Snake Plant Light Requirements: All Queries Solved!

Snake plant tolerates a wide range of indoor light but can fuss about showing limpy, yellowing leaves under improper light.

You must not take Snake plants’ light adaptability for granted. Thus, read along to learn how to achieve full-fledged growth via optimal lighting.

Can Snake Plants Survive Without Sunlight?

Snake plants are famous for tolerating low lights but are hesitant to grow without sunlight.

No light at all causes leaf discoloration leading leaves to turn yellow with stunted or leggy growth.

Meanwhile, they have no complaints about growing in artificial grow lights that can mimic natural sunlight.

So, technically without sunlight, Snake plants can survive only when incorporated with full spectrum grow lights.

But again, it is advised to give them natural sunlight occasionally to keep their growth in check.

Also, Snake plants that have never seen the sun can have irregular or deformed foliage. So, ensure some sunlight is available for a healthy vibe check.

Can Snake Plant Survive Direct Sunlight?

Snake plants are legit sturdy, so they do not mind sitting in direct sunlight, but beware of sunburn.

Use sheer drapes to avoid sunburn if you only have the south window with full afternoon sun exposure.

Meanwhile, Snake plants love the direct morning sunlight, so place them a few feet away from the east window.

Remember, direct sunlight brings light saturation and excess heat issues in the Snake plant.

Thus, carefully position your outdoor Snake plants and watch for light saturation signs.

Signs your Snake Plant Needs More or Less Light

The Snake plant is indeed one of kind houseplant that generously lets go of minor care mishaps.

However, they will show signs of suffering whenever the lighting situation goes beyond their tolerance.

Therefore, you must start by diagnosing such signs so that you can adjust the light accordingly.

Signs your Snake Plant is Receiving Low Light

Snake plants will show these signs when they suffer from light-deprived conditions.

• Stunted or very slow growth
• No new leaf, or even if there is, they are very small, weak, thin and sparse
• Wilting, droopy leaves
• Lanky stems leaning toward the light sources
• Leaves will start turning yellow or brown due to a lack of chlorophyll
• Immature leaf drops

Signs your Snake Plant is Getting Excessive Light

Here are a few signs that confirm your Snake plant is getting too much light.

• Scorched, yellow leaves
• Brown patches on the leaves
• Wilting leaves
• Leaves start to curl inwards
• Crispy, dry leaf edges

How to Ensure Optimum Light for Snake Plant?

Despite being an easy-going plant, you can consider a few factors to provide Snake plant with optimal lighting for ideal growth.

Remember, Snake plants grow best when you mimic the natural habitat-like lighting.

1. Light Intensity

The light intensity varies depending on the time of the day, weather and distance of the light source from the plant.

You can check the light intensity using a light meter or follow the hand shadow method.

All you got to do is put a piece of white paper on the pot spot and check the shadow of your palm on it. If it is clear and dark, then it is very bright, intense light.

Meanwhile, if the shadow is slightly hazy but still visible, that’s medium light. However, low light barely forms a visible shadow on the paper.

2. Light Duration

Snake plants flourish flawlessly with 8 to 10 hours of indirect sunlight daily.

As I mentioned, they can withstand 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight but avoid more than that to prevent leaf scorching.

Meanwhile, in winter, you can place them under an LED grow light for about 12 to 14 hours.

3. Best Location

Place Snake plant 3 to 5 feet from the east window to facilitate daily morning sunlight.

If you only have a south window to place them, put on drapes to reduce the light intensity.

Also, leverage light shades of bigger plants if you are placing them outdoors.

Furthermore, you should not expose Snake plants that are used to staying in low light to direct sunlight at once.

Gradually let them get acquainted with sunny locations over a week to ensure no stress in the plant.

How to Grow Snake Plants With Artificial Light?

Snake plants are very adaptive and can even be grown under artificial lights with proper conditioning.

They won’t be as good as the sunlight, but they grow well when provided with the right artificial lights.

Here are a few artificial grow lights to compensate for the lack of sunlight for your Snake plants.

1. Fluorescent Lights

Under fluorescent lights, the Snake plants grow a bit similar to how they would in the sun due to the blue wavelengths of the light spectrum.

Thankfully, fluorescent lamps emit blue and red light with minimal heating, making them ideal for the Snake plant.

2. Incandescent Lights

Comparatively, incandescent lights focus on a red light and emit high heat, enough to keep your plant warm.

The red light wavelength of the incandescent lamp encourages optimal root growth.

For ideal lighting, you can mix up the fluorescent and incandescent lights.

3. LED and Halogen Lights

Last but not least, the ideal artificial grow light for Snake plants would be Halogen or LED lights.

They are the most effective, energy-efficient light that provides red and blue light spectrum.

However, they do not produce heat like incandescent to keep your plants warm in winter.