Sansevieria Cylindrica

With its unpredictable and wild cylindrical leaves, the Sansevieria Cylindrica is a head-turning succulent perfect for any home or garden. Known by a handful of other names, including the African Spear, the Sansevieria Cylindrica is native to Angola and is part of the Dracaenaceae family of plants.

 

The African Spear plant is a peculiar and captivating creature with its long, green cylinder-shaped leaves that can twist and turn in every direction. As a succulent, this plant is considered resistant and can survive most living conditions. Let’s take a closer look at the Sansevieria Cylindrica plant, how to care for it, why you should have one in your home, and other similar plants.

 

What is a Sansevieria Cylindrica?

The Sansevieria Cylindrica is a magnificent plant known for its striking green leaves shaped like long, pointed fingers curling in every direction. This plant goes by several different names, such as the African Spear, Cylindrical Snake Plant, Spear Sansevieria, and Saint Bárbara Sword in Brasil. Its scientific name is the Dracaena Angolensis.

 

The Cylindrical Snake Plant is native to the Republic of Angola on the west coast of South Africa, hence the name African Spear. This plant is no stranger to extremely warm weather and typically thrives in the heat.

 

 

Size

The African Spear plant typically grows slow as its stiff leaves grow to about 4 feet tall and spread 1 foot in length. The succulent leaves are thick and circular, growing around 1-inch, rounding out to a point. Under the ideal conditions, the Spear can grow up to 3 feet long with 1-inch flowers.

 

Lighting

The Cylindrical Snake Plant African can tolerant very bright light. When indoors, keep your plant in a spot with bright, filtered light. Typically a north-facing window or sheer-curtained window is the best spot for this plant.

 

If kept outside, the Cylindrical Snake can handle plenty of direct sunlight. Usually, they will be fine with a small amount of shade, but can stop growing altogether if they are forced to live in the darkness. When this Snake has high light, the leaves grow upright and healthy. The colors will shine brighter with higher lighting compared to the shade.

 

Watering

When your African Spear is in its most active growing period, water it only moderately to give the potting mixture enough moisture throughout. Always make sure the top couple of centimeters of the mixture are dry before watering again.

 

In any other period, you can allow at least half of the potting mixture to dry before watering again. Overwatering can be dangerous for your Spear plant because it can lead to rotting and cause the leaves to topple over. Always water the soil and avoid getting water on the leaves, which can also cause them to rot. If the leaves begin to turn a yellow color and feel mushy at the base, this means the plant is being overwatered.

 

Generally, this plant is tolerant to long periods without water. As a rule of thumb, you only need to water about once every other week during this plant’s growing season.

 

Temperature

Being native to South Africa, the African Spear is used to warm temperatures ranging from 65° to 80° Fahrenheit. This plant can handle slightly cooler and warmer temperatures, but anything below 55° Fahrenheit is not ideal.

 

The Sansevieria Cylindrica can handle dry air but should be kept away from air vents or drafts. Average room humidity should be fine for this plant.

 

Feeding

It is important that you do not over-fertilize your Cylindrical Snake plant. You only need to be applying a liquid fertilizer about once a month during their most active growing periods and only at half strength.

 

Why Choose a Sansevieria Cylindrica for Your Home?

Aside from being a great conversation starter and gorgeous-looking houseplant, the Sansevieria Cylindrica has many potential benefits for any home it’s a part of.

 

 

Improves Air Quality

One of the most important benefits of having a succulent in your home is that it can significantly improve the air quality you breathe. Succulents such as the African Spear are great at absorbing toxins floating in the air, such as benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, and converting these toxins into clean air.

 

Succulents are also fantastic at absorbing carbon dioxide in the air and recycling it into clean oxygen. Even with a couple of plants around, you can greatly improve the air quality in your home.

 

Boost Humidity at Home

As you’re kicking back in your beautiful home, breathing in all that fresh air with your gorgeous plants, take note that your succulents can also improve the level of humidity inside your home. When your plants release water, they generate humidity increasing the moisture inside your home. This can help reduce your chances of catching a cold, getting a sore throat, or having a dry cough.

 

Reduces Stress Levels

With the clean air and humidity levels set in your home, now it’s time to take care of your body. By having plants inside your home, they can significantly reduce your stress levels. Studies have found that taking care of succulents or other house plants can be beneficial to your mental health.

 

Generally, taking care of plants has many health benefits, such as reducing your blood pressure level and bringing you a sense of peace. Succulents are known to be easy to care for, so you don’t have to worry too much about killing your African Spear plant.

 

Improve Your Focus

Along with clearing your stress, succulent plants can help with improving your focus. Studies have shown that people who have plants in their homes boost their concentration levels significantly more than those who do not. So, if you want to be more productive, a Sansevieria Cylindrica is perfect for you!

 

In one of the studies conducted, two groups of people were asked to complete a reading task. One group of people worked at a desk with no plants present, and the second group completed the same task with plants. At the end of the study, the group with plants present could complete the task quicker and more efficiently than the other group.

 

Are Sansevieria Cylindrica Plants Good Indoors & Outdoors?

The Sansevieria Cylindrica is an excellent indoor and outdoor plant. Cylindrica plants are typically easy-going and can survive in most places depending on the environment and your household. As long as their pots are well-drained, they should be fine wherever they are.

 

Spear Sansevieria plants grown outdoors enjoy partial shade. Although they can stand direct sunlight, the foliage may burn and lose its coloring if the weather is too hot. Because this is a succulent plant, the Sansevieria is used to warm weather and typically enjoys the heat over the cold.

 

If planted in the ground, the Cylindrica should have plenty of space to allow clumps to form around the plant. If there is not enough room around the plant, they will not reach their full height and bloom potential.

 

In areas with colder weather, bringing your Sansevieria inside is a good idea. When the weather dips below 55° Fahrenheit, this is when you should bring in your plant. The plant Sansevieria Cylindrica grows best placed by a north-facing window that gets plenty of bright light. This indirect lighting helps your Cylindrica’s leaves grow tall and generate bright green foliage everyone loves to see.

 

Are Sansevieria Cylindrica Plants Pet and Children Friendly?

Unfortunately, the African Spear Snake Plant is considered toxic to both pets and children. It should be kept on a high shelf or in an area of your garden that is difficult to reach. Although it is only mildly toxic, it is still enough to get your pet sick with possible vomiting.

 

Sansevieria Cylindrica Plant Family Relatives

The Sansevieria Cylindrica is a succulent plant that has been included in many different plant families but is now considered a relative to the Dracaenaceae. The Dracaenaceae plant family consists of about 160 different species of tropical trees, shrubs, and herbs.

 

Most plants in the Dracaenaceae family contain linear, parallel-veined, succulent-like leaves arranged in different patterns with a supporting trunk or stem. Typically, these plants have orange roots, and the leaves contain calcium oxalate crystals and sap.

 

Plant Types That Are Similar to the Sansevieria Cylindrica

African Spear plants may not be everyone’s cup of tea, so here is a list of several other wonderful plants similar in aesthetic, growing process, and size.

 

Types of Sansevieria

 

• Cylindrica “Boncel”
• Ehrenbergii (Blue Sansevieria)
• Eilensis
• Parva “Kenya Hyacinth”
• Patens
• Trifasciata “Futura Robusta”
• Trifasciata “Twisted Sister”

 

Final Thoughts – Sansevieria Cylindrica

The Sansevieria Cylindrica is an intrinsically beautiful species with unique features from the tropical regions of South Africa. Its long, bright green leaves pointed at the tips can add plenty of character to any living space or garden.

 

To find plants similar to the Spear Sansevieria, check out Planted Pot’s shop today!