Sanseviaria is a genus of plants in the Asparagaceae family, native to Africa, Madagascar and parts of SE Asia, and there are around 70 different varieties. They're a striking, architectural plant, and I particularly love them for being so tolerant of crappy plant parenting - these things are pretty tough!
They're also known as Snake Plants, or Mother-In-Laws Tongues (bet the mothers in law of the world don't much appreciate that reference!), due to their firm, upright leaves.
Varieties
Sansevieria trifasciata
Sanseviaria Cylindrica
Sanseviaria Masoniana - "Whale Fin"
Sanseviaria Dwarf Varietated
Sanseviaria Care
Like I said, these things are tough, but they do like certain conditions to thrive. The main thing to watch out for, like pretty much all other indoor plants, is overwatering - these guys don't like sitting in soggy soil, and their roots will rot if you overwater.
Light
Sanseviaras are fairly tolerant of different light conditions. Optimally they like bright indirect light, but can tolerate both low light and really bright light. I'd avoid direct sunlight, they can burn, but having said that, I've seen them planted outdoors here in sunny Western Australia thriving in full sun.
Water
As I mentioned, these guys don't like to have soggy roots. Make sure you use a really well-draining potting mix (I like to mix in lots of Perlite and something with bark, like an orchid mix) and let the soil dry out completely before watering. When dry, water very thoroughly, until water drains out the bottom of the pot, then allow that to drain fully before putting back in a saucer or cover pot.
Feeding
Just use a general all-purpose fertiliser in spring, and occasional top ups with something like a seaweed / fish emulsion during the growing season. You don't need to give them anything in winter, and they'll probably need much less water then, too.
General Tips
If growing inside, be sure to either wipe down or hose off the leaves once a month or so to avoid dust build up. Keep an eye out for pests, and if any are spotted, treat with an organic eco oil of some type. Sansevierias are so easy to propagate - you'll see the "pups" just sprout up out of the soil around the mother plant - you can easily remove these (use a sharp knife on the main attached root) and pop them in their own pots. They can also be divided using the same method.
You can also propagate these from leaves or even sections of leaves - just cut them off, make sure you put the bottom end down, and just pop a few of them in a pot - they'll regrow new plants - these things are AWESOME!
So, there you have it, the basic run down on all things Sansevieria - if you do have any more tips, or have a question, just pop it in a comment below.
Here's a handy dandy Pinterest pic to use if you'd like to share this for future reference!
