Ways to Maintain Snake Plant Humidity (Impact & Adjusting Humidity of Plant)

by Becky Decker · July 30, 2024

While growing the snake plant, I had a question about humidity: Does the snake plant like humidity? I provided the plant with enough light, water, and moisture, but it still didn’t thrive. I realized that meeting these requirements alone would allow the plant to survive but not flourish.

My focus then shifted to humidity, and I researched the snake plant’s humidity needs in detail. As a result, my plant became healthy and started thriving.

To assist fellow plant lovers, I’ve explained the research on snake plant humidity and how to find the ideal humidity level for optimal growth.

Table of Contents

Do Snake Plants Like Humidity?

Let’s come straight to the answer, the snake plant blooms best in humidity levels around 40-50%. They used to adapt to slightly higher or lower levels. Insufficient humidity provided to the plant will lead to leaf curling, browning, and resulting leaf dropping and excessive humidity will increase the plant’s getting infected with mold and mildew.

Ways to Maintain Snake Plant Humidity (Impact & Adjusting Humidity of Plant)

Snake Plant Care & Humidity:

To take care of the snake plant, you need to consider multiple factors for creating a perfect suitable environment for indoor plants which provides essential tips for keeping the snake plant thriving best.

In the case of soil requirements, the snake plant grows perfectly in well-draining soil to prevent overwatering and waterlogging. Using regular potting soil with added components such as peat moss, sand, and perlite, gives proper drainage. The right usage of soil mix will promote healthy root development resulting in reducing the risk of root rot.

In the case of light requirements, the snake plant does tolerate a wide range of light conditions such as direct sunlight to shade. The snake plant grows best in bright, indirect light.

When they lack sufficient natural light, you can try using grow lights to be an alternative light source. Giving the snake plant, inadequate lighting will lead to stunted growth or sagging leaves.

In the case of water requirements, maintaining a proper water schedule is important for snake plants. Snake plants are succulents that are used to store water within their leaves and are more resistant to improper watering and lack of water. Make sure to water the snake plant once every two to three weeks which depends on the environmental conditions. Avoid overwatering that leads to root rot, yellowing leaves, or even plant death.

To keep the snake plant healthy and thriving maintain the right soil mix, adequate light, and regulating humidity and watering schedules.

Lastly, make sure to monitor the snake plant continuously to find any signs of stress or issues and adjust the requirements to ensure continues to grow and flourish.

The signs of low snake plant humidity:

The environmental humidity does show signs of overwatering but there signs for both overwatering and underwatering are common. Here are some signs indicating the snake plant that it’s not getting enough moisture:

The snake plant does have withered leaves.
The plant having yellow leaves is a sign of insufficient watering and root rot conditions.
They will suffer from browning of the edges of the leaves.
The snake plant leaves are drooping or wrinkled.
The snake plant suffering from high humidity will cause it to not radiate well and in stunted growth.

The Impact of Humidity on Snake Plant Health:

To grow snake plants humidity plays plant important role in maintaining the health of the snake plant. The perfect humidity level for growing snake plants is between 40 and 60 percent. If you maintain the moisture in the perfect range, the snake plant will grow healthy and thrive.
Maintaining proper humidity to snake plant leaves helps in absorbing water and nutrients more efficiently, resulting in healthier foliage and better growth. With inadequate humidity, snake plants to stunted growth and unhealthy leaves.
When the humidity of the plant is too low, it will start to have signs of stress such as wilting, or curling leaves.
Low humidity in the snake plant causes the leaves to become wrinkled, droop, and have brown edges.
Try using a humidifier or placing snake plants on a pebble tray will help in maintaining an ideal humidity level of the snake plant. Too much humidity for the snake plant will lead to issues in the snake plant.
The plant having Over-saturated leaves will start to develop yellow leaves, brown tips, or even leaf spots, which will harm the plant’s health.
Maintaining temperature plays an important role in snake plant’s health. Keeping the room temperature between 65°F and 85°F is best for snake plant growth. The plant having a lower temperature will cause slower growth while a higher temperature will lead to stress and wilting of the snake plant.
The snake plant helps to purify the air by absorbing toxins and releasing oxygen.
Make sure to maintain the right humidity and temperature to keep snake plants healthy and improve the air quality all around the plant.

Effects of High Humidity on Snake Plants:

The high humidity does affect the snake plant so prefer moderate to low humidity leaves of 30-50%.
Keeping the humidity leaves consistently high will result in the growth of pest infestations. Pests like spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects thrive in humid environments that feed on plant sap.
To prevent pest infestations in snake plants, you need to maintain moderate humidity while monitoring the plant for any signs of pest activity.
High humidity in the plant will result in the development of diseases in which fungal and bacterial infections are more prevalent in humid environments because excess moisture will create the breeding of pests.
The snake plant dealing with high humidity will result in root rot which mostly occurs when it is exposed to moist conditions. All this results in the spreading of fungal growth in the plant and will kill the plant.
Make sure to take several measures to protect snake plants from the harmful effects of high humidity by providing them with proper air circulation all around the plant, with adequate drainage, and avoiding overwatering
Having any signs of plant pests or diseases you need to prevent any damage.
It’s important to maintain humidity levels for plant’s overall health and well-being.
The snake plant does tolerate various humidity levels so ensure that the plant is kept in the ideal range for avoiding any potential issues that are related to high humidity.

