What is the house plant that looks like a snake plant? Sansevieria ‘Samurai Dwarf’, Sansevieria Fernwood Punk, Kenya Hyacinth, Kenya Hyacinth, Mauritius hemp, Silver Vase Plant, Zebra Plant Succulent, and Amazonian Zebra Plant are plants similar to the Snake Plant. I listed 16 of the snake plant’s lookalikes in this post and their images. Keep reading to find the best.
The snake Plant with the scientific name of Dracaena trifasciata (previously known as Sansevieria trifasciata) is one of the most popular indoor plants due to its easy care for, attractive appearance and various varieties from tall to small in various shade colours. There are a lot of benefits in putting Snake plants in bedroom. You can also keep them bathroom or grow your Snake plant in water.
However, sometimes other species of the Dracaena genus and other plants are similar to snake plants and may confused with them. Here, I will show you their image which will help you distinguish them from snake plants.
Plants Similar to the Snake Plant
1- Sansevieria ‘Samurai Dwarf’
Scientific name: Dracaena hanningtonii (Sansevieria hanningtonii)
Other common mane: Sword sansevieria, East African wild sisal, Blue sansevieria, Oldupai, and Samurai sansevieria
The leaves are hard to explain, but they are very thick and hard with a rough texture. From the centre of the plant, the longest leaf is 3 1/4″ long x about 1″ at the widest point, and approximately 1″ deep. These characteristics make these plants similar to snake plants.
The inside of the leaf is sort of concave giving it the appearance of being boat-shaped. The margins or top edges of the leaves are kind of a tan colour with a reddish-brown stripe that runs just below that from the tip to the base. The base of the leaf encircles the stem, which you can’t see. The tips of the leaves have a very sharp needle.
2- Sansevieria Fernwood Punk
Scientific name: Dracaena angolensis (Sansevieria cylindrica) ‘Fernwood Punk’
Other common mane: African Spear, Brazil Saint Bárbara Sword, Cylindrical Snake Plant, and Spear Sansevieria.
Rhizomatous succulents are almost similar to snake plants, although their leaves are rod-like and alternate. Its stiff, cylindrical leaves taper to a sharp point and have a ribbed surface. Leaves are greyish green with indistinct dark green bands that create a striped pattern.
3- Kenya Hyacinth
Scientific name: Dracaena Parva (Sansevieria Parva)
Dense rosette of narrowly lanceolate, recurved and spreading leaves, very concave, fresh green with dark crossbanding, and with long green circular tip. The Kenya Hyacinth is a plant similar to snake plants.
4- Mauritius hemp
Scientific name: Furcraea foetida ‘Mediopicta’
Other common mane: Green aloe and Giant cabuya
The plant has lance-shaped leaves growing directly from the short plant stalk to form a dense rosette. The grey-green leaves are 1.2 to 2.1 metres (4 to 7 feet) long and about 20 cm (8 inches) across the widest portion. Hence some people may mistake it for snake plants.
Some are edged with thornlike projections. The flower stalk, which appears near the end of the plant’s life, some 8 to 10 years after planting, grows up to 12.2 metres (40 feet) and bears white flowers about 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) long. The plant is cultivated mainly on large plantations and produces leaves suitable for harvest within three to four years after planting and 18 to 36 months thereafter. It yields about 25–30 leaves at each harvest.
5- Silver Vase Plant
Scientific name: Aechmea fasciata
Other common mane: Urn plant
This is a stemless plant that typically grows 1-3′ tall in a basal rosette of stiff, arching, broad, strap-shaped, elliptic-oval, silvery-green leaves which resemble an urn. So Silver Vase Plants are similar to Snake plants, although their leaf margins have black spines.
6- Sansevieria Robusta Dwarf
Scientific name: Dracaena sp. (Sansevieria sp.)
You will find the name Sansevieria Robusta for three different plant species in the market, I discussed it in my previous article. Anyway, this plant has thick and fleshy leaves that grow upright which makes it similar to snake plants. their leaves are often with a slightly curved shape.
They typically have a dark green colour with lighter green or silver stripes running horizontally across their surface. So, they look like snake plants. however, Their leaf edges may be slightly wavy or ruffled.
Sansevieria Robusta Dwarf is a slow-growing plant with a compact growth habit. It tends to produce new offsets (pups) from the base, which can be easily separated and repotted to propagate more plants.
7- Sansevieria Robusta Blue
Scientific name: Dracaena sp. (Sansevieria sp.)
