Sansevieria Black Coral is an ornamental evergreen member of the Asparagaceae (asparagus) family, valued mostly for its foliage’s interesting shape and vibrant colors. It has long sword-shaped dark green leaves, with light green markings, and is perfect for the interior design.
General information
Sansevieria trifasciata, also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, snake plant, or viper’s bowstring hemp in the colloquial language, is a semi-tropical plant native to West Africa and grows in open grasslands and along roadsides where it’s native. This gives it the ability to withstand harsh conditions. The nickname “viper’s bowstring hemp” comes from the fact that the tough plant fibers used to construct bowstrings. Even though they rarely bloom when they are grown indoors, this plant is a flowering plant. The efflorescence is a long stalk with some small greenish-white flowers which produce a noticeable fragrance.
Snake plants have foliage that grows upwards and typically reaches a height around 36 inches or 90 cm, with 2,5 inches or 7 cm width. It has an average lifespan of 5 to 10 years, it can live up to 20 to 25 years with good care. Although it is a beautiful plant, all parts of it are toxic to humans and pets. If consumed, it can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. So you better keep the plant out of children’s and pets’ reach.
How to Care for Sansevieria Black Coral
Sunlight: Like mentioned before, Sansevieria Black Coral is a plant that is remarkably tolerant and adaptable. It prefers indirect light or dappled sunlight, and it can even tolerate a few hours of direct sun. The sun is ideal in the morning or evening since the harsh sun can burn or bleach its foliage. Although it thrives in bright light, they are still tolerant of low light, which makes them a perfect fit to use in offices or other places where there is a lack of natural light.
Watering: This plant prefers to be watered thoroughly but infrequently since they are extremely drought-tolerant plants. When watering, make sure to fully saturate the soil and it dries out completely in-between waterings. If you are not sure whether or not its soil has dried, wait a few days before watering. Since they thrive on neglect, overwatering can easily kill them, which makes them a perfect plant for you if you are a forgetful person or a frequent traveler!
Humidity: As mentioned several times before, since they are from a native tropical environment, this houseplant can tolerate a moderate amount of humidity even though they do not require it. In a humid microclimate, they will need less frequent watering.
Temperature: They prefer warm temperatures, like 70 to 90 ºF or 20 to 30 °C. They will deteriorate if the temperature is consistently below 50 ºF or 10 °C.
Soil Type: Sansevieria Black Coral grows best in loose, well-draining dirt. So, a high-quality cactus or succulent mix is ideal to use. Standard potting soil can also be used, but keep in mind that this type of soil is more moisture-retentive, so the watering plan will need to be adjusted accordingly.
Fertilizer: They do not need much fertilization. During the spring and summertime when they are actively growing, a light boost of nutrients will come in handy. You can dilute a balanced fertilizer to a quarter to half strength and feed it to them.
Propagation: You can easily propagate them via leaf cuttings or from division.
Common Problems
The black coral snake plant hardly suffers from pests or diseases. That is why it is one of the easiest houseplants to cultivate. However, due to root rot, fungal growth may occur. The fungus may emerge near the base of the plant if it receives too much water or grows in soil with poor drainage.
Suggestion: Correcting the watering frequency and soil drainage will decrease the fungus growth. After that, you can cut away the damaged areas or propagate the plant’s healthy parts.
