Hailing from the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Southern Asia, the snake plant (Dracaena) is a beautiful, beginner-friendly succulent. But where should you put the popular and timeless snake plant? Look no further than the bedroom. Besides its decorative qualities, there are many practical reasons to keep a snake plant in your sleeping space.
Learn the top five reasons to add a snake plant to your bedroom!
1. Produces Oxygen at Night
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The snake plant is one of the few houseplants that can produce oxygen throughout the night. Improved air quality is essential in places of rest, as studies show that higher oxygen levels encourage deeper and more restorative sleep.
Unlike other plants that release carbon dioxide at night, the snake plant does the opposite -- absorbing carbon dioxide and converting it into oxygen. This makes it an ideal choice for a bedroom plant.
To put it into perspective, you would need at least six waist-height snake plants per person (in a space with no airflow) to boost air quality to a healthy level. It's worth putting as many snake plants as possible in the bedroom to maximize its benefits.
2. Filter Out Toxins
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The truly multi-talented snake plant is also great at purifying the air in your bedroom. It filters out toxins such as formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide, benzene, xylene, and trichloroethylene.
New construction projects, furnishings, and common household cleaners bring these toxins into the home. Long-term exposure to these toxins can harm health.
3. Tolerates Low-Light Conditions
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The snake plant is one of the most beginner-friendly houseplants due to its ability to tolerate light conditions of all kinds.
It is comfortable with full sun exposure and even direct sun in the morning but can survive in corners with lower-light conditions. This ability makes it an excellent fit for the typically darker light conditions of the bedroom.
Worth noting is that while snake plants are at their happiest in bright, indirect light, they'll do just fine in a darker corner, too.
4. Tolerates a lot of Neglect
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The snake plant is also comically well-known for its preference to be left alone. It does very well living with a slightly neglectful plant parent who forgets to water them. As a succulent, it prefers having its soil dry out completely before being watered again.
As the bedroom isn’t a space that people spend most of their time in compared with the living room, the ability to withstand neglect makes the snake plant a perfect fit.
5. Comes in Many Different Sizes
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As there are more than 70 species in the genus, the snake plant comes in many different sizes. Some species stop growing just shy of a foot, while others can reach towering heights.
This makes the snake plant an incredibly versatile choice for the bedroom, whether a cozy apartment nook or a more spacious bedroom in a house with higher ceilings. Some of the most common snake plants you'll find at the garden center come in a wide variety of sizes:
Dracaena trifasciata, often referred to as mother-in-law's tongue is the most common snake plant. Its leaves boast green variegation at the center and yellow around the edges. It can grow up to 4 feet tall.
The 'Futura Robusta' is a dwarf cultivar. It has grey-green leaves and will grow to a maximum of 2 feet tall. If you're looking for an extra-tall snake plant to fill up your space, try a cylindrical snake plant -- they can grow up to 7 feet!
Keep Away From Kids or Pets
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It's important to note that snake plants are poisonous when ingested. They can cause vomiting, nausea, and harm to the digestive system. If you live with children or pets, it's best to keep your snake plants elevated on a table or plant stand to ensure that curious hands or paws are kept away.
Sssweet Dreams
The snake plant brings a lot to the table, from purifying the air and absorbing harmful toxins in the home’s indoor environment to being incredibly versatile in size. The snake plant is also tolerant of a fair amount of neglect, making them one of the best plants to add to your bedroom. They quietly work hard to produce oxygen for you while you sleep, asking for very little in return.
Can you think of more reasons why a snake plant is an excellent addition to the bedroom? Write them in the comments below and share this article if you liked it!