Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata', a dwarf stepmother's tongue
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata'
- Exposures
- Sun, Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 11a (4.4°C ≤ T° < 7.2°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Genus
- Sansevieria
- Species
- Mother-in-law's language Sansevieria trifasciata
Other name:Dracaena trifasciata
Sansevières belong to the Asparagaceae family. Native to the rainforests of Nigeria and West Africa, they have become popular houseplants thanks to their decorative evergreen foliage. Among the many popular varieties is Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata', an easy-care cultivar.
How to recognize Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata'?
While some snake plants reach two meters in height and form dense bushes, Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata' is a miniature succulent. This rhizomatous herbaceous plant is barely 20 centimetres high.
Like other dwarf stepmother's tongues, it has the appearance of a bird's nest: its leaves, which grow in a rosette, are not fully erect but slightly turned inwards. Flat and lanceolate, they have a sharp tip.
Its foliage is what distinguishes it from Sansevieria trifasciata 'Golden Hahnii' and Sansevieria trifasciata 'Hahnii Green Leaves'. Each blade is shiny, dark green. Only the edge of the leaf is marked by a very pale, almost creamy green border.
Flowering indoors is a rare event. It takes place in spring and gives rise to small, fragrant white or greenish inflorescences. When they disappear, they are replaced by orange berries.
The plant is said to have depolluting properties. These have not been proven, but it is known with certainty that mother-in-law's tongues are toxic to humans and animals.
Our care tips
To grow sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata indoors, reproduce the conditions of their natural environment! Sun, warmth and little water. You can even take your succulent out to your windowsill or garden in summer.
Watering
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata come from arid regions. These plants can tolerate drought, but they still need to be watered.
Water only when the substrate is dry, using rainwater at room temperature. If you don't have any, you can use tap water that you've let sit for 24 hours.
To replenish its reserves, your Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata needs a thorough watering. Water the soil until it is completely moist and water flows out through the pot's drainage holes.
Empty any standing water from the saucer or planter. It could cause the roots to rot.
Misting
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata grow in arid regions and do not like humidity. No need to spray them.
Repotting
In spring, transfer your Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata' to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.
Take advantage of repotting to offer your plant a pot in which its roots will flourish and moisture will not settle.
Choose a terracotta pot with holes. Pour a bed of gravel or, better still, pieces of pozzolan into the bottom. Then add a draining potting soil such as a special substrate for cacti and succulents, or a mixture of garden soil and sand. For even more nutrients, top up with leaf compost if available.
After removing your specimen, carefully untangle its roots and install it in its new location. Cover with potting soil and tamp down. Finish with a thin layer of clay balls or pozzolan on the surface to facilitate drainage.
To avoid the risk of stagnant water, avoid saucers and planters. If you use a planter, line the bottom with gravel or clay pebbles.
Fertilization
You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.
If you want to stimulate the growth of your Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata', mix a liquid fertilizer for cacti and succulents with the water when watering.
Prune
Remove dry leaves and cut the flowering stem at the base after flowering.
However, it is not advisable to prune your Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata. A cut leaf will not grow back, even if you only trim the tip.
However, it is not advisable to prune your Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata. A cut leaf will not grow back, even if you only trim the tip.
Planting
Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.
Where's the best place to plant your Sansevieria trifasciata 'Super Marginata? A sunny spot at the top of a slope, to encourage rainwater drainage.
Dig a large hole to give the roots room to spread out. As for repotting, place a layer of gravel at the bottom, followed by a layer of substrate. Place your plant in the center and cover with soil, possibly enriched with leaf compost. Press down to eliminate air pockets and water.
Taking cuttings
Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.
After a few years, young shoots appear at the base. With a sharp knife, dig up one of these "babies", also removing its roots.
Prepare a pierced terracotta pot. Block the hole with a pebble and lay a bed of gravel. Pour in a substrate composed of one third potting soil, one third soil and one third sand to promote drainage. Plant your offshoot, tamp it down and add a layer of sand to the surface.
Place your new succulent in a bright room, but without direct sunlight and with a temperature of at least 18 degrees.
Between two applications of water, check that the substrate has dried out, as you would with a mature plant.
Diseases / Threats
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposures
- SunHalf-shade
- Substrates
- Calcareous earthHumus soilSandy soil
- Planting methods
- In potsIn tubsPlanter
- Categories
- IndoorRhizomeHerbaceousSucculent
- Tags
- BeginnerToxic
- Origins
- East AfricaCentral Africa
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 11a (4.4°C ≤ T° < 7.2°C)
- Leaf colors
- Dark greenPale green
- Flower colors
- WhitePale green
- Fruit color
- Orange
Discover plants from the same family
Mother-in-law's language
Sansevieria trifasciata
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Golden Hahnii' (Golden Hahnii)
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Golden Hahnii'
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Futura Simplex
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Futura Simplex'
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Hahnii Green Leaves
Sansevieria trifasciata 'Hahnii Green Leaves'
Find out more
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