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Sansevieria cylindrica 'Boncel'

mother-in-law's tongue 'Boncel'

A compact, clump-forming perennial houseplant which may grow to around 1.2m in height, with smooth, cylindrical, fleshy grey-green striped leaves which grow outwards from a central clump into a fan shape. Mature plants may rarely produce upright spikes of fragrant, spidery, pinkish-white flowers

Synonyms

Sansevieria boncellensis

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1B

Botanical details

Family: Asparagaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Sansevieria are stemless, erect, rhizomatous, succulent perennials with evergreen, ovate or strap-shaped, leathery leaves often attractively marbled, and short spikes of small fragrant tubular greenish-white flowers
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass in bright filtered light, avoiding full summer sun. Grow outdoors, in a sheltered, frost-free environment, in full sun. Pot on only when pot bound. Tolerant of neglect. Protect from winter wet. See houseplant cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by leaf cuttings, suckers or division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Low Maintenance
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to vine weevil

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

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