Pruning snake plant 'Moonshine' helps maintain its compact structure, encourages the development of new, robust growth, and prevents crowding that could impair its vigor.

Late winter and early spring are optimal for pruning snake plant 'Moonshine' because this timing precedes the plant's active growth period. During late winter, the plant is still in a semi-dormant state, which makes it less susceptible to stress from pruning. As the weather begins to warm in early spring, snake plant 'Moonshine' starts to enter its growth cycle, making it an advantageous time for pruning. This timing allows the plant to heal quickly and put its energy into new growth as the conditions become favorable for development. Pruning in these seasons avoids the critical flowering or fruiting periods since snake plant 'Moonshine' typically doesn’t produce extensive inflorescence. It also takes advantage of the fact that the plant has not yet expended resources on new growth that would be removed by pruning at a later date. Waiting until after this period to prune the snake plant 'Moonshine' could result in reduced vigor and a poorly timed growth response.