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Tag: Sansevieria

Bold, Sculptural Potted Succulents

These upright basketweave pots are texturally different, attractive, and add to the interest of the golden-edged ‘Laurentii’ snake plant and Aloe elegans they hold.

Some succulents have a real presence and panache. The best can fill a large pot, creating unmatched indoor or outdoor living sculptures. Most are long-lived and effortless to grow if provided a few cultural basics. These are the succulents to choose for bold, effortless gardening.

Before choosing your sculptural succulent, be sure to pick out an equally large, attractive pot that will hold it for several years. The container should be well-made, have drainage holes, and a reliable saucer at the bottom to catch water. Those that are glazed or sealed will hold water better. I tend to favor tall, upright pots in bold, monochrome colors or pleasing textures. low, broad pots can also be very attractive if you can find a sturdy plant stand to hold them. For succulents, I recommend planting in Black Gold® Natural & Organic Succulent and Cactus Potting Mix. It has excellent porosity and drainage as well as ample mineral components. If you prefer a little more organic matter, supplement with a bit of Black Gold® Peat Moss Plus, which is easily wetted and holds water well. The addition of a little peat is most useful with Sansevierias and Aloes.

Choose quality pots in bright colors, or muted TerraCotta tones, like these. Bottom drainage is essential.

The Best Bold, Sculptural Succulents

My preference is to purchase large plants from the start for instant gratification. They may cost a bit more, but they are worth it because many succulents are slow-growing. Here are some of my favorites for bold pots. Please make a note of those that have sharp tips or edges, because they are not safe for homes with small children or curious pets.

Agave

There are hundreds of Agave from which to choose as potted specimens. Each is unique and wonderful.

There are literally thousands of Agaves from which to choose,  and I love them all for their substantial rosettes of bold foliage. Some remain only a foot tall while others can reach 12 feet or more! Some have slender, needle-like leaves, such as the silvery Porcupine Century Plant (Agave striata ‘Live Wires’, Zones 7-10, 18 inches tall), while others have big, beefy, contorted leaves, like Twisted Tongue Hybrid Century Plant (Agave x amourifolia ‘Twisted Tongue’, Zones 7-10, 36 inches tall)–both of these are quite sharp. The sharp, tri-colored Joe Hoak Variegated Century Plant (Agave desmettiana ‘Joe Hoak’, tropical, 36 inches tall) is considered one of the finest variegated agaves. For an equally colorful, but softer agave, try Ray of Light (Agave attenuata ‘Ray of Light’, tropical, 36 inches tall), which produces big, voluptuous rosettes of bright green with fine ivory edges.

Aloe

Fan aloe has spectacular flowers and foliage. Flowers only appear on mature specimens that are several years old.

There are hundreds of aloes, and several are truly unique and wonderful. One that I recently ordered and await is the fantastic Swordfish Aloe (Aloe ‘Swordfish) with its wild, succulent, blue-green leaves edged in bright orange teeth. I plan to put it in a bright azure-blue pot for contrast. The tree-like aloe, fan aloe (Aloe plicatilis, tropical) can reach up to 8-feet when planted in the ground but stays much smaller in a pot. It looks much like a jade plant, but it has unusual fans of silvery blue leaves. Mature specimens will produce spikes of coral-red flowers in spring. The upright elegant aloe (Aloe elegans, image above) looks particularly lovely in upright containers that show off their form.

Mangave

Mangave ‘Bad Hair Day’ is a lovely (and funny) succulent for containers indoors or out. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Mangave are hybrids between the two succulents, Agave and Manfreda, and they make beautiful specimens for the home. Some are even hardy and suited to outdoor growing, particularly in more arid climates. Each year, more and more of these bold succulents are being offered. One of my favorites is the striking ‘Bad Hair Day‘ (Zones 7-11), which forms a rosette of cascading, purple-speckled leaves that fall down like a head of hair. The large ‘Blue Mammoth’ (Zones 7-11) is a larger form that reaches 2-feet high and a little wider when mature. Its undulating blue-green leaves look beautiful in either bright or equally muted pots. If you prefer variegated foliage, then Navajo Princess Mangave, which has bold, ivory-edged leaves that reach 20 inches, is an excellent choice. Plant

Sansevieria

Sansevierias large or small enliven indoor spaces with their flowing texture and appeal.

