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Starfish Plant

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Starfish Plant

​Sansevieria cylindrica 'Boncel'

  • ​Common Name: Starfish Plant (other common names: African Spear Plant, Elephants Toothpick, Snake Plant, Cylindrical Snake Plant, Spear sansevieria)
  • Scientific Name: Sansevieria cylindrica 'Boncel'
  • Family Name: Asparagaceae
  • Origin: Africa - Angola
  • Height: 12” – 18”
  • Width: 9” – 12” (spread underground by rhizomes)
  • Growth: unknown
  • Zone: 10A – 11
  • Light Needs: Full sun – Partial shade – Dappled shade (the full sun will bring out the colors of the leaves and help it bloom, although too intense of light can make the leaf edges turn yellow).
  • Salt Tolerance:  High
  • Soil/PH/Texture: use regular succulent potting mix, slightly acidic – slightly alkaline (pH 6.1 – 7.8) fertilize every three weeks with a general all-purpose houseplant food but diluted by half, too much fertilizer will cause the leaves to fall over. Grow it in a excellent-drained sandy soil nourished with peaty compost that does not retain water.
  • Soil Moisture: Mesic – only water when soil is dry, but do not over water, it collects water in its leaves because of being a succulent and can get rot root quickly if over watered.
  • Drought Tolerance: high and humidity tolerant
  • Pests/Diseases: Vine weevils, mealy bugs, but not likely to get affected by diseases.
  • Growing Conditions: Easy to grow and low maintenance, adaptable and able to handle neglect.
  • Characteristics: grown for its foliage, the succulent-like leaves of this plant are round or cylindrical in shape, plump and short, light green with concentric rings going all the way down each leaf and spread out somewhat like a fan. The tubular flowers are pink budded to greenish-white, under 1” on 3” flower spikes, and appear in the summer. Pups or young plants will grow from the base of the plant that you can separate into new plants.
  • Propagation: by dividing rhizomes, bulbs, corms, tubers, pups, or offsets and by leaf cuttings.
  • Wildlife: unknown
  • Facts: Known and a revered houseplant in China where it is rumored to embody the eight virtues of the Eight Gods. It is a dwarf cultivar of Sansevieria cylindrica.
  • Designer Considerations: most commonly used as a houseplant but can also be a container plant for your patio or deck, grown in a succulent, cactus, xeriscape, or rock garden.