Sansevieria

 

Sansevieria trifasciata

In similar vein to aspidistra, snake plants are tolerant of a certain degree of neglect. They do not require a great deal of water and also survive well in low light. They are known to be effective in purifying the air, removing toxins and pollutants from the atmosphere.

It has been noted that snake plants have several health benefits, such as relieving headaches and alleviating eye irritation and respiratory problems. In addition, these plants are said to improve concentration and increase productivity. As they remove carbon dioxide from the air and give out oxygen, they are good plants to have in a bedroom.

Advocates of feng-shui claim that snake plants bring good luck and positive energy or chi, and place them in corners of rooms or at their entrances.

I discovered Sansevieria Velvet Touchz quite by chance and was intrigued by the brightly coloured tips. I failed to delve into the reasons and found later that the colours are entirely artificial, the leaves having been dipped into paint that resembles velvet when dry. Basically, they are painted ladies!

Other names for Sansevieria include mother-in-law’s tongue, good luck plant and golden bird’s nest. They are toxic to pets – and people - if consumed in large quantities but our animals have got past the chewing plants stage!

I have mixed feelings about human intervention in plants, which is wildly illogical, considering the amount of work that plantsmen have done over the centuries. Painting colours onto plants does nothing for them, other than to make them eye-catching. Bonsai or penjing is a human application of something that occurs incredibly rarely in nature.