Most dying snake plants have one problem: too much water. Check the soil and the base of the leaves first. If the soil is wet and the leaves are yellow, soft or falling over, suspect root rot. If the soil is bone dry and the leaves are wrinkled or curled, your snake plant (Sansevieria, or Mother-in-law's Tongue) is thirsty. Find your symptom below, match it to the likely cause and follow the fix. If rot has set in, use the rescue steps further down.
Start here: a two-minute diagnosis
- Feel the soil. Push a finger or a wooden skewer deep into the pot. Wet or cold and damp soil points to overwatering. Dry, dusty soil points to underwatering or damaged roots.
- Check the pot. Does it have drainage holes? Is the plant sitting in a saucer or decorative pot with water in the bottom?
- Squeeze the base of the leaves where they meet the soil. Firm is fine. Soft, squishy or sour-smelling means rot.
- Think about recent changes. Has the plant moved, copped hot sun or a cold night, been repotted, or had the heater or air-conditioner running nearby?
- Look closely for pests such as white cottony clumps, fine webbing or small brown bumps.
Yellow leaves
Most likely cause: overwatering and root rot. How to confirm: the soil is wet, the base of the leaves is soft, and there may be a sour smell. Fix: stop watering, check the roots and follow the rescue steps below.
Other causes are a long dry spell (leaves dull and wrinkle before they yellow), sap-sucking pests, or simply an old outer leaf reaching the end of its life. One old leaf yellowing now and then is normal. Yellow leaves will not turn green again, so cut them off at the base with a clean, sharp knife.
Soft, mushy or collapsing leaves
Most likely cause: rot in the roots and rhizome (the thick underground stem). It usually starts when water sits around the roots, which is more likely in winter, in low light, in heavy potting mix or in pots without drainage. A very cold night can also turn leaves mushy.
Fix: if only a leaf or two has collapsed, remove them and check the roots. If several leaves are going, go straight to the rescue steps.
Drooping, floppy or falling-over leaves
Several things can make a snake plant flop, so match the cause to your situation:
- Overwatering: leaves lose their stiffness and lean or fall away from the centre. Check the roots.
- Too little light: leaves stretch and lean toward the window. Move the plant somewhere brighter.
- A top-heavy plant in a small or light pot: tall varieties such as Laurentii can simply tip over. Repot into a heavier pot with a wider base.
- Cold: leaves go limp after a cold night or draught. Move the plant to a warmer spot.
Wrinkled, puckered or curling leaves
Most likely cause: thirst. Snake plant leaves store water, and as the plant uses it up the leaves wrinkle, often with lengthwise creases, and may curl inwards.
Fix: if the soil is dry all the way through, give the plant a thorough soak. Stand the pot in a few centimetres of water for 30 to 60 minutes, then let it drain fully. Leaves usually plump up over several days to a few weeks.
The confusing case is wrinkled leaves in wet soil. That usually means the roots have rotted and can no longer take up water, so adding more would make things worse. Check the roots.
Brown, crispy leaf tips
Likely causes: fertiliser or salt build-up in the soil, very erratic watering, long dry spells, or a blast of air from an air-conditioner. Fix: feed less often, flush the pot with plenty of water every few months so it drains out the bottom, and water more consistently. Brown tips will not turn green again. You can trim them, following the natural pointed shape of the leaf.
Pale, bleached or dry brown patches (sunburn)
Likely cause: sudden exposure to strong direct sun, especially hot afternoon sun through glass or after moving a plant outdoors. Australian summer sun can scorch a snake plant quickly. The marks are permanent but harmless. Move the plant to bright, indirect light and introduce it to stronger light gradually.
Translucent, grey or water-soaked patches (cold damage)
Likely cause: a cold night, a cold draught or frost. Move the plant somewhere warmer, ideally above about 10°C, and hold off watering while it recovers. Cut away leaves that have turned mushy.
