Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Cylindrical Snake Plant, African Spear Orchid

Description:

This interesting succulent will form a fan shaped rosette of cylindrical gray green leaves, mottled and striped with dark green; fragrant greenish-white flowers on mature plants, when placed in full sun; a unique houseplant for high and low light areas

Features & Attributes

Starfish Sansevieria features dainty spikes of fragrant light green tubular flowers with white overtones and pink streaks rising above the foliage in mid spring. Its attractive spiny leaves remain grayish green in color with showy dark green variegation and tinges of silver throughout the year.

This is an herbaceous evergreen houseplant with an upright spreading habit of growth. This plant may benefit from an occasional pruning to look its best.

Planting & Growing

When grown indoors, Starfish Sansevieria can be expected to grow to be about 16 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 inches. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. This houseplant performs well in both bright or indirect sunlight and strong artificial light, and can therefore be situated in almost any well-lit room or location. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and may die if left in standing water for any length of time. This plant should be watered when the surface of the soil gets dry, and will need watering approximately once each week. Be aware that your particular watering schedule may vary depending on its location in the room, the pot size, plant size and other conditions; if in doubt, ask one of our experts in the store for advice. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soil. Contact the store for specific recommendations on pre-mixed potting soil for this plant.

There are many factors that will affect the ultimate height, spread and overall performance of a plant when grown indoors; among them, the size of the pot it's growing in, the amount of light it receives, watering frequency, the pruning regimen and repotting schedule. Use the information described here as a guideline only; individual performance can and will vary. Please contact the store to speak with one of our experts if you are interested in further details concerning recommendations on pot size, watering, pruning, repotting, etc.

-- THIS IS A HOUSEPLANT AND IS NOT MEANT TO SURVIVE THE WINTER OUTDOORS IN OUR CLIMATE --