35 Types of Snake Plant Varieties to Grow Indoors

Ralph Astley is a retired gardener from Philadelphia who specializes in outdoor plants and trees. With years of hands-on experience, Ralph not only cares for a diverse range of outdoor flora but also shares his extensive knowledge through well-written articles and social media posts. A trusted authority in arboriculture, he's committed to helping the community grow healthier, more robust gardens.
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Not only they’re low maintenance but also purify the air by absorbing toxins. Here are some of the best Types of Snake Plants that you must consider!

Snake plants are easy to grow and very tolerant of nature. They are also known as ‘Mother-in-law’s tongue,’ due to the upright leaves growing in the shape of a tongue with a thick texture. These plants can survive well in low light and less water, and according to NASA’s research, it absorbs toxic compounds like formaldehyde and benzene. Here are some of the best Types of Snake Plants you must consider.


Best Types of Snake Plants

1. Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Mother-in-law’s Tongue’

Types of Snake Plants-Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Mother-in-law’s Tongue’

This cultivar is the most widely cultivated snake plant. Its dark green pointed leaves grow in an upward direction and can reach up to 3 feet. Its flowers are in white or cream colors, resembling lilies.

2. Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Twist’

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Twist’
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Like the name, its pointy leaves twist from the top. It grows up to 2-3 feet tall and has a yellow variegated border with horizontal stripes.

3. Sansevieria ‘Golden hahnii’

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria ‘Golden hahnii’
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Sansevieria trifasciata is a dwarf cultivar. Its dark green foliage has a distinctive, creamy margin with an upright and dense rosette appearance, making it perfect for coffee tables.

4. Sansevieria ‘Futura robusta’

Types of Snake Plant- Sansevieria ‘Futura robusta’

Futura robusta is an easy-to-maintain plant with short and broad leaves. This exclusive variety has silver-green foliage with dark green horizontal stripes.

5. Sansevieria ‘Black gold’

Types of Snake Plant -Sansevieria ‘Black gold’

Sansevieria black gold is one of the most attractive types of snake plants. They have dark green, broad leaves with yellow outlines on the edges.

6. Sansevieria ‘Cylindrica’

Types of Snake Plant -Sansevieria ‘Cylindrica’
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Offering an appeal of the lucky bamboo plant, the Cylindrica can grow up to 20-24 inches tall and thrives well in indirect sunlight. Water it regularly for best growth.

7. Sansevieria ‘Laurentii’

Types of Snake Plant -Sansevieria ‘Laurentii’
swansonsnursery

Its dark green leaves with yellow borders look beautiful with zig-zag, horizontal stripes. It grows up to 30-24 inches long. Divide the plant for propagation.

8. Sansevieria ‘Bantel’s sensation’

Types of Snake Plant -Sansevieria ‘Bantel’s sensation’
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This cultivar grows up to 30-32 inches tall, making it an apt choice as an indoor plant. With a faint white line running at the border on its narrow leaves, it makes quite a statement.

9. Sansevieria ‘Desert’

Types of Snake Plant -Sansevieria ‘Desert’

Also known as the rhino grass, thanks to its pointed succulent leaves with a red tint. It grows in an upward direction, reaching a height of 20-24 inches.

10. Sansevieria ‘Moonshine’

Types of Snake Plant - Sansevieria ‘Moonshine’
carousell

The silvery-green leaves of moonshine make it one of the best types of Snake Plants. It thrives well in neglect and doesn’t need much attention.

11. Sansevieria masoniana ‘Mason congo’

Types of Snake Plant - Sansevieria ‘Moonshine’
salonvansisyphus

Sansevieria Masoniana is also known as the ‘Whale fin’ or ‘Sharkfin.’ This succulent plant has stunning foliage, with dark green leaves and light green spots.

12. Sansevieria kirkii ‘Star sansevieria’

Types of Snake Plant -Sansevieria masoniana ‘Mason congo’
plantingman

Also known as the Pangane Sansevieria, this variety is quite popular among houseplant growers. It has dark green foliage with unique, fluorescent green patterns.

13. Sansevieria gracilis

Types of Snake Plant - Sansevieria gracilis
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This compact variety of snake plants has pointy, long, narrow, and plumped leaves, ringed in white-green color. Partial, bright, and indirect sunlight is ideal for them.

14. Sansevieria fischeri

Types of Snake Plant -Sansevieria fischeri
junacactus_

If you’re fond of growing small plants, then this variety is perfect for you. It attains a height of less than 16 inches. It blooms in summers with a cluster of white flowers.

15. Sansevieria patens

Types of Snake Plant - Sansevieria patens
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Sansevieria Patens forms a rosette structure with green leaves lined in dark shade. They grow up to 3 feet tall. Infrequent waterings and bright, indirect sunlight are best for them.

16. Sansevieria canaliculate

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria canaliculate
foli8.co.

Native to Madagascar, Canaliculate grows up to 3-4 feet tall. This variety cannot resist drought, so keep them indoors during winter.

17. Sansevieria ballyi

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria ballyi
pikiplants_rare_succulents

This variety is also called dwarf sansevieria. It grows up to 6 inches tall with dark green leaves with a light green stripe at the edges. Avoid overwatering as it can cause root rot.

18. Sansevieria Ehrenbergii ‘Blue Sansevieria’

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Ehrenbergii ‘Blue Sansevieria’
lukerativehussla

Unlike the name, Blue sansevieria is not blue at all; the green leaves have a touch of copper hue. The plant has an unusual shape with leaves stacked on top of each other.

19. Sansevieria Cleopatra

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Cleopatra

This attractive hybrid variety is a newbie, growing up to 12-14 inches long. The edges of its foliage are brown with an intricate pattern of dark green.

