There are quite a few similarities and differences between a snake plant vs spider plant, which makes for an interesting comparison given how popular these two plants are.
Snake plants and spider plants enjoy many of the same conditions, but there are a few nuances to this such as spider plants thriving in higher humidity. Aside from this, the main difference is in the appearance of the two plants, with snake plants having tall and upright leaves while spider plant leaves arch and trail over the side of containers.
If you’re considering getting one of these plants, it’s important to look at how they compare to see which will suit you best.
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Similarities Between Snake Plant VS Spider Plant
There are a lot of similarities between these two plants, some I didn’t even realise until I had the experience of owning both plants.
Easy To Care For
A lot of houseplants can be hard to care for and require very specific temperatures, humidities and sunlight levels.
Fortunately, both snake plants and spider plants are easy to care for, and it doesn’t matter if you can’t get the conditions optimal year-round.
Watering Schedule
Both plants need watering when the top few inches of soil become dry and can survive in underwatered conditions for long periods of time.
For both plants, it is better to underwater than overwater, as overwatering can lead to problems such as root rot which are difficult to deal with.
Temperature
A minimum temperature of 50°F (10°C) needs to be kept for both plants, with an ideal temperature kept between 70°F to 80°F (Around 15°C to 27°C).
Soil
Slightly acidic, loamy soil that is well-draining whilst holding moisture well will work for both plants.
This may sound confusing, but it really isn’t. Most houseplant soil mixes, such as Miracle-gro, will meet these requirements, and if you’re unsure you can make your own mixture using 2 parts sand or perlite, with 1 part peat moss and 1 part potting mix.
Differences Between Snake Plant VS Spider Plant
Let’s take a look at what separates snake plants and spider plants apart.
Type Of Plant
Snake plants are succulents, whereas spider plants are regular flowering plants (that’s right, spider plants can flower).
This is the reason why snake plants look so different to spider plants, as succulents store water in their leaves and stem to withstand drought conditions.
Appearance
Snake plants have tall, upright leaves that are much wider than those of spider plants. This increase the amount of water that they can store, as they are succulents.
Spider plants, on the other hand, have much smaller width leaves that trail over the side of containers.
Propagation
Spider plants produce plantlets, also known as spider plant babies or spiderettes, which can be removed and used to start new spider plants.
Snake plants are propagated via cuttings, which is the most common method of propagation. These cuttings can be placed in water or directly into the soil.
Humidity
Spider plants enjoy higher humidity levels than snake plants.
Spider plants will thrive with higher humidity between 50% and 70%, whereas snake plants prefer humidity around 40%. Spider plants can still be kept at lower humidity levels, but they won’t thrive.
Which Is Better – Snake Plant Or Spider Plant?
There isn’t a black-and-white answer for which plant is better, as it will come down to personal preferences.
Both plants are easy to keep, but snake plants do prefer lower humidity which is usually easier to provide. Both plants can be propagated easily, although spider plants will regularly produce plantlets which are even easier to propagate than taking a cutting from a snake plant.
I would personally just choose whichever plant you prefer the look of, or if you’re like me just buy both and call it a day.
Can You Plant A Snake Plant Together With A Spider Plant?
While you can technically plant these two plants together as they share similar soil requirements, I wouldn’t recommend it.
This is due to the difference in humidity requirements. Spider plants prefer higher humidity (between 50% and 70%), whereas snake plants prefer a lower level (around 40%).
If you plant them together it will naturally increase the humidity anyway as both plants transpire and create a mini-ecosystem, which will make it hard to find a humidity level that will allow both plants to grow.
There’s no doubt that both plants can survive quite well when planted together, but due to the difference in humidity requirements, it will be unlikely for both plants to thrive. This is similar to planting a snake plant with a zz plant – it can be done in theory but you will be unable to get both plants to thrive.
