sansevieria samurai

Sansevieria Samurai: A Sword-Shaped Succulent

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Are you looking for a unique gift for the gardener in your life? Then, Sansevieria Samurai may be just what you are looking for! This rare succulent is perfect for someone who has everything, including a green thumb. Sansevieria Samurai, also known as Sansevieria ehrenbergii, is a wonderful air purifying plant whose spiral appearance is sure to light up your home.

Sansevieria Samurai Overview

The Sansevieria Samurai is a particularly rare cultivar of Sansevieria, a genus of succulent flowering plants that are native to Africa. It was discovered in the 1980s by a French research team after a population of wild Sansevieria specimens had been destroyed during an excavation project. There are two main varieties of Sansevieria Samurai: the Green and the White. Since this is a rare species, it can be difficult to find both in one nursery.

Sansevieria Samurai is also known as the Japanese Sword-Shaped Succulent. It is sometimes called blue sansevieria or sword sansevieria.

Botanical NameSansevieria Samurai
FamilyAsparagaceae
GenusSansevieria
OriginAfrica
SunlightBright, indirect light
WateringWater when the soil has dried out completely
SoilRegular potting soil
Temperature70°F to 80°F (20°C to 27°C)
PropagationDivision of the parent plant
Re-PottingBest to repot if it is growing in a container
Pests and DiseasesGenerally pest-free
ToxicityMildly toxic to both cats and dogs

Sansevieria Samurai Features

Sansevieria Samurai is a striking specimen, with long narrow green leaves growing in tightly packed spirals. The shape of these leaves inspired Sansevieria Samurai’s common name. Because this succulent naturally grows in clumps, you can divide your Sansevieria Samurai and grow several plants from a single division.

Sansevieria Samurai can grow up to 1 foot tall and wide. Its variegated leaves are eye-catching and unusual, so it is a great plant to highlight on your porch or patio.

Similar to most Sansevieria, the Sansevieria Samurai is not commonly grown from seeds. While its ideal conditions are very specific (it does not like to be wet), Sansevieria Samurai can tolerate full sun or partial shade.

Sansevieria Samurai Care Guide

Give Sansevieria Samurai bright light or full sun to maintain its variegation. A green variety of Sansevieria prefers partial shade. This succulent prefers partial shade and needs infrequent watering. Its high resistance to deer and rabbits makes it a great choice for outdoor pots. The following categories breaks it down a little further.

Ideal Growing Place

Sansevieria Samurai is a slow-growing plant that does best when it receives indirect light. This succulent can survive in partial shade, but its variegated coloration will be more pronounced if it receives bright light. Sansevieria Samurai tolerates infrequent watering and can go for weeks before you need to water it again.

It prefers dry air and does not like humid environments, so keep your plant away from showers or moist areas of the house.

Water

You should water your Sansevieria Samurai when the soil has dried out completely. It is a slow-growing, drought-tolerant plant that tolerates infrequent watering, but too much time between watering can cause it to lose its leaves. If you pot your Sansevieria in a container filled with porous soil, it will require less water than if you plant it directly in the ground.

You can tell when your Sansevieria needs water by checking the soil. If the top centimeter of soil is dry, then it’s time to water. However, try not to water your plants too often because this soggy soil will promote root rot and other fungal diseases.

You should only water your plant if the soil feels dry. The best time to water it is in the morning, so that excess moisture can evaporate from its leaves during the day. You also need to make sure that the pot has adequate drainage holes at the bottom to prevent your plant from standing in water.

Sunlight

Like all snake plants, this indoor and outdoor plant will grow best in bright indirect light but will tolerate lower lighting conditions. Sansevieria Samurai likes partial shade but can survive in higher lighting conditions. The best thing you can do for your Sansevieria Samurai is give it a south-facing window with bright, indirect sunlight. You should place your plant in a location that receives 4 or more hours of sunlight every day.

If you grow this snake plant in a location that does not receive bright light, its leaves will become pale and leggy. Plants that do not get enough light tend to grow slowly and produce smaller leaves, so it is important to place your plant in a south-facing window if you want it to thrive.

If you follow these guidelines, your Sansevieria Samurai should grow new leaves and remain healthy if you follow these guidelines. However, if the tips of its leaves bleach out or become brown and crispy, it means that your plant is receiving too much light. Therefore, you will have to move it to a location with less sunlight.

Temperature

Sansevieria plants like temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 27 degrees Celsius). Because this is a tropical plant, it will not survive if you leave it outside in the winter. However, if you live in an area that gets cold weather, you can pot your Sansevieria and bring it inside as needed.

Soil

Sansevieria plants can be grown in regular potting soil. However, you should only use the regular potting mix to grow your Sansevieria directly in the ground. If you are growing it in a container, then use African Violet Potting Mix instead or a succulent potting mix.

Humidity

The optimal humidity level for this slow grower is 50 to 60%. You can increase the humidity by placing a watered pebble tray below its pot. The water from the tray will evaporate and increase the air’s moisture content.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing your Sansevieria is only necessary if you notice that its leaves are turning yellow. The best way to fertilize them is with diluted liquid fertilizer.

Use just one-quarter of the amount that the instructions on the fertilizer recommend, because this succulent can be sensitive to excessive amounts of nutrients. Fertilize your plant once a month to keep it healthy and vibrant. This will help encourage leaf growth for the whole plant.

