Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 12:34 pm
Sansevieria eilensis, also known as Snake Plant, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, or Ivy-Leaved Sansevieria, is often mistaken for Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), but the two are not the same plant. The largest species of Sansevieria available in the market today, Sansevieria eilensis, is an attractive addition to your home décor and adds a striking contrast to your indoor and outdoor gardening space. Similar to other varieties of Sansevieria plants, this one requires minimal maintenance to thrive indoors.
Sansevieria eilensis is an evergreen perennial succulent. It has shiny dark green leaves that are long and stiff, with an upright growth habit. These plants are very easy to grow indoors or outdoors in temperate climates, making them popular houseplants.
They are popular houseplants, usually seen growing in hanging baskets or on shelves and tabletops as decorative accent plants. Unlike many other Sansevieria species, they rarely grow tall enough to need staking, and they are not normally used as outdoor plants like their cousins the snake plant and mother-in-law’s tongue (sansevieria trifasciata).
With proper care and propagation techniques, it is possible to make your own sansevieria eilensis houseplant from cuttings or starter plants that you purchase from a nursery or greenhouse.
Origin and distribution
Sansevieria eilensis comes from Saudi Arabia. In its natural habitat, it grows in dry areas with high temperatures. This suggests that it can grow well in warm climates where there is plenty of light, but not necessarily a lot of water.
Sansevieria is easy to grow and doesn’t need very much care or maintenance. However, it does require sufficient sunlight and should be planted in a pot with good drainage holes so that excess water can escape easily. If you want your plant to flower, then you will have to keep your soil slightly moist at all times.
The flowers are usually white or yellowish-white in color and bloom for about one week before wilting away again. These plants also produce small round seeds which are either black or brown in color depending on whether they were pollinated by male or female plants respectively.
It’s also an easy plant to propagate—let’s learn how!
Sansevieria eilensis propagation
Sansevieria eilensis can be easily propagated by dividing its rhizomes. But how exactly does one divide a rhizome? There are several ways to accomplish this task, here is my preferred method:
After removing your plant from its pot, lay it on its side with at least one of its leaves still attached to a stem. Using a sharp knife or garden shears, cut through both sides of each rhizome (the horizontal stems that branch off from vertical roots).
Gently pull apart each individual piece of rhizome with your hands or pruning shears until you have separated them all into pieces. Replant these new pieces in new pots filled with fresh soil. You may want to use a potting mix made specifically for sansevierias since they like their soil to dry out quickly between waterings.
If you do not have any new pots available, simply re-pot your plants in their original containers using fresh soil. The best time to divide your sansevierias is during spring when they are actively growing and before they begin flowering.
Be sure to water your plants well after repotting them and keep an eye on them for a few days to make sure they don’t wilt. Once you see new growth, however, you should be good to go!
Sansevieria eilensis care information
Sansevieria is a relatively easy plant to care for as long as you follow a few simple guidelines. The trick is making sure that it gets enough light, water, and nutrients. They can tolerate low-light conditions if they have proper watering, but too much direct sunlight can cause serious sunburn damage, so make sure that you choose an appropriate location before planting your new plant.
Sansevieria eilensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to western Africa. It is a succulent plant with stiff, fleshy leaves arising from a cylindrical rhizome that stores water.
Light requirement
Although Sansevierias are usually considered low-light plants, they will do well in medium to bright light. The key is that their light must be diffused; direct sunlight can burn them. If you live in a low-light area, consider placing your Sansevieria near a window with a sheer curtain over it or some other way to diffuse light without letting too much in.
Soil/potting mix
Sansevieria eilensis are best grown in sandy, fast-draining soil. If you’re using a potting mix specifically designed for houseplants, that’s ideal. If not, go with something like 50 percent potting soil mixed with 50 percent sand or perlite. They prefer slightly dry to medium moisture levels.
Watering
This isn’t a difficult plant to water, as long as you make sure it has enough water. Use lukewarm water, because cold water will cause leaf drops. Use a watering can that allows you to control how much water you give your sansevieria eilensis, so that you don’t over-water or under-water. Check at least once per week for dryness by pushing your finger in about 1′′ deep into the soil; it should feel moist.
Fertilizer
Sansevierias are generally not heavy feeders, but they do benefit from a light dose of fertilizer once a month or so. When in active growth, you can use any general-purpose houseplant fertilizer at half strength. If your plant is rootbound or has been cut back in propagation, feed with something more high-nitrogen (like fish emulsion) to kickstart growth.
