Scientific Name:
Sansevieria trifasciata
Pronunciation:
san-suh-VEER-ee-uh try-fass-ee-AY-tuh
Common Name:
snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue
Family Name:
Asparagaceae
Plant Type:
Indoor foliage plant, Succulent or Cacti
Key ID Features:
Leaves stiffly vertical, basal (appearing to directly arise from the soil), linear, most 50-80cm long x 4-7cm wide (shorter cvs. available), leathery, snake-skin like pattern, margins sometimes yellowish.
Habit:
Stiffly upright
Form:
Columnar
Texture:
Medium - coarse
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Origin:
Africa - tropical (Nigeria to Congo)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 10: (-1 to 4 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade, Deep shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Low
Landscape Uses:
Indoor plant
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown may include S. 'Laurentii' (variegated snake plant) and S. 'Hahnii' (bird's-nest snake plant) which is shorter.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Basal
Texture/Venation:
Leathery, Succulent
Surfaces:
Lustrous
Colour in Summer:
Green, Yellow, Transverse dark green stripes, yellow margins.
Shapes:
Linear
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Truncate
Margins:
Entire
Additional Info:
Leaves variegated
Inflorescence Type:
Cyme, Spike-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
3
Corolla Shape:
Tubular
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White (greenish-white)
Flower Scent:
Fragrant
Flower Time at Peak:
Aug
Additional Info:
rarely form on indoor plants
Fruit Type:
Berry (true)
Fruit Colour:
Orange
Fruiting Time:
Additional Info:
rare form on indoor plants
Bark or Stem Colour:
n/a
Organ Modifications:
Rhizomes, Succulent leaves
Propagation:
Softwood cuttings, Division - above ground parts
Optimal Temp.:
Medium
Light Level:
Medium
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Scale insects (Pest resistant, Disease resistant)
