Sansevieria is an evergreen plant belonging to the Asparagus family. This perennial stemless succulent grows in subtropical deserts on all continents. The main reason for its popularity in Russia is its unpretentiousness and extraordinary exterior, for which the people nicknamed it "pike tail".
Description
Many species do not have a stem: leaves growing from rhizomes are collected in a rosette. The shape is unique for everyone: long and short, ellipsoidal or round, xiphoid, in the form of a pencil and even a spoon. Leaves grow vertically up, but there are varieties in which growth is directed horizontally. Shades of color range from dark green to light brown, light streaks are possible. The top is crowned with a tip, which is not recommended to break off. The growth rate also differs for different subspecies: some grow quickly, while others will not show more than three shoots in a year.
Types of Sansevieria
The table shows the main types of plants.
| Variety | Leaf description | Feature |
| Three-way | Direct xiphoid, growing vertically up. Saturated green color. Tall - reaches more than one meter. | Most common. Flowering in spring, inflorescence - panicle, small, light green. |
| Hanni | A small vase-shaped socket. Light yellow, with a green longitudinal stripe in the center. | Differs in a variety of subsorts. |
| Cylinder | They have a tubular shape with a prominent groove. The juicy wide base, the top, on the contrary, is dry and sharp. | Soft cream flowers, sometimes with a pink tint. |
| Pickaxe | In the outlet no more than five, a soft green tint with grayish spots. | Unusual "ruffled" shape. Red edging. The brown color of the pickaxe is called Brown. |
| Laurenti | Long, green with a yellow border. | The most picky. |
| Variegated (Variable) | Bright saturated, with a characteristic pattern. | The pattern fades with frequent exposure to direct sunlight. |
| Zeylanik | Wide, studded with silver dots. The usual length is up to half a meter. | Pink fringing, pungent smell of flowers. |
| Graceful | Pale green, reaching 30 cm. | Spin into a tube to the top. |
| Dunery | Rosette of more than ten small leaves of xiphoid shape. | The smell of flowers resembles a lilac. |
| Moonshine | Light, with a dark green edging and silver pattern. | The pattern fades when exposed to light. |
| Mikado | Cylindrical fleshy dark green hue. | New variety. |
| Bali | Undersized round in a small outlet, silver pattern. | |
| Gold flame | Bright yellow color resembles a bonfire. | Translated means "golden flame." |
| Bakularis | Saturated green, cylindrical. | Solid color without pattern. |
| Boneselensis | Short (up to 30 cm), cylindrical. | Fan-shaped arrangement. |
| Grandis | Wide and massive, in a large outlet. | Translated means "large." |
Every day there are more and more varieties of "mother-in-law's tongue": arusha, velveteen, Masonic, Francisi, manolin and many others.
Care
Sansevieria requires proper care.
Shine
The natural environment of sansevieria is the sunny savannas and deserts. The optimal solution for this plant is the location on the window. Without the proper amount of light, it will not fade, but will lose its unusual appearance and brightness.
The exception is a window facing south: too much direct sunlight will also affect the health of the succulent.
Variegated trees have special requirements for the amount of lighting, which depend on the predominance of a particular color in the color: the more yellow, the less light the plant needs, it will turn green. This does not mean the need to completely stop access to sunlight. It is desirable that the plant is located in the border zone, this is how the succulent does not receive a sunburn and does not change color.
Temperature
Sansevieria is not fastidious, the most preferred mode is from +20 to + 30 ° C during the day and from + 16 ° C during the night.
It is not recommended that the plant be constantly in rooms whose temperature drops below + 10 ° C, or at windows opening for ventilation - the flower will fall ill and die.
Watering
Sansevieria refers to succulents, that is, it stores water in the leaves and for a long time does without it. Too much causes root decay, so you rarely need to moisten when the earth in the pot dries completely. Water should be clean, not too cold water.
The lower the ambient temperature, the less water the plant needs.
Particular attention is recommended to be paid to the lack of water in the center of the outlet, which is particularly sensitive to moisture and rots if it rises. It is not necessary to spray, but it is advisable to wipe with a damp rag so that dust does not accumulate.
Top dressing
In seasonal transitional periods (spring / autumn), it is recommended to use fertilizers based on minerals, designed specifically for succulents. When choosing them, attention should be paid to the nitrogen content in the composition: a high level of this element is harmful to the plant.