Temperature
Sansevieria Eilensis likes bright, but not direct sunlight. Room temperature is fine, but they will grow faster if they receive some warmth in winter. If temperatures drop below 55 degrees F at night, your plant may begin to lose its leaves. You can place it on a windowsill or near a heater to help it survive cold nights. In summer, keep it out of the direct sun as much as possible. It is also best to avoid overwatering; use a pot with drainage holes and let the soil dry out between waterings.
Humidity
Sansevieria are plants that grow in hot, dry conditions. When setting up your eilensis house, be sure to create a dry atmosphere. Air humidity should hover around 45-55%. The air temperature should be around 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a pebble tray to help regulate humidity levels in their terrarium. They are hardy plants that can go long periods without watering; however, it is still important to water your plant on a regular basis.
Pruning
To keep your plant healthy, it’s important to prune away dead leaves at least once a year. However, if you notice that your plant is becoming too tall or large for its pot, you can cut off some of its base with a sharp pair of scissors to encourage new growth from lower down on its stem.
When to repot
Repotting houseplants should be done every one to two years. If you wait much longer than that, there may not be enough room in your container for a new plant. On top of that, leaves will soon begin falling off your Sansevieria eilensis.
To repot, gently remove the pot from around your plant and place it (your plant) into a larger container with fresh soil. Make sure to add extra pebbles or charcoal so it doesn’t absorb any water over time.
Dormancy
In their natural habitat, they are dormant during certain periods of rainlessness so it is important not to overwater them. They should be allowed to dry out before watering again. In cultivation, they can tolerate less water than other Sansevierias.
During dormancy, reduce watering to every two weeks or so. It will take some experimentation with your individual plant(s) to determine exactly how much water is needed during dormancy. As a general rule, you want to avoid letting them get bone-dry but also avoid keeping them too wet (which may lead to root rot). You can tell when your plant needs more water because its leaves will start curling up and drooping down at their tips.
As a tropical plant, sansevieria eilensis requires minimal care. However, to keep your plant healthy, it is vital that you give it some downtime throughout winter. Because sansevierias are native to subtropical regions in Asia, Africa, and South America, they cannot tolerate frost. If kept outside when temperatures drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 Celsius), your eilensis will lose its leaves and stop growing until spring arrives.
Sansevieria eilensis flower & fragrance
Once you’ve finished growing your Sansevieria, start considering its blossoming phase. In order to bloom in a visible way, however, your plant must be between one and three years old. The flower will have dark maroon-purple petals that grow up to 9 inches long. The fragrance is soft but very pleasant to most people.
Growth rate
Sansevieria eilensis grows very slowly. Its rhizome, a horizontal stem underground that serves as an extension of its roots, is believed to continue growing for up to fifty years. To keep sansevierias healthy for long periods of time requires minimal watering. This can make it difficult to grow indoors in places where temperatures fall below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Toxicity
Sansevieria eilensis is toxic to animals. Symptoms of ingestion include vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, and even death. As a precautionary measure, it’s wise to remove any pets from your home while you have a Sansevieria plant or bush in it.
Remember: just because your pet has never eaten your plant before doesn’t mean they won’t start now!
USDA hardiness zones
Sansevieria eilensis thrives best in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 12. If you live outside of these zones, you can still grow it indoors, but keep in mind that it may not look as healthy or grow as quickly.
Pests and diseases
Plants grown outdoors are subject to pests, diseases, weather conditions, and a multitude of other risks. Sansevieria eilensis is no exception. Luckily, there are some easy things you can do to help keep your plants happy and healthy.
Sansevieria is commonly affected by pests such as mealybugs, whiteflies, mites, aphids, and scale. The pests are more likely to appear if you overwater your plant.
Scale insects secrete a sweet substance called honeydew that causes an unsightly black growth on nearby plants. This can be cleaned with soap and water or horticultural oil spray. To avoid an infestation in the future, remove any yellowing leaves from your plant regularly to keep it tidy
Sansevieria eilensis is also susceptible to spider mites; if you see small white dots on your plant, wipe them off with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab or wash them off with water.
Conclusion
Sansevieria can be difficult to grow indoors, but following these care tips will help you get one of these plants growing at home. These plants are easy to propagate from cuttings as well, so it’s a good idea to have a few starter plants if you plan on growing one at home.
