Dracaena trifasciata
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Sansevieria trifasciata
- Phonetic Spelling
- dra-SEE-nah try-fas-ee-AY-tuh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Snake Plant is a popular house plant and is used as ground cover fillers in interior landscape designs. It is durable, easily grown & difficult to kill and will tolerate very low light areas as filler plants. However, it prefers bright light situations and well-drained soils. Do not overwater as the roots will rot. In spring to autumn allow the soil to dry between waterings. In winter only water ever 1-2 months. It tolerates low humidity and cool temps around 50 degrees.
In its native habitat in Africa, it blooms in the winter. As a house plant, it rarely blooms. The more neglected they are the bigger the chances are you may see a bloom.
It is called a clean air plant as it helps improve air quality. NASA found back in the '70s that certain common houseplants could actually remove pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia from a room rather efficiently and further study supports this. So it's not only an easy plant to grow but it is good for you too!
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Hahnii'
dwarf plant with6-12 leaves forming a short, funnel-shaped rosette - 'Laurentii'
a chimeral form with yellow, thickened (diploid) margins - 'Silver Queen'
- 'Hahnii'
- 'Hahnii', 'Laurentii', 'Silver Queen'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Hahnii'
dwarf plant with6-12 leaves forming a short, funnel-shaped rosette - 'Laurentii'
a chimeral form with yellow, thickened (diploid) margins - 'Silver Queen'
- 'Hahnii'
- 'Hahnii', 'Laurentii', 'Silver Queen'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Dracaena
- Species:
- trifasciata
- Family:
- Asparagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Africa
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Poisonous
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10b, 10a, 11b, 11a, 12b, 12a
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Winter
- Flower Description:
- Inflorescence is raceme. Flowers are minute, greenish-white to cream-colored, sticky, nonfragrant.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Stiff, upright, succulent leaves grow in rosette or clusters. They are flat, up to 4 ft long and 2-4 inches wide with alternating transverse bands of shades of green. Some varieties have yellow to white bands on the outer edges of the leaves.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Insignificant
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Acaulescent, having no visible stem.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Dry Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
