Wrinkled Snake Plant Leaves – Causes & Fixes

Snake plants are hardy plants and if the leaves are showing wrinkling then there can be some kind of watering issue or other factors. We will be discussing the issue of Wrinkled Snake Plant Leaves. Sansevieria, that is snake plants have straight leaves with sharp edges and lush green colors with long patterns.

Key takeaways:

• Watering issues like Underwatering, high temperatures, and direct sunlight can be leading causes that are making snake plants wrinkled.
• The plants are at the wrong spot where they are getting these problems which makes the snake plants dehydrated.
• Snake plants can survive with low water through prolonged dry conditions that can lead to wrinkled snake plants.
• You need to move them to a spot that has indirect sunlight and the temperature is not that high in the range of 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Snake plants are great indoor plants that give your purified air by removing harmful toxins from the air.
• Disappointment happens and this is the time that you should not ignore your snake plant at all and take measures as soon as possible.

What else can be the reason to become a favorite of house growers? Don’t let the soil get completely dry, only the top inch if it feels dry then go for watering.

Causes of Wrinkled Snake Plant Leaves

1. Underwatering

The snake plants don’t get dehydrated that quickly but if the soil went dry deep and not watered then the plant or underwatered will develop wrinkles on the leaves indicating that the plant is thirsty.

The watering is still done right the snake plant showing wrinkles can be due to the season which is making the soil and plant dry too quickly. Snake plants will also show related symptoms like stunted growth, browning of edges, and curling of leaves.

How to fix this?

• The potting mix should be of good quality.
• Water the plant but not in excess.
• If the top inch of soil feels dry then water the plant or don’t water.
• You can spray the soil to make it moist if the sunlight is strong and the soil is dry.
• You can water them frequently to bring them back from drooping and then reduce the watering to one or two every two weeks.

2. Overwatering

The wrinkled snake plants also can be the result of overwatered snake plants. The snake plants don’t need enough water. The soil should be moist and well-drained but not waterlogged. The waterlogged soil can hinder the root’s performance as it can invite root rot and the ability of roots to absorb water and nutrients.

The standing water in the soil can lead to a deficiency of oxygen near the roots which suffocates them. When the plant is not getting enough food and water it will try to save and wrinkle its surface.

How to fix this?

• The leaves are appearing soft then they are overwatered or root rot is there.
• Check if there is root rot.
• Remove the rotten roots and repot the plant in clean soil and pot.
• Before watering check the soil’s top inch if it is dry then water the plant otherwise it will get overwatered.

3. Root rot

If the leaves of snake plants are wrinkling and showing yellow color then that also can be root rot. Snake plants that are overwatered will eventually develop root rot.

The roots getting affected by the waterlogged soil make the roots soft, and more susceptible to infections and pathogenic attacks.

The root rot makes the color of the root all black or dark brown with a mushy appearance. The reason can be poor drainage of the soil as well. The more clayey soil will have poor drainage. 

How to fix this?

• The root rot needs to be examined by checking the roots.
• The rotten roots should be eradicated as soon as possible otherwise the whole root system will be affected.
• Cut down the roots and dip the roots and plant in the peroxide solution or fungicide, to get rid of the fungus.
• The snake plant needs to be repotted in the new, clean pot. 
• Use a pot that has good drainage holes and water drains through the pot easily.
• Mix some sand and perlite in the soil to improve drainage. 

4. High temperatures

The high temperature in the surroundings means the plant is more prone to getting dry and transpiring more than on regular days. A temperature below 12 degrees Celsius can harm the snake plants and make them wrinkled. The same happens when the temperature is too high.

The plant leaves will transpire more but to save this excess loss of water they will curl or wrinkle the surface to reduce the water loss. The leaves also turn yellow due to the surface getting irritated with scorching heat. 

How to fix this?

• Change the spot of the snake plants to an area that is not getting too much temperature and is a little shady or calming.
• The plant is outdoors and then moves indoors.
• If the plant is close to the air conditioner getting cold then the plants should be moved to a spot that is less cold that is near the sun-facing window. 

5. Too much sunlight

The sunlight too strong or direct can be intense for the same plants that love indirect sunlight and are perfect indoor plants. Though they can thrive well in the outdoors, the snake plants can also be doing good.

But the plant should get shade as well so need to know the amount of light required by the snake plant. The snake plant will wrinkle due to direct sunlight due to high heat to save water loss from the leaves. 

How to fix this?

• Place the snake plants indoors near the window, not in the window where they can get direct sunlight.
• Also, the snake plants should get filtered light but a partial shade too.
• The plant is outdoors then they move the snake plant to the spot that has less light or gets shade as well. 

6. Pot size issue

The pot size if it is too small or too large can create trouble for the snake plants. The small pots can again suffocate the plant roots and not let them extend better and absorb the water and nutrients properly.

The plant is growing in large pots, then the snake plants can easily be overwatered. The plant can get much watered and the soil will become soggy. You must use the pot size. 

How to fix this?

• The pot should be changed and the plant needs to be repotted.
• The pot size should be 8 to 12 inches in size.
• The pot should be clean and have a proper drainage system. 

Wrap-up of the context

The snake plants are the plants that need less care but when it comes to watering they are quite particular. The watering should be done one time a month so that they don’t get overwatered. The snake plants don’t need that much fertilization, so fertilize the plants one time every 2 months. The snake plants get indirect sunlight and little shade. The humidity should not be that low, use the humidifier to increase the humidity. Following all the fixes that we described above will surely help you out.

Happy caring!