Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Sansevieria hahnii is a species of sansevieria native to southern Africa. It was first described by Edgar P. Smith in 1917 and named for its collector, Dr. Carl Hahn. The leaves are dark green with white stripes or bands on the edges of the blades.
It is commonly called mother-in-law’s tongue, but this name has also been applied to other sansevierias in the genus Sansevieria. The plant looks like a succulent or cactus with long leaves that are approximately 6 inches (15 cm) in length and 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.
This plant is also known as “snake plant” because of its snake-like appearance, hence the common name “mother-in-law’s tongue.”
It has long, dark green leaves with brown stripes and yellow margins. The flowers are purple to white, and the plant will bloom in late summer or autumn. Sansevieria hahnii often grows under trees or on rocks because it prefers shady conditions, but can also grow indoors as well!
Origin and description
The species was discovered by German botanist Heinrich Gustav Hahn (1811 – 1885) in the northern provinces of South Africa.
Sansevieria hahnii is native to the African country of Tanzania. It was originally discovered by botanist N Hahn in 1891, who named the plant after himself. In its natural habitat, Sansevieria hahni grows on trees and cliffs near waterfalls at an elevation up to about 2000 meters above sea level (hence its common name, African Tree Sansevieria). The plant usually grows as a single rosette of leaves.
Sansevieria hahnii is a stemless, evergreen perennial. The leaves are strap-shaped and up to one meter long and two inches wide with sharp marginal teeth along the leaf margins. Inflorescences of pale lavender flowers emerge from the axils at each leaf node on mature plants in spring or summer. Sansevieria hahnii is a popular houseplant because of its attractive form and ease of care.
Sansevieria hahnii propagation
It is easier to propagate Sansevieria Hahnii by leaf cuttings than from stem cuttings or seeds. Leaves should be approximately six inches in length and should contain at least one node (a swelling where the leaf attaches to the plant). Take a sharp, clean knife and make three straight cuts across each end of the leaf, being sure not to cut too deep.
What you have left is a square with three slits in it. Clean off any tarnish or dirt on the end of each leaf section and place them upright into moist potting soil that is kept warm (80-90 degrees F). In one week roots should appear from all four cut ends.
Sansevieria hahnii care
The Sansevieria Hahnii is part of the family Asparagaceae. The Latin name for this houseplant translates to “snake plant” and refers to its leaves, which are long-petioled with recurved margins that resemble a snake’s tongue. They are often referred to as “snake tongues” for this reason.
It is a very easy-to-grow houseplant that requires little care and can even survive long periods without water!
Light requirements
Sansevieria Hahnii likes to be kept in a place with bright, indirect light. If you’re trying to grow it indoors, make sure your plant is not exposed to direct sunlight which can scorch the leaves and dry out the soil quickly. Keep this sansevieria at least four feet away from windows that receive direct sunlight.
Sansevieria Hahnii is a great plant to keep in your living room or office and it would be wise to put the plant behind other plants as this will make your home’s interior look bigger and more spacious. The shiny leaves of Sansevieria Hahnii reflect light which helps brighten up a room and makes the sansevieria appear more attractive in general.
The distance between your plant and its light source is dependent on how tall or bushy your Sansevieria Hahnii has become. The taller it gets, the further away from the window you should keep it to avoid burning leaves.
Soil/potting mix
You will want to keep your Sansevieria Hahnii in a pot that has drainage holes at the bottom because these plants hate being over-watered. That means you should avoid using regular potting soil from the nursery which is mostly made up of sphagnum peat moss and perlite.
Instead, mix one-part potting soil with one part perlite. This mixture will drain water well but still hold some moisture so your plant won’t dry out too quickly.
Make sure to pack the soil down firmly around the roots of your plant before giving it a good drink of water and then wait for the excess water to drain out of the bottom before placing it back in a sunny spot.
Fertilizer
Sansevieria Hahnii doesn’t require much fertilizer, if any at all. You should only fertilize your plant once or twice a year with a balanced liquid fertilizer such as 20-20-20 which you can be purchased from the nursery.
If using an organic product like manure tea, follow directions on how much to use.
Don’t forget that Sansevieria Hahnii is a succulent and therefore doesn’t need fertilizer at all if you are repotting the the plant into fresh soil once every couple of years.
Watering
Sansevieria Hahnii needs very little water and will do perfectly fine with just the rainwater that falls from the sky.
