Herself's Houseplants

I thought for sure these were mislabeled at the store. Especially since the tags had pictures of the traditional Snake Plant. But I’ve found several references to them as ‘Variegated Snake Plants’. I do think African Spear is the correct common name for this one.

I just brought this one home so I’m relying on other people’s information on this one. As I have it longer and adjust better to its needs I’ll make changes as necessary.

It is hard to see in the picture but the leaves are growing in a fan shape like an aloe, not in a round clump. I’m told this turns into a spiral as the plant gets larger. I can’t confirm that yet. The leaves are round like a pencil. It’s nice to see some new and different plants hitting the stores.

It prefers drier conditions about like a jade plant or aloe plant. Water when the soil is dry for the top inch.

The recommendation is for more light than traditional snake plants ( which just means anything brighter than a closet ) and it says it can take full sun. This plant wants bright sun. Give it as much sun as you’d give an aloe plant. Find it a bright south or south western window if you can. If it gets too little light the leaves will bend down instead of standing near upright. So judge by the leaf position whether you are giving it enough light.

It can handle temperatures down to freezing occasionally so feel free to put it near a drafty window or door. But that said, they are desert plants and prefer it to be warm.

This plant is supposed to thrive on neglect. Certainly others in this family do, so it should be an easy to grow house plant. Keep them slightly pot bound or they may get too large. In the wild they grow to 5′.

They are listed in the agave family or lily family depending on the source you read.

Snake plants will forgive the most neglectful of gardeners. This is the only house plant I have that survived when I returned to college.

It will grow in the darkest corners of the house, but will do better with low to medium light. It can reach 5′ tall even inside.

It does have flowers, I’ve had it flower even in dark corners of my home. It needs to get large to flower and flowers are like small white lilacs.

Let the soil go dry a couple of inches down between waterings. It wants to be almost but not quite as dry as a cactus.

To propagate pull off a leave and stick it in a pot of dirt and water. If it gets too large, you can remove it from the pot, cut it into sections with some leaves and some roots on each section and repot each section. It is extremely easy to propagate. I’m told you can also take a leaf, keeping the top up and the bottom down, cut it into 2″ horizontal slices and place the bottom of the leave parts in soil and the top up much like you would an African violet leaf you were propagating.

The fibers of the leaves of this plant were used to make bow strings in ancient times.

Some one asked if you could trim this plant if it gets to tall. Yes, you can trim off the tops of the leaves if the plant is too tall or if they get brown and it will do just fine. The tops of the leaves you removed, if healthy, can be put in soil and will root.

If the leaves are not stiff or bend, quit watering so much!

See also:
Plants for people who hate plants