Effects of Low Humidity on Snake Plants:

The snake plant dealing in a low humidity environment will struggle to take up water from its roots which will make the snake plant unhealthy. Providing a lower humidity level to snake plants will cause them to lose water to transpirate faster than replacing resulting in droopy and wilted plants.

Ensure to keep the ideal humidity level of 30-50% to make the snake plant thrive best. In case the plant air around the plant is too dry here are some steps you need to follow to improve the humidity around the snake plant.

Place a humidifier nearby: You can use a humidifier in the room for an effective rise of humidity levels to keep the plant healthy.
Pebble tray: maintain humidity by placing the snake plant on a tray filled with pebbles and water which makes the water evaporate and will increase the humidity all around the snake plants.
Group snake plants: if you group the snake plant with other humidity plants will maintain moisture levels.

Just make sure to keep a close eye and monitor snake plant health by adjusting humidity. If you maintain appropriate humidity leaves the snake plant will stay healthy and will thrive best.

Ways of adjusting snake plant humidity:

To take care of snake plants you need to prefer humidity levels to grow best with humidity around 40% but can tolerate 30-50% levels. You need to create an ideal environment for snake plants here are the main tips for helping the snake plant to adjust the humidity levels at the locations.

First, you need to monitor the humidity level in the room with the help of a hygrometer that determines to decide whether to increase or decrease the humidity to meet all the care requirements of the snake plant.
After understanding all the humidity leaves you need to take steps as soon as possible.

Steps to increase the humidity of snake plant:

Here are some tips that help to increase the humidity of snake plants:

Mist snake plant: Try misting the snake plant using a spray bottle filled with water but ensure to spray all around the plant to avoid wetting the leaves directly which causes the issue of the leaf spot.
Use a humidifier: to raise the humidity of the snake plants in the room, keep the humidifier near the snake plants but not too close to avoid excess moisture growing on the leaves.
Group plants: Grouping of plants will create a more humid microclimate and transpiration of grouping plants will raise the humidity levels all around the plant.
Place the snake plant on a pebble tray: the water evaporation does increase humidity all around the snake plant so make sure not to keep the pot in water for preventing overwatering.

Steps to decrease the humidity of snake plant:

Here are some tips that help to decrease the humidity of snake plants:

Improve airflow: Place the snake plant in a more open area or near an open window and be sure to avoid direct drafts which will keep the air drier and reduce the humidity level.
Use a dehumidifier: keeping the plant in the room will extract excess moisture from the air using the dehumidifiers will lower the humidity.
Avoid overwatering: Providing the plant with excess water in the soil will increase humidity levels so avoid overwatering.
Trying to create a mini greenhouse for the snake plant is not unnecessary which makes it thrive in low to moderate humidity levels.

Monitoring and Controlling Humidity:

To maintain the health of the snake plant you need to maintain a proper humidity level for that you can buy a reliable hydrometer or humidity reader for monitoring and controlling humidity. Using this will help to measure the water vapor in the air with an ideal humidity range that is from 30-50%. Just keep in mind that snake plants are native to rocky and dry areas in tropical Africa that’s why they can tolerate a certain dryness level of the plant. When the air is too dry, will make the leaves turn brown and crispy. If the plant deals with high humidity will cause over-saturation with a moist environment encouraging them to get pests and fungal infections.

To maintain an optimal humidity level you can use a humidifier or dehumidifier which further depends on whether to raise or lower the humidity at your location. Just make sure to clean and maintain all devices regularly to ensure their efficiency.

Here are a few simple techniques that will help to control humidity levels:

Water tray: To control the humidity level place a tray filled with water and small pebbles underneath the pot that will create a humid microclimate all around the plant which will evaporate and will provide the humidity to the plant.
Periodic misting: Gently misting the leaves of the snake plant with water will control the humidity level but be careful not to overdo it because excess moisture will cause rot. The misting of snake plants should be done periodically rather than replacing regular watering.
Ice cube test: If the current humidity level around the plant is adequate for a snake plant try using the ice cube test. To use a cube test, place an ice cube in a small bowl or plate and make the pot stay for about an hour. Finding a noticeable layer of condensation on the surface after an hour will indicate the plant is suffering from too high a humidity level.

Preventing and Treating Issues of Humidity Levels:

To take care of the snake plant maintaining humidity levels of 30-50% is ideal to prevent potential issues such as root rot, pest infestation, and fungal growth. To maintain the humidity levels and avoid getting into problems here are some preventing tips below:

You need to regularly inspect the snake plant to see any signs of pests like having tiny bugs on the leaves or white cottony growth.
In case you find pests, you can treat the plant using a natural insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Clean the snake plant leaves by wiping them with a damp cloth that will prevent the pests from growing there.
The snake plant when overwatered will lead to root rot that creates an environment for fungal growth.
Make sure the potting mix or soil is dry out completely between watering with well-draining soil mix.
Just remove all the snake plants from their pots and trim any affected roots in case of root rot.
To avoid this situation replant the plant in fresh soil and avoid overwatering.
Fungal growth in snake plants can also be avoided by providing the plant with proper air circulation. For that, you need to keep the plant in a location with good air movement or use a fan.
In case of detecting any signs of disease, prune all the affected leaves and apply fungicide by following all the instructions.

Conclusion:

Here I have explained all the details about snake plant humidity and ways to provide the snake plant moisture. Just remember that high or low humidity will slow done the growth of the plants. Provide the plant with temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees and humidity between 40 to 50 percent. Create the perfect humidity range using a cool mist humidifier and mist water appropriately.