Propagating Snake Plants: Leaf Cuttings In Soil

a woman holds a snake plant in a red pot in 1 hand & a snake plant leaf in the other the text reads snake plant propagation

If you want a fun plant project to do, this may just be the one for you. Sansevieria care is always in the top 3 most popular posts on our website, so I know you love them too. This is all about propagating Snake Plants by leaf cuttings in soil including when, how, what you need, the time it takes, and care.

I propagate Snake Plants in 2 ways: by division and by leaf cuttings. Division is a fast method of propagation. Snake Plants like to grow slightly tight in their pots so I leave mine be for long periods of time before dividing.

I propagate by leaf cuttings more often. This method takes time but it isn’t hard to do. No worries though, once the leaf cuttings have been planted, they’re on the way and there’s not much to do.

Other names for Snake Plant: Sansevieria (this is the genus), Mother in Law’s Tongue, Viper’s Bowstring Hemp.

The Snake Plant you see me propagating here is a Sansevieria trifasciata.

More on Snake Plants

Snake Plant Houseplant Care
Snake Plant Care Guide (a round up of our posts)
Snake Plant Repotting
Snake Plant Leaves Falling Over

The propagation process over 8 months time. Watch the video below!

Reasons for propagating Snake Plants

The taller growing Snake plants have leaves that may pinch at the base over time. This is the most common reason I propagate Snake Plants by leaf cuttings. Or, you may simply want more Snake Plants!

When to prune & propagate

Spring and summer are the best time to propagate indoor plants. If you live in a climate with temperate winters like me (Tucson, AZ), then early fall is fine too.

If for some reason you have to propagate your Snake Plant in winter, no worries. Just know it’s not the optimum time. For the most part, I leave my houseplants be in the colder months.

a sansevieria trifasciata snake plant in a red pot with a tall leaf being cut off — *The mother plant & the baby plant. I’m in the process of cutting a floppy snake Plant leaf off.*

What you’ll need

pruning tool – snips, pruners, or scissors
small pot with at least one drainage hole
a light mix

That’s it!

What soil mix to use

The best soil for Snake Plant propagation is light and well-aerated mix. You want the roots to easily form and grow and the excess water to drain out.

A propagation mix or seed starting mix isn’t necessary but a succulent and cactus soil mix is great. Popular brands you can buy online are Bonsai Jack, Superfly Bonsai, Cactus Cult, and Hoffman’s.

Here’s the DIY succulent and cactus mix recipe I have used for over 2 years for the propagation in soil method. It’s light and chunky so those baby roots can easily grow. You can also use a potting soil formulated for houseplants with pumice, perlite, coco chips, etc added in to lighten it.

a collage of 3 photos showing cut sansevieria snake plant leaves to be propagated — *The leaf I initially cut off, the pinched end I subsequently cut off, the sizes I ended up with. I only propagated 2 of these leaves by the way.*

Important to know

Make sure your pruning tool is clean and sharp. Sansevierias have somewhat thick, fleshy leaves so I like to use my trusty Felco pruners when cutting the leaves because they make precise, easy cuts.

I used my Fiskar Nips in the video because my Felcos were in the garage. Very sharp scissors or a sharp knife would work too.

close up of a sansevieria snake plant leaf being cut at the base close to the soil line — *This is where I make the cut.*

Where to cut Snake Plant leaves

Make sure you use a healthy leaf or leaves. How many leaves you prune and propagate is up to you. I propagated 2 fasciata leaf cuttings this go round and currently have 4 Laurentii leaves in the process of propagating.

I cut them down to the base (an inch or 2 above the soil line) because it looks better that way. When that portion dies over time, I pull or cut it out.

I make clean cuts straight across the leaf by the way.

What size leaf cuttings

The size is up to you. You can propagate the whole leaf or sections of the leaf.

I propagate the whole leaf but usually cut it down a bit more after making the initial cut. If you choose to cut and propagate sections of the leaf, it’s important to plant the part of the leaf that’s facing down in the soil. Otherwise, if you plant the part of the leaf that was facing towards the tip in the soil, it won’t root.

close up of the cut end of 2 sansevieria snake plant leaves 1 has healed off & the other freshly cut — *The leaf on the left has the cut end healed off whereas the one on the right is freshly cut.*

Let the leaf heal off

Snake Plant leaves are slightly fleshy because they store water. Just like other succulents, it’s best to let the ends heal off (exposing to air, just like we do with a wound) before planting to prevent any chance of rotting out.

I let my Snake Plant leaves heal off for a couple of days here in Tucson (the Arizona desert). When I lived in Santa Barbara (coastal California), it was up to 10 days.

