Synonyms:

Sansevieria aureovariegata
Sansevieria jacquinii
Sansevieria laurentii

Habitat:

S. trifasciata is native to Cameroon, Central African Repu, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria and Zaïre

Description:

S. trifasciata is a lovely succulent belonging to the Asparagaceae botanical family. The plant can reach up to 20 cm in height and grows solitary. The succulent is stemless, perennial and forms dense rosette of leaves. The leaves are sword-shaped, stiff, erect, pointed at the apex, dark green to almost blackish-green in color. The leave surface is smooth and banded from the base to the apex. The rhizome is thick, yellow and usually underground. Blooming occurs in late spring to late summer and the inflorescence borne on long stalks is a raceme. The flowers are tubular, scented greenish white in color, 3-4 per bunch. The fruits are bright orange, globose berries.

Cultivation:

This is a slow growing plant, easy to cultivate. The plant needs a full light sun exposure but is recommended to avoid direct sun-light in the hottest periods. The plant does not like temperatures below 6°C so it needs to be placed indoors in the coldest periods. The soil should be mixed with pumice, clay and loam to allow the drainage and prevent the root rot, the plant is prone to it indeed. Remember to use a perforating pot to drain excess water. Watering can be done regularly in Spring and Summer: during the vegetative period you can water the plant (every 7 days), checking that the soil is completely dry before watering again; in winter you should stop the watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy. If you want a faster and lush growth you can fertilize the plant once a month during the growing season with the specific fertilizers for cacti; stop fertilizing throughout the winter. If the pot starts to be too small for the plant you can repot the plant in a pot 2 cm wider. Repotting should be done early in the growing season with fresh new potting soil. Be careful to red spiders and mealy bugs.

Propagation:

Propagation can be done by cutting or by seed. By cutting you can make the cut during the spring and then let the cutting dry; after a few days the cut surface will dry and a callus will form, then place the cutting in a mixture of sand, soil and pumice. To increase the success of propagation you can make two or more cuttings at the same time. For cuttings it is recommended temperatures around 20 °C. By seed it is very simple to propagate the plant, it is enough to sow the seed in a sandy loam soil and keep it with a high level of humidity and at temperature of 14 C°.

Curiosity:

Sansevierias increase the level of oxygen in the house, reduce electrosmog and purify the air from pollutants such as formaldehyde, xylene and toluene. It has the ability to filter the air from volatile chemical agents often used in cleaning products, making it perfect for houses, offices and any type of closed spaces.

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