Snake plants, also called “mother-in-law” are one of the most popular houseplants you can have. It is one of the the easiest house plants to look after and boast some amazing air purifying powers. If you look closely at your friends’ plant collections, you will begin to realize that there are SO many different types of snake plants out there.
From the most beloved varieties to the ones you’ve never heard of, I think all snake plants have a striking, architectural beauty unlike any other houseplant. So, let’s explore the vastly diverse world of snake plant types together and you might just find one you just have to add to your collection!
Understanding Snake Plant Types
Let’s start with a little disclaimer, shall we? The classification of snake plants can be confusing because they recently changed from having their own genus, ‘sansevieria’, to the genus dracaena, in the same family as asparagus (wild, right?!). They are also nicknamed based on the characteristics of the individual variety, and these varieties can often be mislabeled or slightly altered.
Keep these details in mind as you search for your dream houseplant – you may want to try searching by each different name to increase your chances of finding what you’re looking for. That being said, I have compiled a list of some of the most beautiful, most popular, cutest and rarest snake plant species to add to your house plant collection. I don’t know about you, but this really makes me want to start collecting! So… let’s dive in!
Dracaena trifasciata (formerly Sansevieria trifasciata)
Dracaena Trifasciata is what you probably picture when you think of snake plants. These are well-loved as houseplants and make excellent decorative additions to your indoor garden. There are many snake plant species in the Sansevieria Trifasciata category – see some of our favorites below.
1. Sansevieria / Dracaena Trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ (Golden Snake Plant)
Known for its yellow, upright leaves, this may be the most popular snake plant of all.
2. Sansevieria / Dracaena Trifasciata ‘Black Gold’
Dark green leaves with bright golden-yellow tips, ‘black gold’ snake plant is similar to Laurentii, but with greater contrast.
3. Sansevieria / Dracaena Trifasciata ‘Futura Robusta’
This little guy is a great addition to your indoor garden collection and looks great on a shelf next to your favorite decor. This compact variety has beautiful silver-green leaves.
4. Sansevieria / Dracaena Trifasciata ‘Hahnii’ (Snake Plant ‘Bird’s Nest’)
The bird’s nest snake plant doesn’t fit the mold of the other trifasciata varieties – this one forms a rosette of green leaves with grey-green horizontal stripes. I think this is so cute!
5. Sansevieria / Dracaena Trifasciata ‘Moonshine’
The moon snake plant features silvery green leaves that can almost appear fluorescent under certain lighting.
6. Sansevieria / Dracaena Trifasciata ‘Twisted Sister’
This variety features uniquely twisted, green leaves with yellow variegated tips. Perfect for adding some wild vibes to your plant collection.
Dracaena Cylindrica
Tubular, cylindrical leaves are the hallmark of Dracaena Cylindrica. These types of snake plants are generally stiffer than the trifasciata types and cannot be bent, however they often grow in a braid shape gradually for a decorative effect.
7. Sansevieria / Dracaena Cylindrica / Angolensi ‘monster fingers’
Their tubular, upright leaves grow straight out of the ground in a line, as if they belong to a hand reaching out from the earth.
8. Sansevieria / Dracaena Cylindrica ‘Angolensi’ (‘African spear‘)
The snake plant ‘African Spear’ looks like monster’s fingers, but with leaves that grow a little wilder instead of straight and stiff.
9. Sansevieria / Dracaena Cylindrica “Sansiam Fan”
For a cute, compact snake plant to match your succulent collection, choose Sansiam Shabiki.
10. Sansevieria / Dracaena Cylindrica Boncel “Starfish”
This one really lives up to its name! The leaves of the star snake plant become plump and form a star pattern, so it ends up looking more like a sea creature than a houseplant.
11. Dracaena Cylindrica “Black Diamond Snake Plant”
The Black Diamond snake plant looks more like a typical snake plant than the other cylindrica varieties and really brings the drama with deep green coloring.
Dracacena Pethera (Sansevieria ‘Kirkii’)
These types of snake plants are a little harder to find than most, but their unique pattern and color are worth seeking out.
12. Dracaena pethera var. pultru (Sansevieria is goodi’) ‘Coppertone’
The broad leaves of this plant have a beautiful pattern. Yeah, I think the ‘Coppertone’ guy looks a bit… sick. BUT, I think it has a unique beauty and would be great to add some color variety to your plant collection.
13. Dracaena Pethera (Sansevieria kirkii) ‘Silver Blue‘
Similar to the copper tone in the design, the ‘silver blue’ variety has a dusty, muted blue-green color that is absolutely gorgeous.
More species of snake plants
There are more beautiful and interesting snake plant species to choose from, don’t worry! The rest of them didn’t fit into any of the above categories but just had to be on the list because they are very beautiful!
14. Sansevieria / Dracaena Fernwood Mikado
With a grassy growth habit, the Fernwood Mikado snake plant is sure to add some rich, dense greenery to your home.
15. Sansevieria Ehrenbergii / Dracaena hanningtonii (Plant ‘Samurai Dwarf Snake’)
Known for its blue-green leaves and red tips, this little cutie looks great among a collection of succulents.
16. Sansevieria / Dracaena Zeylanica
Although this looks like many of the snake plants in the Trfasciata group, it is only as far as I can find (please let me know if you know otherwise!). This variety has dark green leaves with a lighter green cross.
17. Sansevieria Dracaena Bacularis “Mikado”
If you want a similar look to a Sansevieria/Dracaena Cylindrica, this snake plant could be rich for you. It has upright, dark green, cylindrical leaves, and while it resembles the Fernwood Mikado, it tends to be a bit more compact in its growth habit.
18. Sansevieria / Dracaena Masoniana (Whale Fin Snake Plant)
Known for its unique broad paddle-like leaves, the whale fin snake plant is aptly named. These large leaves are perfect for making a statement among other houseplants in your collection.
19. Sansevieria / Dracaena Patens
The leaves of Dracaena Patens are round and plump, growing in a random direction from a central rosette. This creates a fun and wild growth habit in an otherwise compact snake plant variety.
20. Sansevieria / Dracaena Parva (Kenya Hyacinth)
This smaller variety has narrow leaves, and when in flower, a wonderfully pleasant fragrance. It’s very rare for your snake plants to flower, but if you can scratch it with any variety, try to make this one!
Where to buy snake plants
Most of the more common types of snake plants can be found in Home Depot or Lowe’sany plant store, and sometimes even the flower section at the grocery store.
If you are looking for some of the rarer varieties, I would suggest stopping at a local plant store first. Don’t understand what you’re looking for, just ask! You never know what they might get soon that just hasn’t been saved yet.
Where to buy rare species of snake plants
Ready to really go down a rabbit hole? If you want to find rare snake plant species, online stores may be your best bet. I really like it Etsy to find all kinds of rare and different plants, seeds or bulbs. It’s fun to support small businesses, but you also have to remember to check reviews and make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller. I’ve included links to several Etsy sellers in snake plant photos throughout this post if I could find the variety, so check back first!
Another option is to check out some online plant stores. Some that I like include; The windowsill, Live Root, Gardens, Bloomscapeand Rooted.
Share your indoor plant collection!
I hope you feel inspired to grow your houseplant collection with a few more species of snake plants! They can add some really fun colors, patterns and shapes to any collection. We’d love to hear about your favorite snake plants in the comments below and share photos with us on social!
Looking for more indoor plant inspiration? Check out the easy list DIY indoor greenhouses to give your baby plants a luxurious new home, then head over to our list best low light indoor plants to find some low maintenance plugins. And be sure to check out our tips winter care of indoor plants to ensure they thrive in the cold!
