Scientific Name
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Hahnii'
Common Name(s)
Bird's Nest Sansevieria, Hahn's Sansevieria
Synonym(s)
Sansevieria hahnii
Scientific Classification
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Crassuloideae
Genus: Sansevieria
Origin
This succulent is a lower-growing cultivar of Sansevieria trifasciata. It was discovered by William W. Smith, Jr. in 1939 in the greenhouses of Crescent Nursery Company in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, and patented by Sylvan Frank Hahn in 1941.
Description
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Hahnii' is a lovely succulent that forms a compact cluster of elegant funnel-shaped rosettes of 2 to 6 leaves. It grows up to 8 inches (20 cm) tall. Leaves are whitish-green, somewhat banded, and irregularly mottled with a darker shade. They are usually about 6 inches (15 cm) tall and 2.8 inches (7 cm) wide.
The sweetly scented flowers are greenish-white and appear in clusters on erect up to 16 inches (40 cm) tall stalks. Sansevieria trifasciata can bloom in summer or fall, but this cultivar rarely seems to do so.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (-1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Place Sansevierias in moderately bright or filtered light. Good locations include a spot in front of a north-facing window or front of a bright, sunny window covered by a sheer curtain. Although the plant tolerates low light, bright light brings out the colors in the leaves. However, intense light may cause the edges of the leaves to turn yellow.
Allow the soil to dry completely before watering, and water deeply until water drips through the drainage hole. Allow the pot to drain, and then discard the water that remains in the saucer. Never allow the soil to become soggy; never let the pot stand in water. Water sparingly throughout the winter. Like most succulent plants that store water in their leaves, Sansevieria rots quickly in excessively wet soil.
Place Sansevieria at average room temperature. Protect the plant from drafts and cold temperatures as it is damaged below 50 °F (10 °C).
Feed the plant once every three weeks throughout the summer. Use a general-purpose fertilizer for houseplants diluted to one-half of the strength suggested on the container. Sansevieria is a light feeder, and too much fertilizer makes the leaves fall over.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Sansevieria.
Links
- Back to genus Sansevieria
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
