This snake plant has been through a lot. My best friend/roommate and I went through one of the hardest times of our lives together, as our apartment was almost completely gutted in a fire. My snake plant survived and is thriving, but I can’t say exactly the same for hers. We made it out okay, but this once-strong, stiff snake plant is now thinner, smaller, softer, and perhaps not long for this world.

I’d love nothing more right now than to give it another lease on life. I know the general potting soil it’s in is not ideal, and was thinking of repotting it in a succulent-focused mix.

Does anyone have any input? Similar circumstances? Ideas on what else might be the cause? Tips on repotting? I’m just terrified that once I pull it up, there will be like three roots left, and the shock will kill it for good.

  • Shoplift3268@infosec.pubEnglish
    6·
    3 days ago

    You can propagate a cutting by putting it in water. I’m do this now with a 40 year old snake that did not fair well in our move. Then whatever grows from that is the same plant.

    • BooBees@fedinsfw.appEnglish
      3·
      2 days ago

      Word of warning, it can take months at best, years at worst for the new snake plants to appear

  • The_v@lemmy.worldEnglish
    41·
    2 days ago

    Elongated thinner leaves, softer texture, and smaller overall size = adaptations to lower light levels. It needs more light.

    Either move it to a brighter location or give it some supplemental lighting.

  • frongt@lemmy.zipEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    thinner, smaller, softer

    the general potting soil it’s in

    Yeah, that and any sitting water in the bottom of the pot are going to rot the roots. Unpot it, remove any rotted roots (black, smelly, slimy, decayed), pot it in succulent soil. Maybe add a bit of perlite too. Should look roughly like the stuff in this image: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Snake-Plant-Potting-Soil-Mix-4-Quarts-Specialized-Blend-for-Green-Sansevieria-Trifascatia-Zeylanica-Plants/1007735890

    Ideally, also put it in an unglazed clay pot with a dish. Or at least something where you can pour off any water that doesn’t get taken up. I fully expect that it’s been overwatered in that pot, and there’s been a standing puddle at the bottom causing the soil to never dry.

  • PlantJam@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    3 days ago

    I don’t know anything about house plants, but I had a tree die back to the ground last year and it’s already ten feet tall now. Plants are resilient. If you have any ideas as to what the actual issues are, correcting those will help the plant recover.