How to Save a Snake Plant With Drooping Leaves

Drooping snake plant leaves indicates the soil is too damp from overwatering and slow draining soils. Snake plants are drought resistant and need the soil to dry out completely between bouts of watering. Consistently damp soil promotes the conditions for root rot which causes droopy leaves that turn yellow and mushy.

Here are the most common reasons and contributing reasons for snake plant (Dracaena aka mother in laws tongue) leaves to droop in appearance:

Keep reading to learn why your snake plant’s leaves are drooping and how to implement the solutions to revive the drooping leaves…

Snake Plant Drooping (Overwatering)

• Symptoms. Snake plant leaves drooping and potentially turning yellow with a mushy texture.
• Causes. Overwatering, slow draining soils, poor drainage and cold temperatures.

Snake plants are native to the hot and dry tropical regions of Western African where they are adapted to growing in gritty soil, that does not hold much moisture and with infrequent rainfall.

If snake plants are watered too often and planted in a normal potting medium, then the soil stays to damp for this drought adapted plant to tolerate.

One of the first symptoms of an overwatered snake plant is that the leaves droop down and begin to turn yellow and parts of the plant may have a mushy, soft texture.

Snake plants should be watered far less often the regular houseplants and should be planted in well draining soil that does not hold onto moisture for too long.

If the soil is damp for too long then this can cause the roots and leaves to rot with a soft texture which causes the overwatered snake plants leaves loose their structural integrity and they droop under their own weight.

To grow a snake plant successfully indoors and prevent it from drooping, it is important to recreate some of the watering and drainage conditions of its native environment, by allowing the soil to dry out between bouts of watering and by using a well draining potting medium that mimics the aerated, porous gritty soil structure of its preferred native environment.

It is also important to consider that the snake plant is native to warm, dry climates and prefers a temperature range of 65°F (18°C) and 80°F (26°C) and does not do well in temperature lower then 55°F (13°C).

At lower temperatures the snake plant enters a state of dormancy slowing growth and reducing its demand for Water.

With lower demand for water, the potting medium can stay moist for too long, promoting the conditions for root rot and drooping leaves, therefore it is important to scale back how often you water the snake plant accordingly.

Cooler indoor temperatures are obviously a problem in Winter but also consider colder areas of the house that can cause a problem such as draughty window sills etc. that can lower the temperature, reduce the demand for moisture and increase the risk of drooping leaves due to root rot.

How to Save an Overwatered Drooping Snake Plant

• Scale back how often you water the snake plant to mimic the preferred dryer conditions of its native environment. Snake plants are exceptionally tolerant of draught and should only be watered when the potting soil soil has dried out around the roots. Typically during active growth this means watering every 2 or 3 weeks, however this can depend on climate, size of the pot and the maturity of the snake plant.

To test whether your snake plant needs watering feel the soil at the bottom of the pot, through the drainage hole in the base. If the soil feels damp then delay watering. If the soil feels as though it is drying out, this is the perfect time to water your snake plant with a generous soak.

• Reduce watering in Winter and keep it in a room with a temperature above 55°F (13°C). Keep in mind that in the Fall and Winter the snake plant requires watering less often. Typically I water my snake plant once every 4 weeks in the Winter. Snake plants can tolerate drought far better then overwatering so if in any doubt, delay watering for another week.
• Use a gritty well draining potting mix to prevent root rot. The combination of the right frequency of watering and a good well draining potting soil is critical to the success of growing snake plants and preventing drooping leaves. Use a specially formulated succulent and cacti potting soil when repotting your snake plant as this specifically replicates the gritty soil type of the snake plants natural habitat, to prevent root rot.

• Ensure that the snake plant is planted in a pot with drainage holes in the base and empty saucers, trays and decorative outer pots of excess water regularly. Good drainage is essential for snake plants. Any excess water pooling around the base of the pot inevitably leads to root rot and drooping leaves.
• When repotting snake plants, always choose a pot that is just one size up. Large pots contain more soil and therefore retain more moisture, which can promote the conditions for root rot. A slightly larger pot should dry out at a similar rate which should reduce the risk of root rot. Preferably choose a terracotta or unglazed clay pot (rather then plastic or ceramic) as they are porous which allows the soil to dry out more evenly.

