Sansevieria
(mother-in-law's tongue, devil's tongue, jinn's tongue, bow string hemp, snake plant)
If you're looking for a hardy plant with great colour and a fun personality, then the Sansevieria is a perfect choice! Not only is this plant easy to care for, but the tall sword-shaped leaves create a dynamic green accent for your home. The Snake Plant, as it's often called, comes in many colours and variegated styles from dark green all the way to yellow. You can also choose from different varieties, such as the Bird's Nest Sansevieria which has shorter leaves in a rosette style shape, from which it gets its name.
Basic Care for Sansevieria
Light: This plant likes moderately bright or filtered light, but not direct sunlight. A window with a curtain or blinds, will work well. You can also place it further back in the room, so that it receives more reflective light rather than direct sunlight which could scorch its leaves. The Sansevieria will tolerate lower light situations, but expect its leaves to lose some of their colour. As well, in lower light be sure the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings.
Watering: Sansevieria needs its soil to dry out in-between waterings, rather than remaining constantly moist. Water the plant until you see some of the water coming through the drainage hole in the bottom, this is how you know that the soil has been saturated. Make sure to use pots with sufficient drainage, as the Snake Plant hates having soggy roots.
Temperature: Average household temperatures are fine for the Sansevieria plant, as long as they do not go below 10'C (50'F). This plant does not like being cold.
Fertilizer: The Snake Plant can handle being fertilized at half-strength, but does not like to be over fed. Too much fertilizer can cause the leaves to droop and bend. A general indoor plant fertilizer can be used.
Other Notes About Sansevieria
This plant produces a toxin that acts as a natural fungicide and insecticide which, although fantastic for its own health, is not good for cats and can cause illness if it is ingested. If you are a cat owner, then you might want to keep your Sansevieria on a high shelf or counter that your cat doesn't like to spend time on.
Sansevieria is really great at cleaning the toxins and carbon dioxide out of your air, and is often kept in offices for its air cleaning properties! You can breathe deep with a snake plant in your room.
Planting Up Some Pots
With all the different varieties and colours of Sansevieria, it's easy to get creative with pots! Dark coloured pots can create a dramatic and sophisticate look, while white pots are more elegant and minimalistic for your home. One of our favourite things to do is create a grouping of different types, sizes and colours of this versatile plant in similar pots, all clustered together. This shows off their amazing shapes and contrasting designs, with plants that are easy to care for and very hardy.
If you're a houseplant lover, or even if you're just starting out with indoor plants, the Sansevieria is a great one to add to your collection!
Learn how to take care of other succulents in your home with this blog post full of tips and tricks.