Common Name: blue sansevieria
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asparagaceae
Zone: 10 to 11
Height: 0.25 to 0.50 feet
Spread: 0.25 to 0.50 feet
Bloom Time: Rarely flowers indoors
Bloom Description: Rarely flowers indoors
Sun: Part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Leaf: Colorful, Evergreen
Culture
Best grown in a well-draining potting mix. Water regularly during the growing season, with significantly reduced watering from fall to late winter. Prefers warm, sunny locations, but tolerates some shade. Protect from hot afternoon sun. Do not pour water on the center of the rosette. Clay pots that are wider than they are high are often used to make sure this tall and narrow plant is stable and does not topple over. Indoor plants may be placed in shady outside locations in summer. Hardy in Zones 10-11.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Sansevieria ehrenberghii, commonly called blue sansevieria, is an evergreen, herbaceous, succulent perennial native to portions of eastern tropical Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The thickened, sword-like, blue-green leaves can reach up to 5' long, 1" wide, and features a prominent central groove along its length. The foliage emerges from a stout stem and forms a loose fan shape. The creamy white, 2.5" long tubular flowers bloom seasonally and are held in loose clusters on 6' tall, upright flowering stalks.
Genus name honors an 18th-century Italian patron of horticulture.
Often spelled ehrenbergii. The specific epithet honors Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg (1795-1876), a German naturalist, microscopist, and micropaleontologist.
'Samurai Dwarf' is a dwarf cultivar of blue sansevieria that only reaches up to 6" tall with an equal spread. Will slowly form a small colony of pups. The curved and deeply grooved foliage features creamy white and red tinged margins.
Problems
Overwatering often causes root rot. Watch for mealybugs and spider mites.
Uses
Good low-maintenance indoor plant.