Easy Tropical Toxic to pets

Cylindrical Snake Plant

Sansevieria cylindrica

An architectural plant with rigid, upright cylindrical leaves in dark green with lighter transversal bands.

The essentials at a glance

Watering

Every 14 days
Light

Full sun
Humidity

20–50 %
Temperature

13–30 °C

How to care for your Cylindrical Snake Plant

Everything you need to keep your Cylindrical Snake Plant healthy: watering, light, humidity, feeding, repotting and pruning.

Sansevieria cylindrica is an architectural succulent plant native to Angola. Its perfectly cylindrical and rigid leaves grow in a fan shape from an underground rhizome, reaching over one meter in height. Often sold with braided leaves, it is naturally more beautiful in a free fan arrangement. Extremely hardy and tolerant of neglect, it handles both shade and sun as well as missed waterings. It is one of the most robust houseplants in existence.

Watering your Cylindrical Snake Plant

Every 14 days

Water moderately when the substrate is thoroughly dry. Avoid standing water in the tubular leaves and saucer. Reduce to once a month in winter.

How to know it needs water

Substrate completely dry throughout
Cylindrical leaves becoming slightly wrinkled
Pot very light to the touch

How much light a Cylindrical Snake Plant needs

Full sun

Very adaptable: from partial shade to full direct sun. Growth is faster in bright light. Tolerates poorly lit rooms remarkably well.

Direct sun tolerated: 2 to 10 h a day
Orientations that suit it: North, North-east, East, South-east, South, South-west, West, North-west

Humidity and misting

20–50 %

Low to moderate (20–50%). Tolerates dry air perfectly. Do not mist. Sansevieria cylindrica needs no supplemental humidity.

Feeding and fertiliser

Every 30 days

Fertilize once a month from spring to summer. No fertilizer in autumn and winter. Excess fertilizer is unnecessary.

Recommended feed: Liquid foliage plant fertilizer diluted to half strength. · 10-10-10

Repotting your Cylindrical Snake Plant

Every 24 months

Use a heavy, stable pot as the plant can become top-heavy. Well-draining substrate: cactus mix or potting soil with sand and perlite. Do not plant deeper than before. Separate offsets if desired.

When: Spring
Potting mix: Cactus and succulent mix
Mix in: perlite, coarse sand

The tell-tale signs

Rhizomes deforming or cracking the pot
Many offsets emerging
Roots visible above the substrate surface

Pruning your Cylindrical Snake Plant

Rarely needed. Only to remove damaged or dead leaves. Cut damaged leaves at the base with a clean knife. The leaf will not regrow from the same point but new offsets will appear from the rhizome.

Through the year

Watering is not set once and for all: it follows the light and the growth. Allow 25 days between waterings in the depth of winter, against 11 in the growing season.

25 J
21 F
15 M
13 A
11 M
11 J
11 J
13 A
14 S
17 O
21 N
25 D

Active growth · Days between waterings

Toxicity

Mildly toxic to cats and dogs. Ingestion may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Good to know

Sansevieria cylindrica is an air purification champion — a NASA study showed that sansevierias effectively filter formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from indoor air.
In Africa, fibers extracted from the leaves of certain Sansevieria species are used to make resistant ropes and mats called bowstring hemp.

Frequently asked questions about the Cylindrical Snake Plant

How do you care for a Cylindrical Snake Plant?

Water it every 14 days. Give it full sun. Ideal humidity: 20–50 %. Ideal temperature: 13–30 °C. Water moderately when the substrate is thoroughly dry. Avoid standing water in the tubular leaves and saucer. Reduce to once a month in winter.

How often should you water a Cylindrical Snake Plant?

Every 14 days Water moderately when the substrate is thoroughly dry. Avoid standing water in the tubular leaves and saucer. Reduce to once a month in winter. How to know it needs water : Substrate completely dry throughout ; Cylindrical leaves becoming slightly wrinkled ; Pot very light to the touch.

How much light does a Cylindrical Snake Plant need?

Full sun Very adaptable: from partial shade to full direct sun. Growth is faster in bright light. Tolerates poorly lit rooms remarkably well. 2 to 10 h a day

Is the Cylindrical Snake Plant toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes. Mildly toxic to cats and dogs. Ingestion may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Keep it out of reach of your pets and call a vet if any is swallowed.

Why are my Cylindrical Snake Plant leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing most often comes from too much water: the mix stays wet and the roots suffocate. Check that the pot drains, empty the saucer, and let the mix dry before watering again. Too little light or a cold draught cause the same symptom.

When should you repot a Cylindrical Snake Plant?

Repot every 24 months, ideally in spring. Use a heavy, stable pot as the plant can become top-heavy. Well-draining substrate: cactus mix or potting soil with sand and perlite. Do not plant deeper than before. Separate offsets if desired.