Snake plants or mother-in-law’s tongues (Sansevieria species and hybrids) are African natives with a well-earned reputation for being some of the toughest plants around. Not only do they grow well indirect light, but they withstand minimal water–two to three times monthly. They are also striking and attractive, especially those with long, variegated leaves. The long-leaved ‘Laurentii‘ is a classic variety with striated light and dark green leaves edged in yellow. The clumps slowly widen to form a sturdy, vertical specimen. ‘Moonshine’ has extra broad, pale silvery-green leaves that brighten up a room in the wintertime. The bright and beautiful ‘Gold Flame‘ has leaves with large vertical streaks of dark green and gold. These are just a few of the many snake plants available. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

Zanzibar Gem or ZZ Plant

ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is another nearly indestructible house plant that adds color, texture, and interest to indoor spaces. It is commonly found in most house plant sections ar garden centers, so you should have no trouble finding it either. They can be quite slow-growing, so it is wise to start with a sizable specimen. Treat them as you would snake plant, and you will be gifted with lots of arching stems laden with glossy dark green leaves. The only thing that will kill a ZZ plant, aside from severe pests, is overwatering. So, refrain from giving it too much liquid care.

The durability and low-care status of these plants make them just as appealing to home gardeners. You might experience some problems with pests or diseases. If spotted, treat them right away. (Click here to learn how to manage the worst house plant pests.) From there, keep them watered, feed occasionally, and upgrade their pots if they outgrow them. Watch the video below to learn how!

Sansevieria Reconsidered

Extreme South African drought consumed everything except curious green, sword-like plants rising from the barren ground beneath giraffe-pruned trees. They survived because they are succulents. While browsers struggled to find food, they did not touch the swords, which contained unpalatable toxins.

This is Sansevieria trifasciata, the old fashioned mother-in-law’s-tongue or sword plant. Its resilience shows why it is a no-brainer house plant; it’s tough as well as attractive. Take it outdoors for the summer, and it’s a game changer on porch or patio.

New Popularity

Succulents are the perfect match for Sanseveria because both demand similar watering conditions.

The rediscovery of this Victorian drawing room house plant by lovers of the mid-century modern aesthetic has brought Sanseveria into the limelight again. Sansevieria trifasciata and its close kin are usually sold in the house plant department because they are cold-tender succulent house plants, until now. Where patios are quite shady, this is one drought resistant house plant that you can bring outdoors every summer.

Drought is also demanding new plants and varieties that don’t need much water. Sanseverias are not fond of hot western sun, so they prefer sheltered living spaces outdoors. Where lack of light precludes many less resilient species, these are real problem solvers.

Potting Sanseverias

A Sanseveria busts out of a red clay pot repaired with wire. (Frida Khalo’s garden in Coyoacan, Mexico)

Sanseverias are slow spreaders, much like Iris with their thick fleshy rhizomes that grow into colonies. Green shoots are produced along the roots. These roots are so strong they can crack a pot if too crowded, which is why they are best grown in 1-gallon nursery pots that can be cut away with pruners when it’s time to divide them. When pot bound, simply remove the root ball, separate it into manageable sections, let the root ends dry out for a few days, then replant in Black Gold Cactus Mix. As succulents, they appreciate a porous soil mix.

For a fresh idea, put your nursery sword plant in its plastic pot into a bigger pot of Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil, so its rim sits an inch above the soil surface. Then plant around it with other seasonal plants or succulents that grow under the same light exposure. This will give your sword plant a more well-drained root zone than its companions in the same pot. If just planting companion succulents, use only Black Gold Cactus Mix to maximize drainage.

Foliage Variations

Sansevieria can come onto a veranda in spring, then moved inside before frost.

Sansevieria varieties are all similar in form, but they have different leaf patterns. This allows you to brighten or darken a setting, depending on the color value of a certain variety. Unfortunately, varieties aren’t always properly labeled, so be sure to select by eye to ensure you get what you need for the space you have in mind. With forms just inches tall to 4 feet in height, size should also be considered when purchasing. Since these were grown in greenhouses, give them some time to adapt to the location at your house before repotting or dividing.

A plant this neutral is a chameleon, altering its overall feel and character depending on the setting. When grown as a house plant, there is no better vertical plant to play off a white wall. Add greenery to a hot zone in the house or apartment, knowing that if you forget to water, it’ll be just fine. If Sanseveria can survive an epic African drought, even the busiest mom can enjoy this oxygen-producing house plant. And, the most harried career woman will come home to a little bit of nature every day.

No matter where you live, bring sword plants out for summer, to try a whole new way to garden with them, knowing they’ll come back inside with you at frost to wait out the cold winter days.

 

 

Spiky, Snaky, Sensational Snake Plants

Sansevieria - aka Snakes Plants
Snake plants look fabulous outdoors, too, but only during the heat of summer.

Sansevieria (aka Snake Plants or Mother-in-law’s tongue) are architecturally dramatic houseplants. Native from environs as extreme as the nutrient-competitive jungle floor to arid deserts, this plant definitely doesn’t need pampering.

Sansevieria thrive indoors in bright to low light, with minimal watering, so be sure to grow them in a porous potting soil, such as Black Gold Cactus Mix.