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tropic_dreams

Anyone familiar with Sansevieria cylindrica?

tropic.dreams
14 years ago

I was determined to not buy any plants today.

So I brought home this Sansevieria cylindrica I found (sigh).

It has 5 spikes, nearly a foot tall, straight upright, in a perfect line. It also has an itty bitty offset starting at the edge of the pot.

It is also sticking a toe / tuber / whatever out the drainage hole of the pot.

What would be the best strategy to try to allow the bit sticking out the bottom to become a new plant? I would like to repot but I don't want to damage the new bit. I'm not sure if the edge of the drain hole is going to pinch it off. Any thoughts?

{{gwi:81285}}

Comments (13)

  • bamboo_turtles
    14 years ago

    I used to have that Sens , they are fun . I used to be " determined " not to buy plants but now , I've accepted the fact that I'm okay with buying a plant or two or three just about every weekend and sometimes once during the week !

  • ronalawn82
    14 years ago

    tropic.dreams, I cannot think of a practical way to make use of that 'offset' but there is a shoot emerging inside the pot near the rim on the right hand side. You might clear away the potting mix between it and the mother cluster to determine if it is sending out roots. If so, you can carefully separate it and reset it in a separate container. The plant is very drought resistant but it does need moisture; the mature one in the photograph has brown tips which indicate that it may have been so stressed. The emerging shoot looks well in this respect.
    Check out the following blog. It is run by a contributor on this forum. The information is accurate and well presented. It is rated PG13!!
    http://plantsarethestrangestpeople.blogspot.com/2009/02/random-plant-event-sansevieria.html

  • pirate_girl
    14 years ago

    Nice plant & great find; good for you!!

    That mix looks very dry & rather peaty (not a good mix for this, will stay too wet). If the plant is bone dry, I'd use this time to turn it out of the pot & inspect what's going on underneath.

    That toe or tuber as you call it coming out the bottom is a root, considered by some as rhizome or stolon; it's looking for places to set more roots & establish a new plant. One can cut that off completely, especially if it's making the pot tippy. You could toss it OR try re-rooting it (in a small pot w/ just a bit of fast draining mix & no water for the first week or two).

    I'd give it new mix, something fast draining, like some cactus & succulents (C&S) mix w/ maybe 1/3 added perlite or pumice; go easy on watering until you get the hang of it. Bright, indirect light would be good for this plant.

    There is a Sansevieria Forum here a GW (see up front at the top of the page). It's slow moving, but makes some informative & helpful reading to learn about Sans. & their care. Enjoy!

  • greattigerdane
    14 years ago

    Nice Sansevieria you have there! I need to get me one of those if I ever come across one.

    Billy Rae

  • albert_135   39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
    14 years ago

    Gardebweb has a low traffic Sansevieria Forum that is occasionally visited by some real pros on Sansevieria, one Hermine even wrote a book or two.

    If you have a question and really want a good answer go there, and be very patient. And, by the way, the Sansevieria will wait unless someone has done something really bad to it. S. cylindrica is tough.

  • tropic.dreams
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Found the Sansevieria forum and have posted there. Thanks for pointing it out. I hope I can get another plant out of it.

  • stephania
    14 years ago

    Let it get a little bit bigger, then cut it off, Sans. cylindrica is a very tough plant.

    {{gwi:81286}}

  • tropic.dreams
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    steph -- is it possible to trim the side shoots off and make the center spike get bigger? I like the graphic look of the straight canes and 5 of them could get a little wild after a while.

  • stephania
    14 years ago

    Hi Tropic.dreams (^_^)

    Yes you can trim them off as your requirement, but might not help the mother get faster.
    All Sans are monocapic, flowering and fruiting only once before dying,
    such plant as Sans. or Agave may take several years to reach flowering size.

    But don't worry they can live long before dried out among their side shoots.

    {{gwi:81287}}

    In my opinion, instead of snatching food away from their mother,
    the side shoot could help taking more food for the whole clump,
    as mostly the younger's roots must be stronger.

    {{gwi:81288}}

  • number_ate
    12 years ago

    I read something about the sans cylindrica blooming in the summer. Mine grew a flower stalk last winter that bloomed in Feb/March. I'm guessing it was bc we had the plant indoors with a good window seat (since it was cold outside)?

    Stephania, you said the sans are like agave and die after they flower & fruit? Since I had mine indoors and it didn't get pollinated is that why it is still alive? Forgive me if that sounds dumb. I'm just trying to figure this out and read up on it. I'm going to check out the sans forum Albert posted above.

    Thanks ^_^

  • birdsnblooms
    12 years ago

    Number. The above poster, posted more than a year ago. Nearing two years. 3/14/10.
    I don't know if she and most other posters are still around.

    I believe Sans bloom year round, mine never were so lucky. :)

    Never heard of a Sans dying after bloom. Two friends still have their Sans after flowering. Agaves die, but grow babies/shoots, similiar to Bromiliads.. Toni

  • norma_2006
    12 years ago

    Toni, don't believe everything that you read on forums, they don't die, the become mature and don't produce any more flowers on that growth, If you restart the growth it becomeyoung again. Flowers appear on new growth only, so don't be so quick in separating them, they like the pot full, they make take 10-20 years before flowering, depending on the species, they do like fertilizer when they are in the growing stage, and you must take into consideration that they are African plants, so their seasons are upside down from ours, right now mine are flowering, and growing. I have them in a tiny greenhouse with a heater. We very careful and not to overwater them they have a tendency to root at the rot at the soil line. They need a very fast draining soil, and Pirate Girl is very accurate in suggesting no peat moss. They will need some good light for flowing, not direct sun or they will burn, some like shad and others bright light. Hermine Stover has only written one book at this time. The forum that I have been on in the past sent plants, or traded them, after we got to know them. The make excellent house plants, I water mine from the bottom, with slighly warm water, with a touch of vinegar added per gallon to soften the water, let dry out between watering, use a pencil or chop stick half way down into the soil to test, like you would a cake. Pirate Girl has had a lot of practice growing this species in an apartment in NY. I did not proof. Enjoy Norma

  • birdsnblooms
    12 years ago

    Norma...wait, I'm confused..lol. Are you talking about Agaves or Sans?

    A poster above said she heard Sanseviera die after blooming.
    I believe Karen grows Sans..don't know if she has Agaves.

    So, are you referring to Sans or Agaves? lol.

    About Agaves, I heard they died wayyy before the net, although those I've seen that bloomed at the conservatory here in IL, took a long time before they went to plant heaven. A very long time. Maybe a year or two, while pups grew alongside mom.

    IMO, Sans live on despite flowering.