You can use Sanevieria at almost any level. There is something for everyone, from the average office worker who wants something eco-friendly to fill the void, to the avid plant lover (like me) who admires a group of plants, their beauty and diversity.
Let's start with the beginners. Many of us grew up hearing our parents call this plant "snake plant" or "mother-in-law's tongue." The name refers to the "diamond finish" pattern on some of its blades (when absent). I will refrain from explaining his middle name.
When we were children, we noticed that this plant would often hang in an old terra cotta pot near the back door, and I would bring it inside when the cool fall weather arrived to grow (survive) without attention.
As we grew older and became more sophisticated with our plant tastes, we noticed that not all snake plants look like snakes. Some looked like birds' nests. Some look like long green broomsticks. Some have crazy creamy white or bright yellow stripes. We have to make some decisions.
Some of us have taken the step. We started collecting and became obsessed. We are off the beaten path and we are unusually hungry. They are mixed with cacti and succulents in nurseries and even box stores. Recently, the best daycare centers have understood our desire to have very cute children and strive to please them.
And the dumbest among us started looking on eBay. There are more than 700 individual plants for sale (always look for unique numbers), with prices as low as $1,000 for a rare hybrid and $5 for something as common as a sprinkle. I've bought a lot of plants on eBay (mostly haworthia or bromeliads) and have only been disappointed once, but I don't buy $1000 plants or buy them from overseas. But looking at this list will give you an idea of the great variety that exists in this genre.
And speaking of the genus Sansevieria, if you're a plant taxonomist, the meat of this dish is for you too. There is much debate that seems to indicate that this plant should be grouped in the Dracaena genus. That? They do not look like dracaenas on corn plants.
According to an interesting story, Sansevieria is identified. Are ALL sansevieria snake plants? Will the results be positive? At The Healthy Houseplant online site, botanists have noted for decades that the flowers and fruits of dracaena and sansevieria are very similar. When the plants were finally classified botanically, the possibility of combining the two genera was discussed. .
However, it was not until 2012 that a University of Hawaii graduate student studied 95 species of dracaenae, sansevieria, and pleomele and discovered that genome sequencing placed all three genera in the same evolutionary group. The scientists called the evidence presented by Pei-Luen Lu "remarkable."
It gained the final and official common name 'Dracaena'. Apparently, the report said, because it was first used in 1767, "Sansevieria" was not created until 1794.
That's it for the plant nerds among us. However, we recommend that you look for this plant under the name "sansevieria", since most people who sell it or write about it have changed it or call it both. I suppose I can include myself in that group of "leftovers", to use today's jargon. I will continue with "Sansevieria" in the following paragraphs.
Tips for growing Sansevieria
Once upon a time, 25 or 30 years ago, there was a collection of various types of sansevieria. My max level is about 65 variations of all shapes and sizes. However, the heater failure caused a loss of about two-thirds of the total charge during cold winter nights, and I switched to another system. But I learned a lot growing up.
Clay pots are the best option. This plant becomes very heavy. The weight of the clay pot helps keep it upright. However, the rhizome (underground stem) is large and very strong. This plant can easily break the side walls of the pot, so you will need to divide and/or repot it frequently.
Use a porous, highly organic soil. I use the best mix I can and add 20% to 30% expanded flakes. This provides perfect ventilation, and also adds more ballast to the boiler. I keep my plants moist, but never wet for long periods of time. Better to be too dry for a month than too wet for a week. (That's why this plant is for beginners).
Fertilize monthly with a water- and nitrogen-soluble plant food, especially during the sunny spring, summer and early fall months.
Sansevieria grows best in bright light, but away from direct sunlight in Texas. They tolerate dark indoor conditions for a while, but do not expect to grow well unless they have bright, indirect light. Protect from temperatures below 50F.
Sansevieria is propagated by division. Evergreen species can be grown from leaf cuttings. The striped species that run along the leaves are chimeras. As a result, leaf cuttings cannot be used to grow new plants. For Kime, division is the only way.
Finally, about the flower. Various types of flowers. The flowers have a very sweet smell and at the end it is almost acidic. The fruit is the size of a pea and has an orange-red color.
