Field ManualAll plants

Snake Plant
Dracaena trifasciata
Family: Asparagaceae
- Low Light Tolerant
- Low Maintenance
- Drought Tolerant
Pet & Human Safety
People: Not researchedPets: Toxic to pets
People: not researched yet.
ASPCA lists Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) as Toxic to Dogs and Toxic to Cats: species-level/common-name match, no naming-trap concerns. Toxic principle: saponins. ASPCA's clinical signs are mild/GI-only: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea: same low-severity group with gardenia and lavender, not the cardiac-risk group named for azalea. NC State's independent listing adds detail ASPCA's page does not include: occasional blood in vomit, depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, and dilated pupils specifically in cats, plus a note that the sap itself can cause skin irritation on contact, and that all plant parts (not just leaves) are considered poisonous. ASPCA's page does not address horses for this species (only dogs and cats are listed), unlike some other plants in PlotAndPetal; NC State separately names horses and children among those at risk, which is worth treating as supplementary information since it isn't the ASPCA companion-animal verdict.
PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.
Poison control
If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.
Naturalist Lore
Historical Background & Breeding Lore
The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonCare
- Hardiness zones
USDA hardiness 10a-12b outdoors; grown as a houseplant well outside that range (NC State Extension).
- Mature size
Leaves to about 4 feet long and 2-4 inches wide on the standard form; the 'Hahnii' cultivar stays compact/dwarf (NC State Extension).
- Where it comes from
Central Africa / West and West Central Africa (NC State Extension).
How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.
Get the app: coming soonAnatomy & Guilds
Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics
How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonField Doctor
Field Doctor
What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonVintage Plates
Vintage Plates
Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.
Get the app: coming soon