HOUSEPLANT PROFILE

SANSEVIERIA

Discover your perfect plant match

By Georgie Kennedy

Imagine a funky online dating program that matches humans to their ideal houseplants. You simply go to the website and tick your descriptors: I prefer a lush green home environment. Check. I have neglected my previous plants. Check. Press enter and pray.

A profile of your top match appears: tropical, low maintenance, and great in the bedroom. It’s too good to be true. Of course, you tell your friends that appearances don’t matter, but you scroll down to the photo and Shazam! The Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) is gorgeous. No need for further searches…you’ve just found a tough yet sophisticated foliage plant that you can’t kill.

The Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Its strong leaves create a dramatic upright form. The shiny snakeskin design on its leathery, sword-shaped green leaves may have wide or narrow white stripes, depending on the species. S.t. ‘Laurentii’ (sometimes disrespectfully known as Mother-in-law’s Tongue) is popular for its creamy gold margins. Snake plant can be showcased in any room of the house since it comes in various mature heights, perfect for tabletop (15 cm) or standing in a pot on the floor (1.5 m). It stays in one spot, growing vertically, not vining out of control like ivy or hoya.

NASA has classified this plant as one of the best air purifiers, ideal for people spending extra time inside the house over the winter. It is notable for nighttime oxygen production and ability to remove known indoor gases. For more details on the Clean Air Study, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Clean_Air_Study

Snake plant is in an elite group of indoor plants that live up to the claim of being low maintenance. It thrives naturally in hot, dry conditions. Water about once a week but never let the roots get soaked as they may rot. It tolerates most light levels and prefers the average humidity level of most homes. If you wish it to produce a flowering stalk, keep it in your brightest window. Feed only once or twice a year with any plant food. To retain its glamorous lustre, simply wipe the leaves whenever the spirit moves. Bugs rarely bother it.

You can take your snake plant outside in the summer once nighttime temperatures are above 16°C but remember to use the reverse strategy in the fall.

Since COVID-19, exotic houseplants have become hot market items. People are paying huge amounts of money for unrooted cuttings. The stately tropical snake plant is inexpensive. Can you believe your luck? Don’t pay a fortune for this plant. Start with a small division from your Mom’s friend or a local provider. You’ll soon have new shoots poking skyward. Upsize the pot with fresh soilless mix every year so the roots have room to grow.