Can snake plants live outside? Expert Gardening Tips

Snake plants, also known as Dracaena three-laneare one of the most popular indoor plant options. Their colorful upright foliage, available in a variety of sizes and colors, attracts many homeowners, adding visual interest without taking up too much space.

Although training how to care for a snake plant indoors isn’t that difficult, many gardeners wonder, can snake plants live outside? While this is possible, there are rules that must be followed to ensure that these tropical plants thrive.

Here, experts tell you everything you need to know about caring for your snake plant outdoors, including ideal climates and hardiness zones in the U.S., and when to bring your snake plant back indoors.

Can my snake plants live outside?

Snake plants

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Although snake plants are considered one of the best indoor plantsthey can live a long and happy life outdoors, in the ground or in a pot, as long as you live in the right climate for them.

Jessica MercerSenior Content Marketing Coordinator and Plant Expert at Plant Addicts, says, “Snake plants are native to tropical West Africa, where conditions are hot and dry. So, it goes without saying, but these succulents are incredibly sensitive to frost and excess rainfall and are only hardy in zones 9-11.”

You can find out which hardiness zone you live in by searching for your area on the website. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. US Hardiness Zones 9 to 11 are considered warm climate regions and are typically found in the more southern states of America, including Texas, Florida and California.

What climate does an outdoor snake plant need to thrive?

Snake plants on the stairs

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Since snakes are especially susceptible to temperature stress, the most important factor to consider when growing a snake plant outdoors is whether the temperature in your area is prone to fluctuating temperatures.

The snake plant cannot withstand prolonged exposure to cold and constantly changing temperatures, so if the temperature in your location frequently drops below 40°F, your snake plant will have a hard time surviving outdoors.

“This type of plant prefers temperatures between 70 and 90°F (21 and 32°C) and cannot live in colder temperatures outdoors,” says Jessica. “However, if you’re lucky enough to garden in an area with mild winter weather, these adaptable plants will enjoy the extra sunlight, humidity, space and air circulation of the outdoors.”

MUMTOP Outdoor Metal Owl Garden Thermometer from Amazon will help you monitor the temperature in your yard without looking unsightly. But if you prefer something more technical to track your daily data, Amazon Govee Hygrometer with Bluetooth will do its job.

If your area still gets plenty of sunshine, little rain, and relatively mild temperatures at certain times of the year, you can still keep your snake plant outdoors in a pot, but not in the ground.

Calvin Leeowner of PAFE Plants, recommends asking yourself the following four questions about your climate to determine if you can plant a snake plant outdoors in the ground:

Does your climate remain mild year-round (50 to 90 degrees)?
Will it get enough sun where you want to plant it (partial shade to 3-4+ hours of sun)?
Is it rainproof, or does your climate get little rain?
Is your climate moderately humid?

“If you don’t meet all of these criteria, you can still take your snake plant outside, but keep it in a pot because it can’t stay outside year-round,” Calvin says.

Calvin Lee

Calvin Lee grew up helping clients choose the perfect plants for their homes and offices, and even consulted with Saks Off Fifth as they selected plants for their corporate offices. He then went on to study horticulture in college and has now expanded his family business online. PAFE installations (meaning Plants for Everyone). Every day, customers come into his store with all sorts of questions about plants, and he loves helping them choose plants and solve problems.

Where should an outdoor snake plant live in your yard?

snake plant

(Image credit: Alami/Stephanie Jackson – Garden and Flower Collection)

When potting your snake plant outdoors, try to place it in an area out of direct sunlight. Although snake plants require a decent amount of sunlight to grow healthily, shining sun on them all day long will quickly burn their leaves. The snake plant begins to die.

If it’s significantly colder in your area during the winter, it’s a good idea to bring the potted snake plant back indoors until the season is over.

Snake plants in the ground have a hard time with cold weather: when the temperature drops, your plant will still be outside. Assess whether cold weather will be too much of a temperature change for your plant. If your area only has mild winters, you can plant the snake plant in the ground in an area out of direct sunlight and with good drainage.

“Locate the snake plant in an area with excellent drainage and protection from hot afternoon sun,” says Jessica. “Also allow the soil to dry out between waterings because these plants do not tolerate wet feet or overwatering.”

Jessica Mercer

Jessica MercerPh.D., Senior Content Marketing Coordinator at Plant addicts. As a “plant collector,” Jessica enjoys growing many different plants and learning the best techniques for growing each one. Writing for plant lovers is a real joy for her, as she can use her scientific background to explore interesting plant-related topics. She carefully considers how best to present information to other gardeners, with a focus on sustainability and the environment.

How often should I water my outdoor snake?

snake plant

(Image credit: Grumpy Cow Studios via Getty Images)

If you are interested how often to water a snake plantthis is relatively simple, but varies depending on whether your plant is in a pot or planted in the ground.

A potted snake plant will benefit from watering every two weeks during the warmer months and once a month or less during the winter.

Ofra GaitoCEO of plant store Verdant Lyfe, says: “The main reason snake plant leaves drop is too much water. Excessive watering makes the soil soggy, prevents roots from breathing and leads to rotting and death of plants. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings, or you can make a habit of watering the plant on the 1st and 15th of each month. During the rainy season, reduce this to once a month.”

If the snake plant is growing in the ground, watering should be more frequent, but it should be carefully monitored. Once a week in warm weather and approximately every three weeks in winter is sufficient.

To help you keep track of your soil moisture levels, we recommend purchasing a moisture meter such as Amazon XLUX Soil Moisture Sensor. This neat little device will blend in with the greenery of your plant and allow you to instantly tell if your soil is dry, wet or too wet.

Ofra Gaito

In 2020, Ofra Gaito founded Verdant Lyfe, an e-commerce company created to help and share living plants with both plant lovers and plant newbies. The company packs and ships hundreds of orders every week to homes and businesses across the United States. At their South Florida headquarters, Ofra and her team host plant-based workshops every six weeks. Ofra hosts a live radio program Grow your life every Friday at 1:45 pm EST on Omega Radio 101.9FM.

Does an outdoor snake plant require any extra care?

Sansevieria (snake plant) in ceramic pots on a white table

(Image credit: Inna Luzan/Getty Images)

If your snake plant is planted directly into the ground, it won’t require much extra care. However, if your snake plant spends part of the year inside and part of the year outdoors in a pot, you will need to properly acclimate it every time it moves from indoors to outdoors.

Without making this change gradually, your snake plant will go into temperature shock and potentially be unable to bounce back.

“If you’re moving a snake plant outdoors from your home, you need to do it gradually,” says Calvin. “The Snake Factory is not a big fan of major changes. So gradually give it more light over a week or two. If you go from partial shade to direct sun, it will simply burn. But if you go from partial shade to medium direct light, bright indirect light and some direct sun, it will continue to thrive.”

Calvin expands on this topic by sharing the following two suggestions to help acclimate snake plants:

“You have two options. The first option is to move the snake plant outside into some sun and then move it back into the shade. But it’s a lot of work. Option two is to simply take it outside. Place it outdoors with the same lighting as inside. Then give it a few days to acclimate to the varying humidity levels outside. After that, move it to a light one level brighter and wait a few days.”

Did you know that snake plants belong to a group of plants that act as natural solution for air cooling? This is another one of the amazing properties of this plant, so if your home is hectic during the summer, snake plants are a great choice.