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Snake Plant Disadvantage: Unveiling Facts and Considerations

A snake plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata) can be an ideal pick for new gardens since it requires an insignificant amount of care and consideration. These tropical, highly stable plants are well known for home gardening. They look dazzling with their upstanding, sword-shaped leaves, and evergreen foliage. Since they do fine and are easy to go with low light, snake plants are normal in homes and workplaces. These fortunate plants produce oxygen around evening time and assimilate some air toxins. Regardless of having such brilliant advantages, there are still a few drawbacks to growing a snake plant at your home.

1. Highly toxic to humans and feline pets

A typical issue with all Sansevieria is their harmfulness. Numerous houseplants, for example, Harmony lilies, English ivy, Pothos, and so on are poisonous for pets, and the snake plant is one of them. Mother-in-law’s tongue plants are toxic when bitten or ingested. Presently this may not be a major issue on the off chance that you have just grown-ups in the house. However, with children and pets around, having snake plants might make you a piece stressed.

The toxin found in the plant essentially creates gastrointestinal issues. It has a desensitizing impact that can make the tongue and throat enlarged. Eating huge sums can cause queasiness, runs, heaving, slobbering, stomach torment, and so on. Contacting the plant juice with uncovered hands can cause rashes or dermatitis in certain individuals. Snake plants are more harmful to canines and felines than to people. Even though its unpleasant taste can repulse them from eating huge dosages, inquisitive pets might take a nibble off the plant. In pets, the ingestion causes comparable side effects of harming[1]Ozkurt, H. and O. Altuntas, The effect of sound waves at different frequencies upon the plant element nutritional uptake of snake plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata) plants. Indian Journal of Science and … Continue reading.

snake plant disadvantage
Image Source: Costa Farms

Every one of the pieces of this plant, including leaves, roots, blossoms, and rhizomes are somewhat poisonous because they contain a compound called Saponin. Saponin is great for the plant since it goes about as a characteristic insect spray and fungicide by keeping sicknesses under control. Along these lines, snake plant juice has even been utilized as a natural cure in certain areas of the planet. Yet, consuming any piece of this plant is certainly not a smart thought.

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The most effective way to stay away from any mishap is to get your plants far from youngsters and pets. Put them on top racks or in no-pet zones. Crush a lemon or orange zing on pot edges to make areas of strength for an anti-agents fragrance. Virtually all canines and felines disdain the smell of citrus. Surprisingly is better to sprinkle some cinnamon in the soil. It repulses the pets, yet additionally goes about as a fungicide for your plant.

2. Sensitive to water and sunlight availability

One of the principal issues that all Sansevieria plants have to face is overwatering. Since they are dry season lenient plants, snake plants can get by on next to zero dampness. They can flourish with a touch of neglect. Sitting in the soaked and wet soil is the most horrendously awful for snake plants. It can bring about dim, stinky decaying roots. Leaves can become yellow and soft and begin hanging. At the point when the entire underground root growth becomes mush, saving the plant is inconceivable.

To make things more troublesome, there are many elements (low temperature, less daylight, thick soil, enormous pot size, and so forth) that can advance overwatering. Being an exotic animal type, the mother by mother-in-law’s tongue plant is very much adjusted to dry and warm environments. However, this plant is not very winter-tough. On the off chance that you live in a district where the temperature goes freezing in winter, leaving snake plants outside is a poorly conceived notion[2]Filmer, A.K. and L. Dodge, Safe and poisonous garden plants. University of California, 2012. Read.

snake plant yellow tips
Image Source: AKC

Openness to cold temperatures (beneath 50° F or 10° C) can make the plant leave a scar for all time. Ice is likewise perilous for the leaves as they cannot be restored from harm. Frigid temperature and wet soil are a lethal mix for snake plants. To fight overwatering, utilize sandy, well-depleting soil and a pot with waste openings. Water the plant consistently during the developing season, yet just when the top soil layer is dry. Diminish the watering in fall and winter to about one time per month. It means a lot to screen the presence of your plant to distinguish any side effects of overwatering and change the watering plan as needed.

Read: What’s the most Poisonous Plant in the world?

Counteraction is the way to stay away from any virus harm in snake plants. Indoor plants are more straightforward to oversee because they can be kept close to a radiator. To save outside plants, you can cover them in thick material to trap some glow inside. Try not to water the plant in such circumstances. Regardless of whether the leaves are harmed, new leaves can develop from a sound root foundation later in summer. Yet, keeping the roots wet in outrageous virus will without a doubt kill the plant.

3. Irregular flowering pattern and slow growth

One of the weaknesses and disadvantages of a snake plant is that it has a very low flowering propensity, with inconsistency as well. Some snake plants flower consistently, while others do not show any flowering for a long time. It can likewise rely upon the particular sub-species and cultivar of a snake plant. Not many assortments are more inclined to blossom than others. For example, Sansevieria Cylindrica begins blossoming at a more youthful age than different species. Talking for Sansevieria Brilliant Hahnii, it flowers every once in a while. As a rule, the flowering of snake plants is a seriously intriguing occasion. Snake plants can develop as tall as 6-7 feet (contingent upon the assortment), however, they do it gradually.

Read: Snake Plant Secrets: Mastering the Art of Watering

The plant development pace of Sansevieria is delayed to medium. After buying a sapling from the nursery, it will require a very long time to develop it to a significant level. Snake plants are durable plants that live for quite a long time. In any event, engendering these plants requires a very long time for the small roots to show up. Thus, if you are considering growing a thick nursery in a year or somewhere in the vicinity, snake plants are not a decent decision[3]Myint, H.H. and T.T. Swe, STUDY ON MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSICOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF SANSEVIERIA TRIFASCIATA HORT. EX PRAIN.(NA-GAR-SET-GAMON). Read.

