![How To Braid Sansevieria Cylindrica: The Care Needed And Step-By-Step Braiding Guide [2021]!](https://allthingsgardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/SPRING-19-2.png)
Do you know that you can braid a Sansevieria cylindrica?
I know right, very shocking and unique to hear of it…
But it is actually a thing, and the result add aesthetic to your home…
Hear it from Greg!
My wife is a snake plant lover, a very big fan of them…
She has like tens of snake plants that she has collected at home…
I wanted to give her another snake plant for her birthday…
… but it seem so ordinary and for what more should she get another one?
Hence, I look up for snake plant related gift ideas for my wife…
… and I got struck on a braided Sansevieria cylindrica!
Just by hearing the name of it sounds exactly right for her!
To make it even special, I purchased a new Sansevieria cylindrica…
… and I braid it myself! There’s a step-by-step guide I found on how to braid them.
Wondering where to find the guide?
You’re in the perfect place to start!
Throughout this article, you will get on the care guide of this type of snake plant…
… and also a guide to how to braid it step-by-step!
Often called the cylindrical snake plant, the African spear plant…
… also known as Sansevieria cylindrica, has upright, gray-green, subtly striped leaves.
The leaves are cylindrical in shape, but narrow at their tips…
A long, delicate flower spike will sprout from the center…
… of African spear plants when grown in optimal conditions.
They’re best planted in the spring, and they’re generally a slow-growing succulent…
Cylindrical Snake Plant Care
Table of Contents
Generally speaking, African spear plants are very low maintenance…
They will survive if you forget to water or feed them…
… and they’ll thrive being confine in a pot.
In fact, it is more likely that you will ruin their lives…
… with overwatering or overfeeding than it is to harm them by neglect.
In the growing season (spring to fall)…
They’ll appreciate semi-regular watering and occasional fertilizing…
And over the winter, plan to avoid fertilization and water minimally…
Getting this routine right is the majority of the work that goes into maintaining an African spear plant…
Plants like this don’t need much pruning, but yellowed or discolored leaves…
… can be removed for aesthetic purposes by cutting them at their base with sterilized pruning shears…
Moreover…
You can also support new plants by cutting off offshoots…
… that sprout from the soil and planting them separately.
Wait until these babies are at least 6 inches high before separating them…
… from the main plant and planting them separately.
Plants grown in containers need to be moved likely every couple of years…
… once their roots start growing out of their pot.
If they need more room, just move them to a bigger pot…
Choosing a heavy, shallow, wide pot makes sense as it will anchor the weight of the leaves…
… otherwise, your plant may easily topple over. Make sure the pot has ample drainage holes.
Light
The plants can tolerate low light conditions, but they prefer full sunlight and bright filtered light…
They react better in the morning than in the afternoon sun…
If placed indoors, they will require a bright north-facing window…
Too much light can result in yellowing of the leaves…
… while not enough light will result in inferior leaf growth.
Soil
A succulent plant like this prefers a well-draining potting mix…
… containing a sandy texture that doesn’t retain any moisture.
Water
Despite being so drought tolerant, African spear plants…
… have quite weak roots that will rot under too much water.
The soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings…
… and then the plant should be watered deeply every week to every other week.
Please empty the saucer of any excess water that comes through the drainage holes…
… if you’re growing a plant in a container.
In the winter, you should water your plants once a month…
… rather than once a week as during the growing season.
Temperature and Humidity
You should keep these succulents in a temperature above 50 degrees Fahrenheit…
They grow naturally in hot, dry climates, so a cool environment could hurt them…
This includes keeping them away from cold drafts, such as air conditioners…
Humidity shouldn’t be an issue if the soil isn’t saturated…
Fertilizer
African spear plants are tolerant of lean soil, and they do not require much fertilizer…
Feed them with a succulent fertilizer diluted to half strength monthly from spring through autumn…
During winter no fertilizer is required…
Here’s what you’ve been waiting for…
Braiding a Cylindrical Snake Plant
Like its relative the snake plant, it’s an easy-care plant. But it’s much more versatile. Like lucky bamboo, this plant can be braided to give it a unique appearance. Its leaves layer in the same way that a bowstring hemp plant’s do.
Kevin Espiritu, Founder of Epic Gardening
Time needed: 20 mins
Materials
- Sansevieria Cylindrica (also called Cylindrical Snake Plant or African Spear)
- Tie such as rafia or rubber bands
- Bowls (2)
- Cloth to wipe scissors, dry roots, and for water spills
- Potting Soil to repot your braided snake plant
- Soil Scoop to scoop soil for repotting
- Plant Pot to pot your braided snake plant in
- Pumice Stones to add to potting soil to help with drainage
- Water to rinse roots
- Potting Tarp
Instructions: Step by Step
- Select a Cylindrica Snake plant of 12”-14” that has at least 3 stems to be able to be braided.
- Remove plant and roots from the pot and rinse the roots to remove dirt.
- Dry them with the cloth.
- Stack plants on top of each other in the direction where stems are facing you and roots are facing away from you.
- Grab your tie and cut approximately 18″ with the scissors to secure your stacked plants just above the roots.
- Braid your snake plants.
- Secure the long stems with a rubber band towards the end of the snake plant’s leaves.
- Secure tightly with your tie and replace the rubber band.
- Grab your plant pot, potting soil, and pumice stones.
- Pot your newly braided Snake Plant in your pot using your soil scoop.
Further Braided Snake Plant Care Steps
Water thoroughly while Cylindrica is growing…
Allow the potting mix to almost dry out before another watering…
This drought-tolerant plant does not need a lot of water…
If your Cylindrica stems continue to grow longer, you can add to your existing braid…
At any point, you can remove it completely and let it grow fanning out again…
To sum it up…
Caring for a Sansevieria cylindrica is like caring for any other snake plant…
Additionally, you can braid them as home decor or gifts to your loved ones…
The above “how to braid” guide will surely help you out on the task…
… for any pre or post care you need to make.
Conclusion
If you happen to have any queries on the matter…
Comment down below or contact us!
Check out more posts in our website like this one here!
Have an awesome gardening journey!
Related Articles!
Leave a Reply