Snake plants are beloved for both their style and their toughness: They generally do OK even if your plant care skills are a little embarrassing. But not every snake plant has the flat, striped leaves you've probably seen on Instagram.
There are over 70 types of snake plant, each of which falls under the genus Sansevieria. The most well-known variety is Sansevieria trifasciata, which is sometimes called "mother-in-law's tongue." (In Latin, trifasciata means "three bundles," which refers to the leaves' growth pattern.)
But if you're feeling a bit of trifasciata fatigue, or if you've put so many in your apartment that it would look weird if you added another, here's another snake plant to consider: Sansevieria cylindrica, which is also called the African spear plant. It's less common nickname is "dragon fingers," which sounds a little more badass than the plant's actual appearance.
As its name would indicate, S. cylindrica's leaves are cylindrical, not flat, and about an inch thick. Most importantly, those leaves look weird as hell: like a bunch of girthy, tapered fingers trying to reach the sky. Sometimes I look at my S. cylindrica, which is named Armie Hammer, and laugh at it, because it looks like it is trying to improve its posture and not doing a good job. In this way, it is more than worth the investment, which was already not very much ($12).
My S. cylindrica grows straight up, then fans slightly at the ends. Part of the appeal of this species, though, is that their leaves can be braided together, making them look like they're perpetually emerging from a middle school slumber party. (If you buy a braided plant, you can unbraid it if you want, but the leaves will never quite right themselves. Plus, why would you want to?) If it's an aesthetically pleasing plant you're after, this is certainly a look.
Fortunately, this aesthetic excitement doesn't mean the plant is any more difficult to care for. Like its close relatives, it "thrives on neglect," which should be music to the ears of anyone with a black thumb. Online plant shop The Sill recommends watering sansevieria varieties every two weeks, but you can probably water it a bit less from about October to May, when it's not growing season. I have forgotten to water mine for about two months at a time without apparent damage.
It's also important to remember that snake plants are succulents, so you'll want to make sure your pot has adequate drainage and that the soil gets super dry in between waterings.
As for light, you don't need to be incredibly picky. I keep my S. cylindrica on a windowsill with fairly low light intensity and it's still managed to grow some new spears. S. cylindrica owner Mike, 28, says he's had success placing his plant just barely out of the sun. "I put mine by the window that gets direct sunlight but just to the side," he explained. "Not usually directly in the light."
Convinced you need one of these bad boys for your desk? You can find them on Amazon from Costa Farms (a reputable seller in a sea of dubious ones), but we recommend looking at a local greenhouse or plant shop first. And don't forget to give your new pot of Big, Big Grass a funny name.
