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Can snake plants live outside? Expert gardening advice

Pabio November 2, 2024

Snake plants, otherwise known as Dracaena trifasciataare among the most popular choices for houseplants. Available in a variety of sizes and colors, their bold vertical foliage is a winner for many homeowners, adding visual interest without taking up too much space.

Even if learning how to care for a snake plant indoors is not too difficult, many gardeners ask the question: can snake plants live outdoors? While this is possible, there are rules to follow to ensure these tropical-looking plants thrive.

Here, experts reveal everything you need to know about caring for snake plants outdoors, including the ideal climate and U.S. hardiness zones, as well as when it’s necessary to bring your snake plant indoors. ‘interior.

Can my snake plants live outside?

Snake Plants

(Image credit: Adam Yee via Getty Images)

Although snake plants are considered one of the the best indoor plantsThey can live a long and happy life outdoors, either in the ground or in a pot, allowing you to live in the right climate for them to thrive.

Jessica Mercersenior content marketing coordinator and plant expert at Plant Addicts, says: “Snake plants are native to tropical West Africa, where conditions are hot and dry. It goes without saying, but these succulents are incredibly sensitive to frost and excessive rainfall, and are only hardy in zones 9 through 11.’

You can find out which hardiness zone you live in by searching for your region on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Hardiness Zones in the United States Regions 9 through 11 are considered warm climate regions and are generally found in America’s southernmost states, including Texas, Florida, and California.

What climate does an outdoor snake plant need to thrive?

Snake Plants on Stairs

(Image credit: Cavan Images via Getty Images)

Being particularly prone to heat stress, the most important factor to consider when looking to grow a snake plant outdoors is whether the temperature in your area is likely to fluctuate.

A snake plant cannot withstand prolonged exposure to cold and constant changes in temperatures, so if your location frequently drops below 40°F, your snake plant will have difficulty surviving outdoors.

“This type of plant prefers temperatures between 70 and 90°F (21-32°C) and cannot live in colder temperatures outdoors,” says Jessica. “If you’re lucky enough to garden in an area with a mild winter climate, these adaptable plants will appreciate the extra sunlight, humidity, space and air circulation from outside.”

THE MUMTOP Outdoor Metal Owl Garden Thermometer from Amazon will help you track the temperature in your yard, without looking unsightly. But if you prefer something more technical to help you track each day’s data, The Amazon Govee Hygrometer with Bluetooth will do just the trick.

If your area still has adequate sunlight, little rain, and relatively mild temperatures during parts of the year, you can still keep a snake plant outside in a pot, but not in the ground .

Calvin Liowner of PAFE Plants, recommends asking yourself the following four questions about your climate to determine if you can plant a snake plant outdoors in the ground:

Does your climate remain mild all year round (between 50 and 90 degrees)?
Where you want to plant it, will it receive the right amount of sun (ranging from partial shade to 3-4+ hours of sun)?
Is it protected from rain or does your climate not get much rain?
Is your climate moderately humid?

“If you don’t meet all of these criteria, you can still take your snake plant outside, but keep it in a pot, because it can’t stay outside all year round,” says Calvin.

Calvin Li

Calvin Li grew up helping his clients choose the perfect plants for their homes and offices – and he even advised Saks Off Fifth when selecting plants for their corporate offices. He then studied horticulture at university and has now grown his family business online, PAFE plants (for “Plants are for everyone”). Every day, customers come to his store with all kinds of plant questions, and he loves helping them select plants and solve problems.

Where should an outdoor snake plant live in the yard?

snake plant

(Image credit: Alamy/Stephanie Jackson – Gardens and Flowers Collection)

When potting a snake plant outdoors, look to place it in a location out of direct sunlight. Even though snake plants need a decent amount of sunlight to grow healthy, sun hitting them all day will quickly cause their leaves to burn, or the the snake plant will start to die.

If your area experiences significantly colder months in winter, it is recommended to bring your potted snake plant indoors until the end of the season.

Snake plants in the ground do not have this facility in cold weather: when temperatures drop, your plant will still be outside. Evaluate whether cold weather will cause the temperature to drop too much for your plant. If your area only experiences mild winters, you can plant your snake plant in the ground in an area protected from direct sunlight and with good drainage.

“Place your snake plant in a location that provides excellent drainage and protection from the hot afternoon sun,” says Jessica. “Also allow the soil to dry out between waterings, as these plants do not tolerate wet feet or overwatering.”

Jessica Mercer

Jessica MercerPhD, is the Senior Content Marketing Coordinator for Addicted to plants. As a “plant collector,” Jessica enjoys growing many different plants and learning the best growing practices for each. Writing for Plant Addicts is a real joy for her because she can use her science background to research interesting plant topics. She thinks carefully about how best to present the information to other gardeners, with a focus on sustainability and the environment.

How often should I water my outdoor snake plant?

snake plant

(Image credit: Grumpy Cow Studios via Getty Images)

If you are wondering How Often to Water a Snake Plantit’s relatively simple but differs depending on whether your plant is in a pot or planted in the ground.

A potted snake plant benefits from being watered every two weeks during the warmer months and once a month or less in the winter.

Ofra GaitoCEO of plant store Verdant Lyfe, says: “The main cause of leaf drop in snake plants is excess water. Overwatering makes the soil soggy, prevents roots from breathing, and causes plants to rot and die. Let the soil dry out between waterings or you can make it a rule to water the plant on the 1st and 15th of each month. During the rainy season, reduce this consumption to once a month.

If your snake plant grows in the ground, watering should be more frequent but carefully monitored. Once a week in warm weather and about every three weeks in winter should be enough.

To help you track the moisture level of your soil, we recommend investing in a moisture meter, such as the Amazon XLUX Soil Moisture Sensor. This neat little device will blend in with your plant’s greenery and make it easy to tell if your soil is dry, wet, or too wet.

Ofra Gaito

In 2020, Ofra Gaito founded Verdant Lyfe, an e-commerce company born to help and share live plants with plant lovers and new plant beginners. The company packages and ships hundreds of orders each week to homes and businesses across the United States. At the South Florida headquarters, Ofra and her team host workshops every six weeks involving the plant world. Ofra hosts a live radio show Expand your Lyfe every Friday at 1:45 p.m. EST on 101.9FM Omega Radio.

Does an outdoor snake plant need extra care?

Sansevieria (snake plant) in ceramic pots on a white table

(Image credit: Inna Luzan / Getty Images)

If your snake plant is planted directly in the ground, it will not require any special extra care. However, if your snake plant spends part of the year indoors and part of the year outdoors in a pot, you will need to properly acclimate it each time it moves from indoors to the exterior.

Without gradually making this change, your snake plant will enter a state of heat shock and potentially be unable to bounce back.

“If you’re moving your snake plant outdoors from indoors, you need to do it gradually,” says Calvin. “The snake plant is not a big fan of major changes. So, over a week or two, slowly give it more light. If you go from partial shade to direct sun, it will simply burn. But if you go from partial shade to medium direct light, bright indirect light, and some direct sun, then it will continue to thrive.

Calvin expands on this point by sharing the following two suggestions to help acclimate snake plants:

“You have two options. The first option is to take your snake plant outside for some sun, then bring it back inside for some shade. But it’s a lot of work. The second option is to simply move it outside. Place it in an outdoor location with the exact type of light it had indoors. Then, give it a few days to acclimatize to the different humidity levels outside. After that, move it to a light one level brighter and wait for a few days.

Did you know that snake plants are part of a selection of plants that act as a natural air cooling solution? This is just another one of this plant’s amazing properties, so if your home struggles in the summer, snake plants are a great choice.

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