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Snake Plant
Dracaena trifasciata
Also known as Dracaena trifasciata, Sansevieria trifasciata, Mother-in-Law's Tongue
Plantae›Asparagaceae
📍 West Africa
Upright, sword-like banded leaves that shrug off neglect and low light. Grown emersed with its roots in the tank water, it works as a living biofilter — pulling up nitrate while the foliage stays in the air.
Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air — a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.
Mildly toxic if eaten (saponins) — keep foliage out of reach of curious pets; the submerged roots are safe for fish.
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Quick Facts
- light
- Low to bright indirect
- biofilter
- true
- placement
- Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
- growth rate
- slow
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–7.5
- nitrate
- Thrives on high nitrate — a strong natural exporter
- hardness
- Soft to hard (2–20 dGH)
- temperature
- 64–82°F (18–28°C)
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.