The concentration of complementary foods specified in the instructions is reduced by half, and in the presence of stripes or patterns - by three times. If this is not done, the leaves will become a solid color.
In summer, the pike tail is fertilized once a month; in winter, this is optional. Without feeding, it will live without any problems, while frequent, on the contrary, badly affects the health and beauty of the succulent.
Pot selection and transplant
Sansevieria is not capricious about the soil, but the substrate of seven equal shares will be the best for it, four of which are sod, two are sheet land and one part of sand. Special soil for succulents and cacti is also suitable. Often grown hydroponically. A quarter of the pot should occupy the drainage layer. For example, pebbles.
A normal pot is a bit cramped for the plant. About when you need to transplant, they are judged by the state of the roots: if they begin to grow up or tear up the pots, then the time has come. This usually happens once every couple of years.
Transplant Algorithm:
- A cache-pot is selected: the new one is several centimeters larger than the old.
- Drainage and a moist substrate fall asleep, leaving room for the plant.
- Poured in an old pot.
- When the ground is saturated, the pike tail is removed from the old pot.
- The roots are carefully cleaned of old soil.
- Sansevieria is placed in a container, soil is added until the roots are closed.
- Located in the shade for a couple of days without watering and access to the sun.
During the transplant, a support should be installed so that the still not rooted plant does not fall out due to the preponderance of large leaves.
Reproduction of Sansevieria
Sansevieria propagates with the help of vegetative parts and seeds. More often than others, the method of planting daughter side shoots is used.
The algorithm consists of the following steps:
- Choosing the perfect young shoot, located at a sufficient distance from the outlet.
- Removing the entire bush from the pot.
- Separation of the shoot with a bush with a sterile instrument.
- Transplanting the escape into a separate flower pot.
- Strengthening the support.
- Spraying.
The next method is propagation using cuttings. In order for both plants to be healthy, it is necessary:
- Choose a medium sized shoot.
- Trim one third of the sheet.
- The cut-out part is divided into fragments of five centimeters in size.
- Stick these pieces into the ground two centimeters.
- Spray once every couple of days.
If the leaf taken for transplantation had strips, then the cuttings are placed in the ground with a light stripe to the ground, otherwise it will grow a solid shade.
Care Mistakes
The main causes of withering and death of sansevieria are the following reasons:
| Error | Consequence | How to eliminate |
| Plenty of water. | Rot of the roots, rolling up. The death of the plant. | Removing damaged parts of a plant, transplanting, limiting water. |
| Hypothermia. | Lethargy. | Circumcision, moving to a warm room. |
| High humidity. | The appearance of brown spots. | Removal of affected organs, exposure to sunlight. |
Diseases, pests and their control
"Mother-in-law's tongue" is strong and hardy, however, there are threats to its growth: The most common disease is rot
| Rot | Manifestation | Infection pathways |
| Soft | Softening the base of the outlet, the smell of rotten fish. | Buying a sick flower, high humidity. |
| Root | Multi-colored spots that take non-standard shapes. | Water entering the base of the outlet, sick ground. |
| Sheet | Dark circles with controversy. | Excessive hydration. |
Also, the plant is susceptible to parasites:
| Pest | Manifestation | Fight |
| Spider mite | Yellowing, leaves fade and die. | Spray with a decoction of orange peels or Fitoverm. |
| Thrips | Loss of natural color, brown color and metallic luster. | Treat with insecticides. |
| Mealybug | Leaf fall, lethargy, discoloration and shape. | Worms settle at the base. They must be selected and disposed of. In severe cases, treatment with kalbofos is recommended. |
Mr. Dachnik advises: the pros and cons of sansevieria in the house
Sansevieria is called a natural ozonizer, so it is a champion in the amount of oxygen produced. In addition, useful properties of the plant are:
- Active absorption of carbon dioxide from the air.
- Isolation of volatile - volatile "antibiotics" that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and infections in the home.
- Gruel from the leaves of the plant can help with some skin diseases.
- In China, they believe that the “tail of the fiery orchid” brings peace, good luck and absorbs harmful energy into the house.
With all the advantages, the pike tail has several disadvantages:
- High content of saponin - a toxic substance that causes vomiting when eaten.
- Some people have sharp edges, small children, or curious animals.
- Flowers cause allergies.