There is no assurance that anything can surely make a snake plant blossom or flower. Keeping your plant sound and giving it splendid sifted daylight might help. In any case, simply the way that the snake plant is a blooming animal group does not guarantee a yearly bloom. Albeit splendid light circumstances appear to support the plant development, the increment is not a lot. Mother-in-law’s tongue makes an incredibly elaborate indoor plant making it ideally suited for little living spaces[4]Rwawiire, S. and B. Tomkova, Morphological, thermal, and mechanical characterization of Sansevieria trifasciata fibers. Journal of Natural Fibers, 2015. 12(3): p. 201-210. Read.

snake plant cons
Image Source: The Spruce

4. Snake plant sign for Bad Luck

One of the disadvantages of the snake plant is, that bringing misfortune is accepted. Plants that are for the most part classified as misfortune plants have plans that can produce undesired energy, as indicated by certain people’s beliefs. Many societies accept that the misfortune this plant can bring is neediness, and pessimistic energies, so consequently, many individuals will more often than not avoid having anything to do with this plant.

Again there is a contention by a lot of individuals who contend that the actual plant is not the bearer of misfortune or bad luck itself, but the position it is kept. It is likewise accepted that the plant does not need a spot that is packed, because once the spot is packed, the plant is said to deliver pessimistic energy which achieves hardships in the existences of individuals around, thus deflecting this, it ought to be kept in a spot with low traffic, so it very well may be delivering positive energy rather than adverse consequences.

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A few specialists say that it is not the plant that brings the misfortune, yet rather the spot in which the plant is kept. They say you ought to keep your Snake plant close to wooden components and in an eastern, southern, or southeastern corner. It is accepted that they bring positive energy and good luck when in these corners. That well, thought snake plants hate being in packed places. At the point when they are in jam-packed regions, they might communicate negative energy around the room. Thus, ideally, let us keep your snake plant in a low-traffic region as when the snake plant is separated from everyone else, it is about uplifting tones as it were[5]Tkachenko, H., et al., The antibacterial activity of certain Sansevieria Thunb. species against Escherichia coli. Agrobiodiversity for Improving Nutrition, Health, and Life Quality, 2017(1). Read.

5. Issues with plant foliage maintenance propagation

Snake plants go with a decent decision for an enlivening house plant in light of the excellence of their leaves. Yet, one snake plant burden is that you should be extremely cautious since leaves can fall or become white. What’s more, this is a sign showing the chronic sickness of the plant. Overwatering the plant could accidentally bring about root decay. At the point when the roots are compromised, they cannot disseminate water and essential supplements all through the plant, which makes the leaves twist.

The most well-known reason for delicate, soft leaves is overwatering. Overwatering can result in a lot of dampness in the leaves and around the plant, which can likewise make them decay, similarly as it can make the roots decay and the passes on to fall over. The soft surface will remain when the insides of the leaves gradually begin to disintegrate and vanish[6]Gilman, E.F., Sansevieria trifasciata Hahnii. Cooperative Extension Service, 1999. 1. Read.

Sansevieria Trifasciata cuttings
Image Source: BHG

On the off chance that your pot does not have appropriate seepage, this issue will proceed even after watering the plant appropriately. They ordinarily slip through the cracks until side effects begin to show up. These bugs feed over the sap of this plant they sit on its leaves and in the soil. The leaves will become disfigured because of this injury, particularly on the off chance that it is ignored over a drawn-out period. Different contagious contaminations can taint your plants in blistering, sticky climates, making twisted segments decay and vanish. Your snake plant can make you manage a few sorts of engendering issues[7]Griffis Jr, J.L. and M.M. Manners, 22 Propagation by Leaf Cuttings. Plant-Environment Interactions, 2000: p. 275. Read.

It requires smoothness so you do not influence its engendering and you do not wind up harming your plant seriously. Certain individuals pick water, and some decide to cut for proliferation. Water is a simple way, yet overwatering the plant can cause root decay. Also, not cutting it preferably brings its gamble of getting injured[8]Kaur, J. and G. Mudgal, An efficient and quick protocol for in vitro multiplication of snake plant, Sansevieria trifasciata var. Laurentii [Prain]. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 2021. … Continue reading.

References

References
1Ozkurt, H. and O. Altuntas, The effect of sound waves at different frequencies upon the plant element nutritional uptake of snake plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata) plants. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 2016. 9(48): p. 1-5. Read
2Filmer, A.K. and L. Dodge, Safe and poisonous garden plants. University of California, 2012. Read
3Myint, H.H. and T.T. Swe, STUDY ON MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSICOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF SANSEVIERIA TRIFASCIATA HORT. EX PRAIN.(NA-GAR-SET-GAMON). Read
4Rwawiire, S. and B. Tomkova, Morphological, thermal, and mechanical characterization of Sansevieria trifasciata fibers. Journal of Natural Fibers, 2015. 12(3): p. 201-210. Read
5Tkachenko, H., et al., The antibacterial activity of certain Sansevieria Thunb. species against Escherichia coli. Agrobiodiversity for Improving Nutrition, Health, and Life Quality, 2017(1). Read
6Gilman, E.F., Sansevieria trifasciata Hahnii. Cooperative Extension Service, 1999. 1. Read
7Griffis Jr, J.L. and M.M. Manners, 22 Propagation by Leaf Cuttings. Plant-Environment Interactions, 2000: p. 275. Read
8Kaur, J. and G. Mudgal, An efficient and quick protocol for in vitro multiplication of snake plant, Sansevieria trifasciata var. Laurentii [Prain]. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 2021. 147(2): p. 405-411. Read