Just be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight during this time.

close up of a tall sansevieria fasciata snake plant leaf cut in half — *The leaves are juicy when freshly cut!*

Steps to take when propagating Snake Plant leaf cuttings

Gather your materials.

Fill the pot to almost full with the mix. Snake Plants don’t need a big pot for propagation.

Position the leaves in the mix pressing them slightly into the mix. I don’t plant the leaves too deep – anywhere from 1-3″ down. You can see this in the 2nd half of the video.

Fill in with the mix.

If a single leaf is too tall or too heavy, I stake it.

looking down on 4 newly propagated sansevieria laurentii snake plant leaves in a bin of succulent mix — The video & photos for this were filmed over many months’ time. I realized that didn’t include how I planted the leaves. I demonstrated with a few Sansevieiria trifasciata “Laurrentii” leaves I had pruned a few days prior.

Where to put the cuttings

Put them in a bright spot. My leaf cuttings rooted in the kitchen near but not in a south-facing window. They received lots of bright indirect light.

If in too much direct sunlight, they’ll burn. If not receiving enough light, the foliage will become stunted and the Snake Plant cuttings will be weaker.

How to maintain the cuttings

It’s easy. I’ll tell you how I maintained mine in the small terra cotta pot and you can adjust for yours for size, soil, and growing conditions.

I don’t water them for 3-7 days after the initial planting so they can settle in dry. After that time of settling in has passed, I water them thoroughly.

In the cooler months, I watered them every 2-3 weeks. In the warm months, it was every week.

Snake Plants can go dry. When it comes to leaf cuttings, I try not to let them dry out. Conversely, don’t keep them too wet or they could rot out. This is where the light soil mix comes into play when propagating Snake Plants.

close up of new sansevieria snake plant babies that grew from propagated snake plant leaf cuttings — *I planted 2 leaves, & 4 babies appeared. I use smaller pots when propagating Snake Plant leaves.*

When new growth appears

The 1st baby in this pot appeared after approximately 3 months. The others followed in the next couple of months. I divided them into plants in early November and planted them in with all the other cuttings and the mother plant.

In case you’re wondering, the leaves that you propagate don’t grow, they stay as-is. The Snake Plant rhizomes are what produce all the new growth and send up the Snake Plants babies. You see more and more new growth as the plant ages.

In short, rhizomes are stems that grow underground. As they grow and spread, babies are produced and the plant grows and spreads. They can cause a Snake Plant to break its pot if left in for a long period of time.

What to do once they’ve rooted & new plants have grown

You have a few choices. Let them be as-is for a while, plant them into a bigger pot (1 size up) if need be, or plant them in with another Snake Plant. The latter is what I did.

I watered both the bigger plant and the baby plant 3 days before I planted them together. After a week or so has passed, I resume the usual Snake Plant care.

a collage of 2 photos showing a small snake plant cut in half & the root system of a snake plant propagated from leaf cuttings — *Here you can see the babies divided into 2. I made the cut with my sharp Swiss Army Knife. On the right, how nicely the root system has formed after 8 months.*

Snake Plant Propagation FAQs

Can you propagate a Snake Plant in water?

I’ve never done it this way, always by division or soil. There are many online sources that show the water method.

Can you propagate Snake Plant in soil? How do you propagate a Snake Plant in soil?

Yes, you see it in this post and video. This is my preferred method along with division.
You propagate in soil with leaf cuttings or by dividing the plant.

Can I put Snake Plant cuttings straight into soil?

I always let the ends heal off before planting.

Is it better to propagate a Snake Plant in water or soil?

I say it’s a matter of preference. I root most of my houseplants in water but prefer the potting mix method for succulents including Snake Plants.

Why is my Snake Plant not rooting?

A common reason is that you’ve planted the wrong end of the leaf. The process of rooting a Snake Plant leaf takes time, so be patient. It doesn’t happen fast!

Do Snake Plants have babies?

Yes. Babies, or new shoots, grow off the underground rhizomes as they spread.

What do you do with a Snake Plant offshoot?

You can either leave it be in the pot it’s in, or cut it off and start a new plant. The offshoots are also called babies or pups.

How long does it take to propagate a Snake Plant?

It depends on the method. If you divide a Snake Plant, that’s the fastest because you’ll get 2 or 3 plants on the spot. Propagating Snake Plants, by leaf cuttings either in soil or water, takes longer. New plants will appear but it takes months.

I cut and propagated my Snake Plant leaves at the end of February and the 1st baby poked up in mid-June.

Some Of Our General Houseplant Guides For Your Reference:

Propagating Sansevierias this way is easy so give it a go. Be patient, those new Snake Plants will eventually appear!

Happy gardening,

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