Snake plant to grow new roots if there are already existing roots, having no roots makes this much more difficult.
Your best bet when having no roots from being damaged is to propagate healthy leaves and grow a whole new Snake plant!
What To Do With Snake Plant That Has No Roots
If your Snake plant has no roots overall, it’s time to go ahead and propagate with healthy leaves.
First select 1 or more healthy leaves near the base of the mother plant.
Next use some sterile gardening shears to cut away the leaf.
Let the leaf cutting dry and heal for a few days.
Prepare a new container with some fresh well draining soil.
Water the soil and place your new leaf cutting on top of the soil with the base slightly in the soil and the rest of the leaf sitting comfortably on the top.
Place the container in a location that gets plenty of bright indirect light and within 3 or 4 weeks you should see new roots on your Snake plant being formed!