Sanseveria, Snakeplant, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue,  Bowstring Hemp

Sansevieria trifasciata Prain

Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce

san-sev-AIR-ah (or more properly: -AIR-ee-ah) try-fass-ee-AY-tah, high-ah-sinth-OID-ees

Liliaceae

Explanation of name: According to DAV, “Named for Prince Raimond de Sansgrio de Sanseviero, 18th century patron of botanical expeditions.”   Trifasciata means “three-faced.”  Hyacinthoides presumably reflects similarity to Hyacinths.

Natural range: Asia, Africa

Racognition:  Vertical, tongue-shaped leaves with variable green, light-green and cream striping, blotching, streaking or other variegation.

Sansevieria trifasciata has green and light green bands on the leaves, often has creamy leaf margins (or other patterns in some cultivars).

Sansevieria hyacinthoides has white flecks on the foliage flowers. It is an invasive pest.

Sanseveria cylindrica Bojer ex Hook. has cylindric leaves, and is escaped in Florida.

Landscape uses:  Extremely durable, tough, forgiving rhizomatous perennial.  Although perhaps often regarded as coarse and plebian, Sansevieria trifasciata (and a small number of related species) have numerous cultivars of different sizes, shapes, and variegation patterns, including dwarf selections, such as ‘Hahnii’ and silver-leaved selections such as ‘Silver Queen’. For a summary of these from a Florida perspective see:  http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/sansevie.htm, and for photos: http://www.boydnursery.com/sans.htm

Sansevieria cylindirca and S. hyacinthioides have escaped in Florida, where the latter is listed by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Councul as a Category II invasive exotic.

Sansevierias can be propagated using leaf cuttings.

Internet source: http://www.killerplants.com/plant-of-the-week/20051226.asp