Sansevieria Robusta blue (like Sansevieria Robusta Dwarf thick) is very similar to snake plants with its fleshy, and upright leaves which are a slightly curved shape. They are typically a dark green colour with prominent blue-grey stripes running horizontally across their surface. Like Sansevieria Robusta Dwarf thick, its leaf edges may be slightly wavy or ruffled.
8- Sansevieria Robusta Variegata
Scientific name: Dracaena sp. (Sansevieria sp.)
This variety is very similar to Dwarf and Blue varieties although its leaves are typically a dark green colour with prominent yellow or white stripes running horizontally across their surface which makes it similar to Snake Plants. The leaf edges may be slightly wavy or ruffled.
9- Zebra Plant Succulent
Scientific name: Haworthiopsis attenuata
Other common mane: Zebra Plant, Zebra Haworthiopsis
Zebra Haworthia features rosettes of pointed, dark green leaves adorned with white, bumpy stripes or tubercles on the underside and sometimes along the upper surfaces. So Zebra plants are very similar to snake plants.
10- Amazonian Zebra Plant
Scientific name: Aechmea chantinii
Other common mane: Queen of the Bromeliads, Queen of the Aechmeas
It is one of the most desirable Species in the Aechmea family, with its bright green leaves contrasting with intensely frosted banding which makes it similar to snake plants. This plant can grow to very large sizes of up to 24″ – 30″ tall and 18″ wide.
11- Aechmea correia-araujoi
Scientific name: Aechmea correia-araujoi
Other common mane: Bromeliad
An upright-growing Aechmea species with bright green foliage and black banded striations which is a lookalike snake plant. Growth is stoloniferous and the bloom extends far from the foliage with yellow-green berries and bright red petals.
12- King of Bromeliads
Scientific name: Vriesea hieroglyphica
Rosettes of broad bright green smooth-edged leaves with strong dark banding look like snake plants. The bronze colour strengthens when exposed to high light conditions but does not like direct sunlight. This Vriesea seldom flowers but when it does it produces a yellow flowering spike.
13- Flaming Sword Plant
Scientific name: Vriesea splendens
Another kind of Bromeliad features a red sword-like flower head that can grow up to 2ft tall and attractive mottled leaves. this plant is very similar to snake plants.
14- Cornstalk Dracaena Plant
Scientific name: Dracaena fragrans
Other common mane: Corn plant, Dragon tree, Janet Craig plant, Ribbon plant, Striped dracaena, Striped dragon palm, Warneckei dracaena, Palmillo, and Fortune plant
The evergreen Dracaena fragrans looks very much like a palm tree, although the young plants with short stems are very similar to snake plants. Atop its upright, bare trunk is a leafy head of narrow, lanceolate, downward-hanging leaves. The leaves grow up to 50cm long and are dark green and glossy. Depending on the variety, the leaves can also have white or yellow variegation.
15- Century Plant
Scientific name: Agave americana
Other common mane: American Aloe, American Century Plant, Century Plant, Maguey, Mexican Soap Plant
Its Thick, firm, succulent leaves are pointed at the tip and can have spiny margins or curling thread-like filaments. Most are greyish-green, sometimes edged with creamy white or yellow. People sometimes mistake it for Snake plants.
16- Bush Lily Plant
Scientific name: Clivia miniata
Other common mane: Cape Clivia, Clivia Lily, Clivies, Flame Lily, Klivia, and Natal lily
Bush Lily plants are similar to Snake plants due to their long green leaves. However, they are known for their small, trumpet-shaped flowers, in various shades of yellow, orange and red, and are held in large eye-catching clusters. They stand on tall stems, above the long, arching, glossy leaves.
Conclusion
What is similar to a snake plant? Now, you have a gallery of 16 plants that are very similar to Snake plants including Sansevieria ‘Samurai Dwarf’, Sansevieria Fernwood Punk, Kenya Hyacinth, Kenya Hyacinth, Mauritius hemp, Silver Vase Plant, Zebra Plant Succulent, and Amazonian Zebra Plant. If you are interested in knowing What a plant looks like a snake? I discussed it in my other post.
Elahe Rabiei
Hi, I’m Elaheh. My Academic major is plant protection, and houseplants are my expertise. As a houseplant lover, my house is full of indoor plants and it is my passion to take care of them. Hence, I’m here to share my knowledge and experience about growing healthy houseplants. I am also a plant protection advisor, so feel free to ask me any questions you may have.