Bowstring hemp is also known by other common name such as the scary “ viper ’s bowstring cannabis ” or “ Hydra industrial plant ” , the unflattering “ mother - in - laws - clapper ” , or just its genus name of sansevieria ( said as “ san - se - Veer - ee - ah ) which I prefer . They seldom flower indoors , being grown instead for their modern and upright leaves , low care , and allowance to modest light .
Sansevierias prefer affectionate temperatures , and should be kept above 50 degrees ( F ) . For this understanding , you only see them develop outdoors in landscapes in southerly California and the southern peak of Florida . In tropical climates , such as in Florida and the South Pacific where they are n’t native , this plant can spread out sharply by its stem and become invading .
While they can produce alfresco in full sun , indoors they prefer bright and indirect light . Yet they will adapt to very low light , such as bath with no windows . In low igniter the leaf may have less or no coloring . If they ’re in low lighting , do n’t move them right away to eminent or bright brightness , or leaves may burn .
They have heavyset leave so as to store water , so plants do n’t like to have wet soil and can tolerate dry out . So , if transplanting , use a well - drained potting soil , and have it dry to the touch between lachrymation . If in doubtfulness , do n’t water . Clay pots are good for them , as they tend to keep the soil dryer than plastic good deal . And , they do n’t tip over as promptly . Just make certain pots have holes in the bottom for drain , and that plant do n’t sit in saucers with water . Plants usually only need watering once every week or two .
If leave of absence fall over , and are rotten at the base , plant are stay too pixilated . Let the dirt dry out or , preferably , repot into clean and well - drain stain . Plants can stay pot - bound , with roots bit by bit overspread to the point that they can expand , and even break , plastic pots . If a plant life is too pot - bound , only divide off pieces of the etymon ( rootstock ) with shoots .
In addition to its thick and succulent leaves , with hardened foliage surfaces , sansevieria has other features that aid it survive droughts . The microscopical pore ( stoma ) on leaf aerofoil , which as in other works are used to exchange gases with the air , are only subject at night . Most plant commutation gases during the day . This prevent leaves from mislay water to dehydration during the day . It also have in mind that stored oxygen in leaves is liberate when stomates unfastened at the beginning of dark , and it remove carbon dioxide from the air at night rather than during the daylight , as with most industrial plant .
One species ( cylindrica ) , native to Angola , has leaves that are brush up in cross - section and so may be known as cylindric or African spear plant . This rounded shape , in contrast to the flattened or more or less concave ( incrosssection ) leaves of its congenator , foreshorten the leaf airfoil area susceptible to dry out out . farewell are one to two feet long , and more often than not dark gullible with lighter green crossbands . It was first described in 1837 , but only more recently has it been sold as a houseplant in this commonwealth . If you ’re lucky , you may even find a variegate contour .
While sansevieria plant tolerate little or no fertiliser , they will grow better if fertilized with an all - design fertilizer when they are actively growing . you may use houseplant fertilizers at half the recommended recording label rate , as plants do n’t involve much . Too much fertilizer makes leaves fall over .
Since leaves are rather slurred , leathery and tough , they usually are not chewed by pets . If cats or dogs masticate them , though , the saponin in leave-taking may cause mild gastrointestinal distressed .
The plant seldom attract pests , the only one you may see being the white mealybugs . These can be take with cotton wool swabs and rubbing alcohol . As remark with watering , if plants stay too wet , they may rot . Otherwise , if leaves get dusty only pass over them with a damp material .
The common names come from the cast of the leaves — generally , in most selections very long and shoulder strap - comparable , tongue- or sword - shaped ( broadly one to two feet recollective , uprise in groups from the plant base)—or the fact that industrial plant vulcanized fiber have been used to make bowstring . In a NASA study in the 1980 ’s , this plant was find to remove several pollutant commonly found in air indoors — benzol , formaldehyde , trichloroethylene , xylene and toluene . These get from such sources as fabric , manufactured article of furniture , carpets , paint , and make clean provision .
Sansevieria was name for the Prince of San Severo of Naples , Italy , bear in 1710 . It has been work for over 250 years , but came into production as a leaf works in this land in Florida in the 1920 ’s . It had existed in Florida for some time , likely introduced between 1765 and 1820 during Spanish colonization .
This industrial plant is in the Asparagus kin , the same of course that carry our vegetable edible asparagus , but also other on the face of it diverse works as the perennial lily - of - the - vale , the houseplant dracaena or pony tail palm , the wildflower Solomon ’s cachet , and many others . You may still find it listed in the butcher ’s broom family or Ruscaceae ( now rename as a subfamily of the Asparagus larger family ) . Or , you may find it listed in the former Agave family .
There are about 70 specie , some with hard and some with soft foliage . Most indoor plants are of one mintage with hardened foliage ( Sansevieria trifasciata ) , aboriginal to tropical West Africa . This mintage has gray - green leaves with sour green crossbands . The popular motley selection ‘ Laurentii ’ of it has cloud gray-headed - green leaves edge in golden yellow . Less common is ‘ Silver Queen ’ – standardised to the species in shape only with leaves that are silver gray - honey oil with thin glowering unripened margins . ‘ Moonshine ’ is similar , only with broad foliage . The less common , yet alternative , ‘ Bantel ’s Sensation ’ has narrower leaves with classifiable vertical white striping .
The Hahn ’s or bird ’s nest sansevieria ( hahnii ) was a sport of Laurentii , select for its squat rosette flesh by Crescent Nursery Company of New Orleans . It was patented by Sylvan Hahn of Pittsburg in 1941 , as was the golden Hahn or golden bird ’s nest selection in 1953 . These by and large have eight to ten parting , up to three inch full and 6 inches long . parting are dark green with gray - green crossbands on the former , while the variegated golden pattern has pantry yellow leaves with green vertical stripes . Being so low , they are dear for small spaces , desktops , and windowsill .
If you ’re an indoor plant collector , there are many other selections of sansevieria that you may notice in full serving garden stores and from specialness post - order nursery . If you ’re just looking for an easy , almost foolproof houseplant that boom on disregard and tolerates adverse conditions , one for low light , or one that will help make clean the air travel of pollutants , then look for bowstring hemp at most houseplant retailers .
Dr. Leonard Perry , Horticulture Professor EmeritusUniversity of Vermont
