Dividing a snake plant is an easy and fast way to propagate your snake plant. This can be done in just 4 easy steps:
- Prepare your snake plant that has grown some new pups (clean the dirt away to help see where you need to cut and divide it).
- Cut your snake plant to divide it.
- Pot the divided snake plants in a well-draining potting mix.
- Water your snake plant weekly until established.
Snake plants can be propagated with cuttings but the division method is a faster way to propagate and establish new snake plants.
The division propagation technique explained in this blog can be used on many types of plants in the Dracaena family that grow and spread via underground rhizomes, like the cylindrical snake plant (Dracaena angolensis).
Steps to Divide and Propagate Snake Plant
How to Divide and Multiply Your Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
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Prepare your snake plant
Clean away all of the dirt from the snake plant you plan on using the division propagation method on. Place the snake plant on a cleared flat surface so you can identify where you will cut the snake plant rhizome.
Ideally, the shoots that you will be dividing will be at least 4 to 6 inches long, but smaller shoots are also able to survive with no worries usually.
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Divide your snake plant
Using a sharp and clean disinfected knife or a pair of secateurs, cut the rhizome to divide the snake plant.
Before cutting: check where you plan to cut your snake plant. Each snake plant will need 2 to 3 roots on its rhizome so it can support itself when potted. If it isn’t possible to have roots on both the divided plants, re-plant the snake plant and wait until it grows some more roots.
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Pot your divided snake plant
Plant the newly divided snake plants into separate pots. Ideally, you will use a cactus/succulent potting mix. But as long as your potting mix has good drainage it should be fine.
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Water your snake plants
Give your snake plants a deep watering. You should water your snake plants weekly until the plant has established itself then you can back off on the watering schedule.
Supply:
- Snake plant
- Cactus/succulent style potting mix
- Plastic grow pot
- Water
Tools:
- Utility knife or pair of secateurs
- Working surface (flat surface)
- Watering can
FAQs
Can Snake Plants (Sansevieria/Dracaena trifasciata) Be Divided?
The range of plants that belong in the dracaena family of plants that grow via an underground rhizome can be propagated using the division propagation method.
Should I Divide My Snake Plant?
If your snake plant is overgrowing its pot, then dividing the snake plant is a good way to relieve some pressure the snake plant might be feeling in the pot (although do remember that this plant doesn’t mind tight spaces). Dividing is a way to propagate the snake plant.
How Do I Divide a Snake Plant?
To divide a snake plant simple read my instruction above or click here to be taken to my blog. Dividing a snake plant takes minutes to do and it is a great way to propagate the snake plant.
New snake plants can be used to further decorate your house or be given as gifts.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this blog post has been useful to you.
Using the division method of propagation is a great way to multiple your snake plant. Reasons for doing this could include either increasing your own collection of snake plants or gifting one to someone else.
Snake plants grow anywhere from outside with full sunlight to be able to thrive in low light areas inside your home which make them a great gift for anyone.
