Caring for Potted Sansevieria

August 7, 2024

A lot of work has been going on inside my main greenhouse - cleaning, organizing, and giving many of my potted plants some much needed attention.

Last week, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, repotted a variety of specimens including the very interesting and popular Sansevieria. Sansevieria is a genus of about 70-species of flowering plants, native to Africa, Madagascar and southern Asia. You may know it as one of its common names such as mother-in-law's tongue, devil's tongue, jinn's tongue, bow string hemp, snake plant, and snake tongue.

Enjoy these photos.

: While working in my main greenhouse I noticed these beautiful sansevieria plants needed repotting. Ryan removed them from their pots and prepared all the necessary supplies.

: Certain cultivars of sansevieria have striped, elongated, smooth, greenish-gray leaves like these. Look closely – they are accented with lighter green bars going horizontally across each leaf.

: Ryan begins by slicing about an inch off the bottom. This will help to stimulate new root growth after it is repotted.

: This plant outgrew its pot, so Ryan uses a knife to divide the plant into sections. Sansevieria plants are rapid growers and may need repotting or dividing annually. A well-grown sansevieria can split a pot with its mass of underground shoots.

: It is not difficult to divide sansevieria. Dividing is a good option for large plants. It also provides an opportunity to provide new soil for the main plant if its root bound.

: These pots will fit the newly divided sansevieria sections nicely. Clay pots provide a healthy environment for plants because of their porosity, which allows air and moisture to reach the roots and encourage growth.

: As always, a shard or stone is placed at the bottom of the clay pot to cover the drainage hole to prevent soil from falling out.

: It’s important to use the proper soil mix. The right soil mix will help to promote faster root growth.

: I like Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix because it is a fast-draining formula enriched with food and nutrients.

: Next, Ryan adds a generous scoop of the slow-release fertilizer, Osmocote. The beige shell on the prills coats a core of nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

: Mirale-Gro Osmocote Plus feeds container plants for a good six months with beneficial micronutrients.

: Ryan divides another large sansevieria. He basically creates divisions with at least a handful of strong leaves and their roots in each section.

: Always be sure to use sharp instruments to keep cuts clean and to prevent root damage.

: The leaves do not mind being crowded. This pot will do nicely for the sansevieria.

: Ryan places the sansevieria firmly in the pot. Do you know… these plants absorb toxins, such as nitrogen oxides – they work great for improving indoor air quality? In fact, it is one of the best air purifying plants to keep.

: Ryan trims the plant of any old, dead or shriveled leaves, so there is ample room for all the new growth.

: Ryan backfills and tamps the soil down around the plant to prevent any air holes. Although they are very forgiving, sansevieria plants prefer indirect but steady light with some direct sun. They can adapt to full sun conditions, and will also survive quite dim situations.

: This plant prefers warm conditions and should not be exposed to temperatures below 50-degrees Fahrenheit. It does not take long to pot up several sansevierias.

: I wanted them in the glass hallway connecting the greenhouse and head house, so they can be closely monitored. Ryan positions them with their best sides facing inward.