Sansevieria cylindrica is also known as African Spear and cylindrical snake plant, and less commonly as Elephant’s toothpick and Skyline Spear sansevieria.
Cylindrica is a succulent indigenous to Angola. The plant spreads horizontally via an underground rhizome (a kind of stem modified to act as a root). It is a very hardy plant – able to endure all but the most extreme neglect. A single leaf is up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) in diameter and grows up to 7 feet (2.1 m) tall.
It is perennial and evergreen, so you can expect it to stick around for a long time.
A common practice among the more involved gardeners is to braid the stalks together and secure them with a rope or band at the top. Such controlled growth creates an elegant form of a normally-rowdy plant. This method is best employed while the stalks are still short and young; you would have a lot of trouble convincing mature leaves to contort themselves in that way.
How to Grow and Care
Place Sansevierias in moderately bright or filtered light. Good locations include a spot in front of a north-facing window or in front of a bright, sunny window covered by a sheer curtain. Although the plant tolerates low light, bright light brings out the colors in the leaves. However, intense light may cause the edges of the leaves to turn yellow.
Soil: Like most other xerophytic plants, Sansevieria ballyi grows best in porous, well drained potting mix. Slightly acidic soil around pH 6.5 ensures ideal growth. You can use gravel, perlite and decomposed granite to add weight and improve drainage.
Fertilizer: Sansevierias are light feeders. You can use a balanced fertilizer mixture to fertilize once a month during summer. Dilute it to half the strength as labeled on the container. There’s no need to fertilize during winter.
Water & HumidityDwarf sansevieria is very drought tolerant and you only need to water then about once a week during the growing season. Allow the top 1 inch of the soil to be completely dry between individual waterings as overwatering will cause root rot. During winters, water just enough to prevent the soil from drying out entirely. Make sure humidity is nice and low where you decide to place your plant. They don’t tolerate moist air well.
Repotting: Sansevieria ballyi is a slow grower. You can repot your Sansevieria every 2-3 years into a container one size larger when the roots outgrow the pot. Fill the new container with commercial lightweight cactus mix. Remove the plant from the existing container when the soil is dry for ease of repotting.
Hardiness:
Hardiness USDA zones 10b to 11b: from 35 °F (+1.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
Origin:
Sansevieria cylindrica native to Angola. Subspecies, Varieties, Forms, Cultivars and Hybrids Sansevieria cylindrica var. patula 'Boncel'
Propagation: Vegetative propagation by division or by leaf cutting are the best methods. Remove and root the plantlets produced at the end of each stolon.When rooting the plantlets, it’s important that you do not remove it until it has developed stilt roots. This is because the plantlets grow a rosette of leaves before they begin the root growth, so patience is key. Once the stilt roots have grown sufficiently long, you can cut the stolon at any point and pot the new plant in a slightly moist and porous soil. Make sure the cuttings are at least 1″ in length.
- Learn more at HOW TO GROW AND CARE SANSEVIERIA
Cylindrica is a succulent indigenous to Angola. The plant spreads horizontally via an underground rhizome (a kind of stem modified to act as a root). It is a very hardy plant – able to endure all but the most extreme neglect. A single leaf is up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) in diameter and grows up to 7 feet (2.1 m) tall.
It is perennial and evergreen, so you can expect it to stick around for a long time.
A common practice among the more involved gardeners is to braid the stalks together and secure them with a rope or band at the top. Such controlled growth creates an elegant form of a normally-rowdy plant. This method is best employed while the stalks are still short and young; you would have a lot of trouble convincing mature leaves to contort themselves in that way.
- Scientific name: Sansevieria cylindrica Bojer
- Common Name: Cylindrical snake plant, African spear or spear sansevieria
- Synonyms: Acyntha cylindrica, Cordyline cylindrica, Sansevieria angolensis, Sansevieria livingstoniae
- Family: Asparagaceae
- Subfamily: Crassuloideae
- Genus: Sansevieria
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| source: Pinterest |
How to Grow and Care
Place Sansevierias in moderately bright or filtered light. Good locations include a spot in front of a north-facing window or in front of a bright, sunny window covered by a sheer curtain. Although the plant tolerates low light, bright light brings out the colors in the leaves. However, intense light may cause the edges of the leaves to turn yellow.
Soil: Like most other xerophytic plants, Sansevieria ballyi grows best in porous, well drained potting mix. Slightly acidic soil around pH 6.5 ensures ideal growth. You can use gravel, perlite and decomposed granite to add weight and improve drainage.
Fertilizer: Sansevierias are light feeders. You can use a balanced fertilizer mixture to fertilize once a month during summer. Dilute it to half the strength as labeled on the container. There’s no need to fertilize during winter.
Water & HumidityDwarf sansevieria is very drought tolerant and you only need to water then about once a week during the growing season. Allow the top 1 inch of the soil to be completely dry between individual waterings as overwatering will cause root rot. During winters, water just enough to prevent the soil from drying out entirely. Make sure humidity is nice and low where you decide to place your plant. They don’t tolerate moist air well.
Repotting: Sansevieria ballyi is a slow grower. You can repot your Sansevieria every 2-3 years into a container one size larger when the roots outgrow the pot. Fill the new container with commercial lightweight cactus mix. Remove the plant from the existing container when the soil is dry for ease of repotting.
Hardiness:
Hardiness USDA zones 10b to 11b: from 35 °F (+1.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
Origin:
Sansevieria cylindrica native to Angola. Subspecies, Varieties, Forms, Cultivars and Hybrids Sansevieria cylindrica var. patula 'Boncel'
Propagation: Vegetative propagation by division or by leaf cutting are the best methods. Remove and root the plantlets produced at the end of each stolon.When rooting the plantlets, it’s important that you do not remove it until it has developed stilt roots. This is because the plantlets grow a rosette of leaves before they begin the root growth, so patience is key. Once the stilt roots have grown sufficiently long, you can cut the stolon at any point and pot the new plant in a slightly moist and porous soil. Make sure the cuttings are at least 1″ in length.
- Learn more at HOW TO GROW AND CARE SANSEVIERIA
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| source pic: store.ricardosnursery.com |