Sansevieria Samurai care is fairly easy because it can adapt to a wide range of lighting conditions, soil types, and can tolerate fluctuating temperatures. All you have to do is provide bright sunlight, water sparingly, fertilize occasionally, and repot in spring and summer if needed. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll have a happy plant.

Pinching/Pruning

When Sansevieria plants are young, they develop offshoots from the base of their leaves. These baby plantlets make it easy for you to propagate new plants and should be pinched out regularly.

Sansevieria Samurai can also benefit from occasional pruning. If your plant is too tall, cut off the top growth and allow the bottom growth to catch up. If you want, you can also cut off a few inches from each stem and allow the plant to produce multiple shoots that grow into full plants.

You do not need to prune or pinch your Sansevieria Samurai very often. However, this succulent responds well to pruning because it has a high success rate of propagating new plants.

Potting and Re-potting

You should repot your Sansevieria if it is growing in a container or if the roots start to escape from its drainage holes. When your plant outgrows its pot, use African Violet Potting Mix instead of regular potting soil.

Sansevieria plants like being slightly root-bound, so they will only need to be repotted every two to three years when the more complete roots run out of space.

Sansevieria plants can survive with minimal care but benefit greatly from slightly more demanding treatments such as pruning and fertilizing. You do not need to pay much attention to the lighting, temperature, or soil conditions that your Sansevieria grow in. However, you should always remember to give it a light misting and fertilize occasionally.

Growth Zone

Sansevieria Samurai dwarf is hardy in USDA zones 9-11, where temperatures don’t often dip below the 40s and 50s °F. Southern American states such as Florida, Louisianna, Texas, and southern California would fall under this category. The further north you go in the United States, the lower the zone number typically is.

The Sansevieria ehrenbergii plant can handle colder temperatures than any other succulent. If it’s grown in the ground, Sansevieria ehrenbergii can remain outside for the entire winter when it’s coldest (in its native South Africa).

Common Pests, Toxins, Diseases & Other Problems

Plants of the Sansevieria genus are generally pest-free. You can control mealybugs and spider mite infestation by wiping down the leaves with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Sansevieria ehrenbergii is also resistant to most types of fungus.

It is advisable to keep Sansevieria genus plants away from sensitive groups such as pets and small children that may try ingesting it. Sansevieria ingestion can be toxic due to the presence of Saponins. This substance can cause stomach issues, including vomiting, drooling, lack of appetite, and lethargy.

Propagation

You can propagate Sansevieria Samurai by rooting new plantlets that grow from the base of the parent plant leaves. These baby plantlets make it easy for you to propagate new plants and should be pinched out regularly.

Sansevieria Samurai can be propagated in multiple ways. The easiest, and most popular way is the division of the parent plant. You can also utilize leaf cuttings and rhizome cuttings. Rhizome cutting is a strategy that relies on the vegetative reproduction of rhizomatic roots where plant stems found under the soil are cut and allow for future growth. If you want, you can also cut off a few inches from each stem and allow the plant to produce multiple shoots that grow into full plants.

Sansevieria Samurai Mature Timeline

Sansevieria Samurai requires very few specifications to thrive. If you provide this succulent with bright, indirect sunlight and allow it to dry out between waterings, your plant should remain healthy. Because Sansevieria ehrenbergii is a slow grower, its trip to maturity is a little slower than most plants and varies between full-sized versions and Dwarf Samurai variations.

Step 1: Sansevieria ehrenbergii or the Dwarf Samurai plant is propagated (via plant division or by creating cuttings) and planted in new soil.

Step 2: The Spring and Summer is Sansevieria ehrenbergii’s active growing season and this is where it experiences the most growth. It is important for it to receive appropriate lighting and temperature.

Step 3: Keeping conditions constant, the Sansevieria ehrenbergii will grow from the base of the plant in the middle and outward. A full-sized Samurai can grow to be up to 5 feet tall and 3.5 in wide while the Sansevieria Samurai dwarf cultivar can grow to be between 4 and 6 inches tall and wide.

Samurai Snake Plant FAQ

Is Samurai Sansevieria Rare?

The Sansevieria Samurai is a very rare plant. It has been spotted in Hawaii and Florida but is believed to originate in southern Africa and is hard to find for sale.

Why Is Sansevieria Called a Snake Plant?

Sansevieria is a plant genus in the Asparagus family. The snake plant was nicknamed by English-speaking settlers when they first encountered it in Africa because of its long leaves that resemble the fangs of a snake.

Does the Samurai Snake Plant Attract Bugs?

Sansevieria plants are generally pest-free, but like most plants, are susceptible to Mealybugs and Spider Mites.

Is Sansevieria Samurai Toxic to Cats and Dogs?

The Samurai plant is mildly toxic to both cats and dogs, so be careful with this plant around your pets. The toxicity causes vomiting and other stomach issues if ingested.

The Bottom Line

Sansevieria is so easy to care for! All you have to do is provide bright sunlight, water sparingly, and fertilize occasionally. If you want to add a unique and low-maintenance plant to your home, consider the Sansevieria Samurai. This plant is so cool-looking and perfect for any modern home!

Last Updated on August 23, 2022 by Gustaf Johansson

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