Snake plants come in far more shapes than the classic tall, yellow-edged leaf most of us picture. Broadly, they fall into four groups: tall upright types (such as Laurentii and Robusta), compact rosettes (the Hahnii group), spear-like Cylindrica, and the big paddle-leaved Whale Fin. As Perth's snake plant specialists, Le Botanist offers one of Australia's largest ranges of snake plants (Sansevieria), with 16+ snake plant varieties, so this guide walks through each one and helps you choose the right plant for your space.
Every plant below is sold as Sansevieria, also called Mother-in-law's Tongue, although botanists now place them in the genus Dracaena (see Snake Plant vs Mother-in-law's Tongue). The basic care is the same across the range. What changes is size, colour, how much light a plant needs to look its best, and how you can multiply it. For the day-to-day basics, see our snake plant care guide.
How to tell snake plant types apart
When you compare varieties, four things matter most:
- Growth habit: tall and upright, a low rosette (the "bird's nest" form), round spears, or one or two wide paddle leaves.
- Leaf colour and pattern: plain green with darker banding, yellow or white margins, silvery tones, or very dark green.
- Light needs: every snake plant tolerates lower light than most houseplants, but pale and variegated types hold their colour best in bright, indirect light.
- Propagation: variegated cultivars generally do not come true from leaf cuttings and need to be divided instead. Our propagation guide explains which is which.
Tall, upright snake plants
These are the classic architectural snake plants. They suit floors, corners, entryways and larger pots, and they make the biggest visual impact.
Laurentii
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii' is the plant most people picture: tall, sword-shaped leaves with banded green centres and golden-yellow margins. Its colour is strongest in bright, indirect light. The yellow margin is a variegation, so Laurentii grown from leaf cuttings usually reverts to plain green. Division keeps the margin.
Black Gold
'Black Gold' is a darker, more dramatic take on Laurentii, with deep green leaves and golden margins. It suits modern spaces where you want contrast against pale walls or pots.
Robusta
'Robusta' is a sturdy, upright snake plant with broad green leaves banded in lighter green and no yellow edge. It is a forgiving first snake plant and holds its look well in average indoor light.
Black Sword
'Black Sword' has slender, upright, very dark green leaves for a sleek, minimal look. Because it is not variegated, it is one of the easier types to multiply from leaf cuttings.
Silver Queen
'Silver Queen' has silvery-green leaves with a soft sheen, a lighter alternative if dark green feels too heavy for your room.
Moonshine
'Moonshine' has broad, pale, frosted silver-green leaves that look almost minty next to other snake plants. It tends to show its colour best in bright, indirect light and can look greener in dim spots.
Bantel's Sensation
'Bantel's Sensation' has narrow, upright leaves with fine white vertical stripes, which gives it an elegant, almost feathered look. It often grows more slowly than plain green types, and the striping can fade in very low light. Like other variegated types, it is best divided rather than grown from leaf cuttings.
Compact snake plants and rosettes
If you are short on space, a rosette-forming snake plant is hard to beat. These stay low, spread sideways by producing offsets (pups), and suit desks, shelves and small pots.
Hahnii (Bird's Nest)
'Hahnii' forms a tidy rosette of short, wide leaves and generally stays around 30 cm tall. It sends out offsets over time, so one plant becomes several. We have a dedicated dwarf snake plant (Hahnii) care guide for this group.
Jade Hahnii (Black Dragon)
'Jade Hahnii', also sold as the Black Dragon snake plant, has the same compact rosette habit in a deeper green. The dark foliage looks striking in a pale pot.
Cleopatra
'Cleopatra' is a compact rosette of stiff, pointed, grey-green leaves with darker banding. It spreads a little wider than it grows tall.
Futura Robusta and Futura Superba
The 'Futura' forms are stockier and broader-leaved than the classic tall types. 'Futura Robusta' is the plain green version, and 'Futura Superba' adds a yellow margin, making it a chunkier alternative to Laurentii when you want presence without a lot of height.
Snake plant species with a different look
Not every snake plant is Sansevieria trifasciata. These species look quite different and make great talking pieces.
Cylindrica (Cylindrical Snake Plant)
Sansevieria cylindrica has stiff, round, spear-like leaves that fan out from the base. The thick round leaves store plenty of water, so it is very drought tolerant and is easily overwatered. It is also one of the easier types to grow from leaf cuttings.
Kenya Hyacinth
Sansevieria parva has narrow, soft, arching, almost grass-like leaves, a gentler look than other snake plants. It is known for its scented, hyacinth-like flowers, which is where the common name comes from.
Whale Fin and Variegated Whale Fin
Sansevieria masoniana (Whale Fin) grows one or two enormous, paddle-shaped leaves instead of a cluster of swords. It is slow growing and sculptural, and it rewards patience. The Variegated Whale Fin adds lighter variegation on the same bold leaf. Because it has so few leaves, take extra care not to overwater, and divide rather than leaf-propagate the variegated form.
Which snake plant should you choose?
- Small space or desk: Hahnii, Jade Hahnii or Cleopatra.
- A statement floor plant: Laurentii, Black Gold or Robusta in a heavier pot.
- Beginners: Robusta, Laurentii and Hahnii are all forgiving if you resist the urge to overwater.
- Dimmer rooms: plain green types like Robusta and Black Sword keep their look best. Pale and variegated types fade in low light.
- Something unusual: Cylindrica, Kenya Hyacinth or Whale Fin.
- Pets in the house: every snake plant is considered toxic to cats and dogs, so read Is a snake plant toxic to cats and dogs? before choosing where to place one.
Snake plant types FAQs
What is the easiest snake plant to grow?
Robusta, Laurentii and Hahnii are all good first plants. Any snake plant is easy if you give it a free-draining mix and water only when the soil is completely dry.
Do different snake plant types need different care?
Broadly no. All of them want bright to moderate light, a gritty mix and infrequent watering. Pale and variegated types appreciate more light to keep their colour, and rosette types and Whale Fin do best if water is kept out of the centre of the plant.
Which snake plants stay small?
The Hahnii group (Hahnii, Jade Hahnii and Cleopatra) and the Futura forms stay compact. Hahnii itself generally reaches around 30 cm.
Are some snake plant types safe for pets?
No. The ASPCA lists the snake plant as toxic to cats and dogs, and it is safest to treat every Sansevieria or Dracaena trifasciata variety, and the related species above, the same way. Our snake plant pet toxicity guide has the details.
Shop our snake plants
Ready to choose? Browse our full range of snake plants (Mother-in-law's Tongue). We ship Australia-wide and offer Perth pickup.
