Plant of the Month – March
0Sansevieria, Snake Plant
Dracaena trifasciata
- Plant Form: Succulent
- Water Use: Very low
- Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall x 1-3 ft. wide
- Exposure: Part sun, full shade outdoors
- Bloom Time: Infrequent in Spring (Mar-May), Summer (June-Aug)
- Native to: Africa
- Hardiness: Cold hardy to 30°F
Finding a drought-tolerant plant that also tolerates full shade can be a challenge. Snake Plant, also known as Sansevieria, meets both criteria. This sturdy, long-lived plant performs well in pots and planters, either as a background plant or as the star of the show at entries and in shaded spots under eaves or in covered patios.
Sansevieria, or Snake Plant, may be your perfect answer to that garden challenge of finding a plant that can thrive in full shade under an eave or patio cover and yet require little watering. With over 60 species as popular houseplants, Snake Plants can live outdoors if protected from frost and full sun in our region, and if kept drier in winter out of the rain. During frost warnings, tuck cloth over your plant to provide insulation. If potted, this resilient semi-succulent plant can be taken indoors over the winter and placed outdoors during other seasons. The elongated, 2-foot-long fleshy but fibrous leaves are dark green with many forms of variegated patterns. Snake Plants grow fairly slowly in rosettes from rhizomes, but live for many years if planted in well-drained soil and if not over-watered. Shelter from midday sun to prevent leaves becoming pale. Snake Plants are striking as an entry-way accent, in decorative containers and raised planters, as background plants in flower beds, and in shaded and protected landscapes near buildings.
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