20. Sansevieria Parva ‘Kenya Hyacinth’

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Parva ‘Kenya Hyacinth’
halfbakedplants

Kenya hyacinth grows in a rosette form with 6 to 12 leaves, reaching a height of 16 inches. It has white flowers with a pleasing fragrance like hyacinth.

21. Sansevieria Eillensis Chahin

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Eillensis Chahin

The blue-green and long leaves of this snake plant variety size up to 5 inches tall. It has spiky flowers, growing up to 12 inches. This snake plant is drought resistant and doesn’t ask for much water.

22. Sansevieria zeylanica ‘Ceylon Bowstring Hemp’

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria zeylanica ‘Ceylon Bowstring Hemp’
plantshop

This evergreen perennial variety grows up to 24-28 inches long. The dark green leaves are vertical, with small and large, white spots.

23. Sansevieria Whitney

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Whitney

This compact variety of sansevieria has a snakeskin-like pattern on the leaves. It reaches up to 20 inches in height. The dark green, sword-like leaves are sharp-tipped and very hard to touch.

24. Sansevieria Cylindrica ‘Boncel’

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Cylindrica ‘Boncel’

This hybrid variety of Sansevieria cylindrica offers light green fan-shaped leaves with deep green concentric circles from top to bottom.

25. Sansevieria Eilensis

Types of Snake Plant- Sansevieria Eilensis

It features blue-green leaves that can reach up to 5-8 inches long with a downward arch. Young foliage shows off red-brown edges and a deep channel in the middle with a papery brown cuticle.

26. Sansevieria bacularis

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria bacularis
midori_iwakuni

This snake plant has dark green leaves with light crossbands; the leaf tips are soft. It grows up to 4-5 feet tall and flowers during spring. Grow this variety in a warm, bright location.

27. Sansevieria burmanica

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria burmanica
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Native to India, the linear-lanceolate grass green leaves with light bands grow in a rosette. The plant produces white-green panicle-like flowers.

28. Sansevieria francisii

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria francisii

This variety comes from Kenya, it has a trunk-like shape and upturned dark green to light green leaves up to 8-12 inches tall. It forms runners with many offsets.

29. Sansevieria liberica

Types of Snake Plant- Sansevieria liberica

Originally belonging to the Central African Republic and West Africa. It features six belt-shaped to lanceolate, leather-like dark green foliage with green transverse bands.

30. Sansevieria hyacinthoides

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria hyacinthoides
homeplant2021

In its natural habitat, African Bowstring Hemp grows in small groups under the shade of the trees. The leaves are medium green with dark green diagonals.

31. Sansevieria longiflora

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria longiflora
lifestylecollective

Sansevieria longiflora displays dark green leaves with irregular bands or spots on a smooth leaf surface; edges are red-brown to yellow. The foliage grows up to 4-5 feet in length.

32. Sansevieria Jade Marginata

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Jade Marginata

This hybrid dwarf variety shows off the contrasting jade green and cream-yellow hued leaves emerging from a tight rosette. It can grow up to 6-10 inches tall.

33. Sansevieria Whale Fin Variegated

Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Whale Fin Variegated
sansevieriasg

It features wide, paddle-like leaves. The mottled green foliage is streaked with pale, creamy yellow. It prefers low to bright, indirect light.

34. Sansevieria Coppertone

 Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Coppertone
oddplantlady

This variety has stiff elongated succulent copper to bronze foliage with wavy edges arranged in a compact rosette. It can grow up to 2-4 feet long.

35. Sansevieria Ehrenbergii ‘Banana’

 Types of Snake Plant-Sansevieria Ehrenbergii ‘Banana’
mahilashop.mks

This slow-growing dwarf snake plant cultivar showcases boat-shaped, fat, gray-green to blue-green leaves. The name ‘Banana’ derives due to the shape which resembles the fruit!

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17 COMMENTS

  1. I bought 32 different varieties off of ETSY and ebay. I have had my first original plant 15 years now and have shared pieces with many people. I love the sanservieria!

  2. Joe Smith..if you say it`s full of incorrect misinformation that means that the information is correct…because “incorrect” and “misinformation ” means the same thing.

  3. Did not know there were so many different kinds of sanseverias. I inherited a large one from my mother who passed in 1993 and it’s alive and well in 2021. I have divided it 5 times and given it to my two daughters, my daughter-in-law, my sister-in-law, and a close family friend. They all have a piece of my mother. I still have the remaining ” mother” plant which is large and going strong. BTW, the sanseveria is a perfect plant for folks who don’t have a green thumb as it’s almost impossible to mistreat this plant.

    • WOW, thats amazing! I love the idea! Would have loved to have a plant from my mom. I think your mom would have loved that u took her plant and have shared it with her grandchildren and others!

    • I thought I was the only one. I have a plant my great grandma passed to my mom and then my mom to me. It’s been 30 years. I split my plant up every year and it keeps growing. My main plant is not 4 ft in diameter. They are very hard to kill. I do not have a green thumb and have never had any die on me. I do put them outside in the summer time tho.

  4. I have several plants, most of them came from original three 40 to 60 year old plants. Their appearance is not always great but they always survive. The biggest problem I have is leaves that do not remain upright. Eventually they can not be propped up and I have to cut them off. Does anyone have a suggestion or is it just the variety? I can’t say I could pin point which of these 35 varieties I have. The amount of sunlight does not seem to effect this issue.

    • I bot 2 at my local Home Depot 3 yrs ago after giving all of my plants away prior to a Midwest winter move 200 miles. These plants have survived my abuse.

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