Sansevieria or snake plant
The sanseviera trifasciata is from the family agavaceae. It is known by the names snake plant and mother-in-law’s tongue, and there is even a dwarf form, the birds nest snakeplant. They range from short to very tall in growth.
The stiff, vertical forms of the snake plant and the mother-in-law’s tongue add a clean cut and simple style to any decor. There is even a spear-shaped plant.
The snake plants fleshly green banded leaves will grow 3-to-4-foot tall, inside or outside, in pots and in the ground.
Mother-in-law’s tongue will have a yellow border along the stately leaves. It will grow inside or out the yellow band may be wide or thin. These plants will grow in a very dim location or out side with some sun. They do better for me with afternoon shade, heavy or filtered. They prefer temperatures above 50, however my outside ones do not die off with a few lower temperatures. They will show signs of cracking or dried out tips. I just trim them back. They are succulent plants and do not tolerate rapid temperature changes.
They are very drought and salt tolerant, and have no pest problem except an occasional lubber grasshopper, looking for a snack. It is pretty hard to destroy these plants. Over watering is the main problem, because it is hard to get use to the fact that they do not need to be watered, even in pots, more than once a month. They will not tolerate standing in water, for long.
I have never fertilized any of mine. However. a fine dusting once a year is fine. The one big caution is that when planted out in the soil, they will spread and spread and are considered an invasive plant. A whole yard of sansevieria is not a desirable planting and will not allow for any other plant life.
They will multiply right in a clay pot and will eventually crack the pot trying to get out.
I keep mine contained, mostly in the black plastic commercial pots that other plants come in. They have good drainage and if they decide to grow out of, or through a crack in those pots it looks like you are trying a new design with your plant. A disciplined gardner will just keep tabs on the plants and separate them when they need to be separated.
I have some plants in clay pots but they are divided whenever they start to crowd their pots. Dividing is simple. They are growing from rhizomes and at division time, or in the spring; just separate each rhizome with leaf attached, and plant in fresh, light, even a little sandy, soil.
When you see a single young leaf growing at any time, just transplant it to thin the pot, or give it away. Leaf cuttings may also propagate these plants. A variegated leaf will revert to a non-variegated form. Cut 4-inch pieces, insert into your favorite rooting medium. The soil should be moist and warm, like around 75 degrees. Place in light shade and in three to four weeks roots will form and in a couple of months you will see a leaf or even several, popping up. You can take several cuttings from a single leaf for propagation, just remember to put the bottom end of the cutting into the soil.
The plants do like to be root bound, so plant several new ones together. The dwarf bird’s nest snake plant is an adorable 4-inch rosette type of plant. Treat it the same as the larger ones. It does not grow as fast, but is well worth growing.
You will certainly be able to find a gardening friend to help you get started with the larger plants. It will be a little harder to get the dwarf varieties from someone because they are so slow to multiply.
There are many different variegated sansevieria to choose from. These plants are well liked by flower designers because they are so sturdy and long lasting and add a special vertical line to many designs.
These plants, from South Africa, became popular houseplants in the late 20s and 30s. Woolworth stores sold many sansevieria and African violets. This was the start of the foliage industry in the United States.
These old plants qualify as an air-purifying plant for indoor growing. Cats and dogs should not chew on them, as they will be poisonous if ingested.
In the 1940s the sansevieria was studied for a more practical use. The plants were considered as a fiber crop for ropes and cordage use. The study was dropped after the initial investigation.
Africans extracted the fibers from the plant to produce strings for their bows. A sansevieria, with its many colors designs and shapes is certainly worth our consideration
Happy gardening till we meet again.
H. Jean Shields
Past president of
Garden Club of Cape Coral