Once the snake plants soil has had a chance to dry out and you have adjusted the watering frequency to imitate the conditions of its native environment then the snake plant can begin to recover.

Should I cut off Drooping Snake Plant Leaves?

Feel each of the leaves and if any have turned mushy in texture then cut these leaves back to the base of the plant with a pair of pruners to prevent the rot from spreading and reduce stress on the plant.

If any of the snake plant’s leaves have drooped right down to the point they have completely flopped over then cut these individual leaves back as they do not stand up again, even if you create the optimal conditions.

If the snake plant has sat in boggy soil for too long then its likely most if not all the roots have begun to rot at which point it can be very difficult to save the plant.

In which case I recommend propagating the snake plant from leaf cuttings.

Snake plants (like most succulents) propagate readily from cutting and even the leaves that have drooped can be propagated as long as they haven’t turned yellow, brown or mushy.

Snake Plant Drooping due to Not Enough Sunlight

• Symptoms. Snake plant leaves drooping or leaning in one direction.
• Causes. Not turning the plant often enough.

Snake plants are native to dry tropical forests in West Africa where they grow in bright dappled light.

Therefore snake plants should be grown in bright, indirect light when indoors (direct sunlight can scorch the leaves).

Snake plants can tolerate some shade but if the snake plant is in particularly poor light then the leaves can droop as they weaken and grow leggy looking for more light and they often grow towards the strongest source of light.

The key to fixing the drooping plant is to move the snake plant to a brighter room and rotate the snake plant’s pot by 90 degrees each time you water it to ensure each side of the plant has good access to light which should address the leaning, drooping leaves.

If the leaves have drooped to the point they have completely flopped, then cut these leaves back to the base with a pair of pruners as these individual leaves do not recover their appearance.

Snake Plant Leaves Curling and Drooping (Underwatering)

• Symptoms. Snake plants leaves curling inwards and drooping.
• Causes. Not watering often enough or watering the soil too lightly.

If the snake plant’s leaves are simultaneously curling and drooping then this indicates the soil is too dry.

Usually the cause of a snake plant’s drooping leaves is overwatering due to its intolerance of consistently damp soil.

However if the soil has been watered too lightly or not often enough then the snake plants leaves curl inwards as the plant depletes its moisture reserves that are stored in the leaves which also results in the drooping appearance.

People occasionally misinterpret the advice that ‘snake plants do not need much water’ to mean that the snake plant does not need a great quantity of water and can be sated with just a dribble of water.

However snake plants require a generous soak each time you water to ensure that the potting medium is evenly moist, then they soil should be allowed to dry before watering again.

This schedule of watering mimics the -deluge or rainfall, followed by a drought- cycle of watering that the snake plant typically experience in their native environment.

Give the snake plant a really through watering so that excess water trickle from the drain holes in the base. This allows the snake plant’s roots to draw up the moisture they need.

The snake plant draws up the moisture and stores it in its usually plump leaves as a survival strategy to cope with drought in its natural habitat.

This should alleviate the curling and drooping appearance.

However if the leaves have flopped completely then you may need to propagate any healthy remaining leaves as the floppy leaves may not stand up again even with sufficient water.

Key Takeaways:

• Drooping leaves indicates that the snake plant is overwatered. Snake plants are drought resistant plants that require the soil to dry between bouts of watering. If the soil is consistently saturated the snake plant develops root rot which causes the leaves turn yellow and mushy with a drooping appearance.
• The reason for snake plant leaves drooping in Winter is usually root rot from overwatering. Snake plants are dormant in the Winter months and require watering much less often. If the soil is damp around the roots during Winter dormancy the leaves droop and turn yellow.
• If the Snake plant is in deep shade then the leaves often lean or droop towards the strongest source of light.
• Curling and drooping leaves is an indication that the snake plant is not being watered enough. Snake plants need a soak followed by a period of drought. If the soil is being watered too lightly the plant draws upon the moisture reserves stored in the leaves which causes the leaf to curl and droop down.
• If the snake plants leaf has drooped to the point it has flopped down completely then it does not recover stand up again even if if you have addressed the initial environmental problem that caused the drooping leaf. Cut drooping leaves back to the base of the plant.