If you’re using tap water to give your sansevieria a drink, make sure to let it sit out for 24 hours so all of the chlorine evaporates before putting it in the pot.
During the summer months when your sansevieria is actively growing, make sure to keep it moist but not soggy. You can do this by watering once a week and letting the water drain out of the bottom hole in the pot. If you live in an area where tap water has high chlorine levels or hard water, then it would be best to water your plant with filtered or distilled water.
During the winter months when Sansevieria Hahnii is dormant, you can allow it to dry out completely before watering again because these plants don’t require much attention at this time of year anyway.
Temperature
Sansevieria Hahnii can survive in temperatures ranging between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live somewhere where the temperature drops below this range during winter, then it would be best to take your plant outside or place it near a window that gets sunlight until spring comes around again.
Humidity
Sansevieria Hahnii doesn’t require very high humidity, but if it is kept in a place that isn’t well ventilated, then the leaves will begin to droop. This happens when the air becomes too dry and makes your sansevieria feel uncomfortable so keep an eye on this plant to make sure its surroundings are humid enough.
An ideal humidity is 50% or higher which you can achieve by placing a tray of water near your plant.
Pruning
Sansevieria Hahnii will grow new leaves at its base which can be trimmed off to help it stay healthy. This is also a good time to divide your sansevieria into two separate plants or give them away as gifts so you’ll want to keep the older, yellowing leaves in case someone else wants one!
When to repot
Sansevieria Hahnii can stay in the same pot for years, but if you’re noticing that the roots are growing out of the drainage holes or it seems like your sansevieria is putting off fewer leaves, then it would be time to repot.
To do so, simply place some fresh soil into a new pot and gently remove the root ball. Place it in the new pot so that there’s an inch or two of space between the top of your soil and where it meets with a plastic rim of the pot.
Then, pack some fresh soil around its roots before giving Sansevieria Hahnii a good soak!
Dormancy
Sansevieria Hahnii has the ability to survive long periods of drought which makes it ideal for places that experience very dry weather. When this happens, your Sansevieria will naturally go dormant and drop all its leaves while you wait until conditions are favorable again to grow new ones!
As soon as there’s some rainfall, your plant will wake up and begin growing its new leaves. If you want to help speed up the process, then give it a small amount of water every couple of weeks until green again!
Flowers & Fragrance
Sansevieria Hahnii doesn’t produce flowers on its own, but if you let it grow long enough, then small white bumps will appear which eventually turn into beautiful purple plants that bloom!
The fragrant lavender-purple blooms of Sansevieria hahnii are often hidden among the leaves and can be easily missed.
Sansevieria Hahnii is also known for its sweet fragrance which makes it even more desirable!
Growth rate
Sansevieria Hahnii is a slow grower, but because it only grows an inch or two each year you can expect to wait years before your plant will need to be repotted.
This plant has very strong roots and makes a great houseplant for someone who isn’t ready to deal with the responsibility of babysitting their plants every day.
Sansevieria Hahnii is a great gift for someone who’s just getting into houseplants or wants an easy-to-care-for decoration in their living room!
Toxicity
Sansevieria Hahnii is non-toxic to pets and humans alike, but if your pet happens to eat any part of it, then they should be monitored for signs that their digestive system doesn’t agree with the plant.
Otherwise, Sansevieria hahnii has no known health risks associated with handling its leaves or consuming any part of the plant.
USDA Hardiness Zones
Sansevieria Hahnii can be found growing naturally in Zones 11-12, meaning that it is suitable for those who live in the lush tropical weather of Hawaii and other parts of the Southern U.S!
It also grows well indoors anywhere else as long as you give it plenty of sunlight and humidity to thrive.
Pests and diseases
Sansevieria Hahnii is very easy to care for and requires little maintenance so you shouldn’t have any problems with pests or diseases.
If your plant begins looking a bit sickly, then it may be suffering from root rot which can happen if the soil stays too wet for an extended period of time. If this happens, try to treat it as quickly as possible by removing any affected leaves and changing the water you use for your plant.
Conclusion
Sansevieria Hahnii is a beautiful plant that can be found in a variety of styles and colors with different patterns on each leaf.
It’s great for beginners who want to grow an easy-to-care-for houseplant, but also looks amazing when paired with other plants in your home or garden!