Pale, stretched or fading pattern (too little light)
Low light will not usually kill a snake plant by itself, but growth stalls and the soil stays wet for longer, which makes rot more likely. Move the plant to brighter, indirect light. Variegated types such as Laurentii and Bantel's Sensation need the most light to hold their colour.
Sticky residue, white fluff or fine webbing (pests)
- Mealybugs: small white cottony clusters, often where the leaves meet at the base.
- Spider mites: fine webbing and a speckled look on the leaves, more common in hot, dry rooms.
- Scale: small brown bumps on the leaves.
Isolate the plant, wipe the leaves with a damp cloth, and dab mealybugs with a cotton bud dipped in methylated spirits (test one leaf first). Alternatively use an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, following the label. Repeat weekly for several weeks, because eggs hatch after the first treatment.
How to rescue a snake plant with root rot
- Unpot the plant and shake off the old mix. Rinse the roots gently so you can see what you are dealing with.
- Inspect the roots and rhizome. Healthy tissue is firm and pale, from cream to orange. Rotten tissue is brown or black, soft, and often smells sour.
- Cut away everything rotten with clean, sharp scissors or a knife, wiping the blade with methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol between cuts. Keep cutting until you reach firm, healthy tissue, and remove any leaves that are mushy at the base.
- Let it dry in a shaded, airy spot for at least a day, or a few days if you made lots of cuts, so the cut surfaces dry and callus over.
- Repot into a clean pot with drainage holes, using fresh, free-draining mix such as cactus and succulent mix with extra perlite or coarse sand. Choose a pot that is only just big enough, and scrub the old pot before reusing it.
- Hold off on watering for about a week, then water lightly. From then on, water only when the soil is completely dry.
- Give it bright, indirect light and a warm spot, and skip fertiliser until you see new growth.
- Be patient. Recovery is slow, and a new leaf can take weeks or months to appear. The most common reason rescued plants die is watering them too soon and too often.
If the roots are gone: save leaf cuttings
If there is no firm rhizome left, healthy leaves from the top of the plant can still become new plants. Cut a healthy leaf, let the cut end callus for a day or two, then root it in gritty mix or water. Our snake plant propagation guide explains both methods and which varieties are likely to revert to plain green.
How to stop it happening again
- Use a free-draining mix and a pot with drainage holes. If you use a decorative outer pot, lift the plant out to water and drain it fully.
- Test the soil before every watering rather than watering on a fixed schedule. Our guide to how often to water a snake plant covers summer versus winter.
- Water much less in winter and in low light, when the soil takes longer to dry.
- Give it bright, indirect light for sturdier growth.
- Keep the pot snug. A pot that is far too big holds extra wet soil that the roots cannot use.
For everything else, see our full snake plant care guide.
Dying snake plant FAQs
Can a snake plant recover from root rot?
Yes, if some firm, healthy rhizome and roots remain. Cut away the rot, let the plant dry, repot in fresh mix and hold off watering. If nothing healthy is left, propagate from healthy leaves.
Should I cut off yellow or damaged leaves?
Yes. Damaged leaves will not recover. Cut them off at the base with a clean, sharp knife, working from the outside of the plant.
How can I tell overwatering from underwatering?
Check the soil. Wet soil with yellow, soft or floppy leaves means overwatering. Dry soil with wrinkled or curled leaves means underwatering. Wrinkled leaves in wet soil suggest rotted roots.
Why is my snake plant falling over?
The usual causes are overwatering, too little light, a pot that is too light or small for a tall plant, or cold. Work through the drooping section above.
How long does a snake plant take to recover?
A thirsty plant can plump up within days to a few weeks. A plant recovering from root rot can take months to push new growth, so keep conditions steady and resist the urge to fuss.
Starting again?
Le Botanist offers one of Australia's largest ranges of snake plants (Sansevieria), with 16+ varieties. Browse our snake plants, or see our guide to snake plant types to pick a variety that suits your light. We ship Australia-wide and offer Perth pickup.
