Sansevieria ‘boncellensis’
Synonyms:
No synonyms are recorded for this name.
Habitat:
Sansevieria boncellensis is a nursery hybrid and thus doesn’t exist in nature. Sansevierias, in general, are native to Southern Africa, where they are widespread in semi-arid climates.
Description:
Sansevieria boncellensis is a dwarf succulent, stemless, consisting in a rosette of leaves that don’t exceed 5-7 centimeters in length. The rosette is beautifully fan-shaped, formed by 5-6 leaves which are bright green tinged in lighter hues, forming a kind of brindled pattern, with some longitudinal, dark green lines on them. The green streaks and veins, arranged vertically along the leaves, are also evident. This plant is very appreciated for its extreme elegance, combined with the surprising practicality: it does not need any particular care. Along with the colour, also the shape of the leaves is remarkable: they are lanceolate but curved, shaped like an elongated, thin hull, in which the sides are so curved to form an almost conical shape.
Cultivation:
Sansevieria boncellensis are not difficult to grow. Here below are our cultivation tips:
Put it in a bright spot: it also tolerates a direct exposure to sunlight. Its ideal substrate should be well-draining but also fertile: 3 parts of loam mixed with 1 of pomice will do good, for example. However, a standard mix for succulent will be okay as well. S. Boncellensis can bear temperatures down to -2ºC, if its substrate is kept completely dry. However, we advice to put it indoors in Winter, or either shelter it if it’s placed outside. Water your S. Boncellensis regularly, once a week, during the growing season, namely in Spring and Summer, and once a month in Autumn, until completely suspending waterings in Winter. Wait always for the soil to dry up before each irrigation. Repotting is rarely necessary as S. Boncellensis is a slow-growing plant and its rosette usually grows only 4-5 leaves maximum. These plants do not need frequent fertilization, it is sufficient to dilute the fertilizer with watering once a year.
Propagation:
Sansevieria boncellensis is usually propagated by cuttings or division. Cuttings should be at least 7 centimeters long. Once taken off, they should be planted in moist sand.
Sansevierias are very common as houseplants as they are easy to grow and have air purifying properties: they increase the level of oxygen in the house, reduce electrosmog reduce pollutants such as formaldehyde, xylene and toluene. In Africa, some species in the genus Sansevieria were actually used as fiber sources. The genus Sansevieria is, actually, now included in the genus Dracaena, on the basis of molecular phylogenetic studies.
Curiosity:
Sansevierias are very common as houseplants as they are easy to grow and have air purifying properties: they increase the level of oxygen in the house, reduce electrosmog reduce pollutants such as formaldehyde, xylene and toluene. In Africa, some species in the genus Sansevieria were actually used as fiber sources. The genus Sansevieria is, actually, now included in the genus Dracaena, on the basis of molecular phylogenetic studies.
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