Can You Plant Two Snake Plants Together?

Snake plants are often found growing with other plants, but can you plant two snake plants together in the same pot?

Snake plants can be planted together as long as you provide enough space for them to grow. There are a few things you need to consider, however, such as keeping the humidity at a suitable level and choosing varieties that share similar sunlight requirements.

Why You Should Plant Two Snake Plants Together

Planting two snake plants together has a few benefits that you probably haven’t considered.

Unique Aesthetic

It’s not every day that you see two snake plants together, especially in the same pot.

If you want your space to look a bit more unique or different, this is definitely an option to consider.

(Mostly) Same Care Requirements

If you plant two of the same plant together in a pot they will obviously share similar same care requirements.

I have written previously about keeping snake plants together with pothos, and although this is possible there are small conflicts with their care requirements which means they won’t grow at a similar rate.

This can be similar for different varieties of snake plants, but if you choose similar varieties and keep the humidity down you should be fine (more on this later).

Things To Consider

The main things to consider when it comes to planting two snake plants together are choosing similar varieties and monitoring the humidity.

Humidity

Snake plants thrive in relatively ‘normal’ humidity levels of around 40%.

When you plant two snake plants together, or just about any houseplant for that matter, the local humidity increases This happens as both plants transpire, creating a mini climate between the two where humidity is higher.

If you want to plant two snake plants together you should choose an area where the humidity is lower, and I would personally avoid using a pebble tray or humidifier as this will take the humidity too high.

If the humidity is too high this can lead to several issues:

  • Slow Growth – If the humidity is too high it will affect transpiration, which will slow down overall growth.
  • Leaf Fungus – If you choose to mist your snake plant the water droplets will struggle to evaporate in humid environments. This can promote fungus growth on the leaves, leading to brown and yellow spots. I personally avoid misting any of my houseplants.
  • Root Rot – Water in the soil will also not evaporate like usual, and this can quickly lead to overwatering if you don’t reduce the amount of water that you provide. If the roots spend prolonged periods of time in the water they can rot, which can kill a snake plant over time.

You can use a hygrometer to monitor the humidity level to make sure it is around the 40% mark. They are pretty cheap and easy to use.

Different Varieties

I touched on this before, but there are quite a few different varieties of snake plants.

You only have to look through lists like this one to see that each one has different levels of variegation – some have dark green leaves with yellow bands around the edges and others have almost more yellow than green!

Varieties with more variegation require more sunlight. This is because the leaves on these plants contain less chlorophyll, as this is found mainly in the green parts of the leaves. Chlorophyll is used to create food for the plant via photosynthesis and is crucial for overall growth.

If you place a highly variegated snake plant in a shaded area the leaves will turn greener and lose variegation over time as they will need more chlorophyll to produce enough food to survive. In terms of keeping two snake plants together, choose varieties ideally that are the same or at least similar in leaf coloring and variegation.

This way they will require the same type of sunlight to maintain their leaves.

A small snake plant next to a set of blinds

How To Plant Two Snake Plants Together

Planting two snake plants together is pretty much the same as repotting one snake plant, you just need to make sure you choose the right soil and provide enough space for both plants to thrive,

Keep It Simple

If you have a mature snake plant growing on its own I would just leave it be. It will have already developed its roots, and finding a container large enough for another snake plant to grow next to it will be tricky!

Introducing two snake plants into the same pot works best if they are new cuttings that have been propagated, or if you have recently purchased two juvenile plants.

Choose The Right Size Pot With The Appropriate Soil Mix

Choose a pot big enough for both snake plants with appropriate draining holes.

You’ll want to have at least 1-2 inches from the edge of the pot to each plant to allow for growth, as well as a gap of about 3 to 4 inches between each plant.

In terms of soil, snake plants enjoy well-draining soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.

Transfer The Plants

After the container and soil are ready you can transfer the plants.

I would also inspect the roots at this time for any symptoms of root rot or other damage. A quick once-over will help you identify if there are any potential issues that need to be dealt with before the plants are transferred.

Water

Once both plants are in place water the soil until it is moist, making sure any excess can exit through the drainage holes, and that’s pretty much it!

Monitor the health of the plants over the next few weeks, and if all is well they’ll be set to grow together for a long time.

FAQs

Does Planting Two Plants Together Decrease Their Life Expectancy?

If you provide the right conditions and enough space for both of the snake plants they will grow as they would on their own.

This means there should be no difference in life expectancy (usually between 5 and 10 years) when planted together or separately.

Do The Roots Combine?

The roots will not combine if you plant two snake plants together.

This is only seen on rare occasions when trees undergo inosculation, so the roots of the two snake plants will remain separate. You may notice that the roots intertwine, however, and it can appear like they are ‘joined’ together when you repot.

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About Me

Hi, I'm Joe! I'm the head of SEO and content management at Bloom and Bumble. I'm a huge plant lover and over the years my home has become more like an indoor rainforest. It has taken a lot of trial and error to keep my plants healthy and so I'm here to share my knowledge to the rest of the world.

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