Today we are talking about one of the plants that is on NASA’s list as environmental treatment plants, this time we have a perfect plant to place in our bedrooms because it takes care of us while we sleep by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. In addition, in Asia it is considered to reduce stress, fatigue and help to fall asleep, we are talking about Sanseviera or snake plant.
Sanseviera has long been the queen of indoor plants due to its great capacity to adapt to the most unexpected places in our homes or workplaces. Let’s see below some of the most important data about this little plant.
Some advices
Places with a lot of light favor the coloring of the Sanseviera, but direct sun in very hot summers can damage plants that do not adapt to these extremes, although they do not have problems living in shady areas, their leaves tend to lose their mottling. the color turns green, they shrink if their situation is excessively dark, and they also grow less and develop fewer leaves.
If we see that the base of the Sanseviera leaves is damaged and rotten, it is due to excess water in normally cold environments, a good trick is to dry this base and the surrounding soil with a hair dryer.
The base of the Sanseviera leaves is the place where this plant accumulates water, we should never spray its leaves even if temperatures exceed 30ºC, in winter it is necessary to know that outdoors this plant does not resist frost or excessively low temperatures.
It is important to use a substrate for succulents or cacti and add a good amount of river sand to have good drainage, it is also good to add a little fertilizer to your Sanseviera during the spring summer. A fertilizer with NPK values of 18-6-12 or 12-8-16 is the most suitable for these plants.
The multiplication of the Sanseviera is done by division of plants, always taking into account that each separate piece has a minimum of three leaves, we also have the option of separating the new shoots to other pots. Another way of multiplication is by cutting pieces of leaves that tend to root in a very short time, the leaves with yellow edges are not useful for rooting, any of these processes must be carried out in the warm months.
Important facts about the Snake plant
In the 19th century snake plant was not lacking in any house as an indoor plant but in the 20th century it lost much influence due to the large number of new ornamental plants that appear on the market, today it has recovered much of its lost prestige by decorating spaces with expressiveness in modernist style.
They are native to South Africa, there are around 130 species of very different forms, in its natural environment the Sanseviera can reach one and a half meters, something that is difficult to achieve in pots, it is a very long-lived crass of the same family as the agave.
The best known and most cultivated are those with long leaves, well mottled or with yellow edges. Snake plant is perhaps one of the plants with the most curious names, here are some examples: Tiger’s Tongue, Saint George’s Sword, Mother-in-law’s Tongue or Lizard’s Tail.
Sanseviera is perfect for beginners and forgetful of the minimum care of indoor plants since it is very resistant and strong, able to adapt both to hot and dry areas with heaters that emit excessively high temperatures and to homes with cold and humid environments. It also fits perfectly both in bright windows and in dark corners.
The biggest enemy of Sanseviera is irrigation, especially if the environment is cold, we have to take into account that being a rough one, it will be enough to water every 15 days in the warm months and once a month in the winter months, another option is not watering until we see that the land is completely dry.
It is preferable not to combine Sanseviera with other plants because although it is true that it has a very slow growth, its roots tend to occupy the available space, suffocating other plants. If we have to transplant we will do it in warm months and to a pot 2-3 fingers wider, it is advisable to change to another larger pot every 3 years.
When we buy a Snake plant we must observe that its leaves are whole and erect, thick with a good volume and that they are not broken or split, in addition we will observe that its green color is bright and alive.
Curiosities about Sanseviera
Sansevieras have been found to flourish more frequently when stressed as a means of survival.
In Africa the leaves of the Sanseviera are used to obtain very resistant and elastic fibers, with them twine, ropes, mats and meshes are made.
Being so long-lived, the most common is that the Sanseviera begins to bloom from its tenth year, although it is very normal that we never see it bloom in our homes. It is also a very resistant plant to pests, so as not to rot it is good to remove the dry or damaged leaves.
It is preferable not to combine Sanseviera with other plants because although it is true that it has a very slow growth, its roots tend to occupy the available space, suffocating other plants. If we have to transplant we will do it in warm months and to a pot 2-3 fingers wider, it is advisable to change to another larger pot every 3 years.
There are different opinions about the origin of the name of the Sanseviera but it is clear that it comes from Italy. The Italian botanist Vicenzo Petagna who discovered this genus ordered that its name be dedicated to Count Sanseverino of Chiaromonte. Other opinions in Italy assure that his name was dedicated to Raimondo de Sangro, prince of Sansevero.
And with this we can end the article. Hope you found a lot of interesting facts about the snake plant. 🙂
