Rope and traditional uses In Africa, the leaves of former
Sansevieria species are used for
fiber production; in some species, e.g.
Dracaena hanningtonii, the plant's sap has antiseptic qualities, and the leaves are used for bandages in traditional
first aid.
Ornamental purposes '' (namely 'Laurentii'), the most common species in cultivation Several former
Sansevieria species are popular
houseplants in temperate regions, with
Dracaena trifasciata the most widely sold; numerous
cultivars are available. In China, the plant is usually kept potted in a pot often ornamented with dragons and phoenixes. Growth is comparatively slow and the plant will last for many years. There are two main varieties: wild type sansevierias have stiff, erect, scattered, lance-shaped leaves while the bird's nest sansevierias grow in rosettes. As houseplants, sansevierias thrive on warmth and bright light, but will also tolerate shade. They can rot from over-watering, so it is important that they are potted in well-drained soil, and not over-watered. They need to be re-potted or split at the root from time to time because they will sometimes grow so large that they break the pot they are growing in. In Korea, potted sansevierias are commonly presented as a gift during opening ceremonies of businesses or other auspicious events. In Barbados, sansevieria is also popularly referred to as the "money plant", with the belief that the person having it will always have money. The belief seems to be based on an association of the color (green) with the US bills. Other former
Sansevieria species are less common in cultivation. Another species is
Sansevieria cylindrica, which has leaves which look quite different from
D. trifasciata, but is equally tough. Plants that revert when propagated from a leaf cutting due to being periclinal chimeras will usually revert to the closest stable non-variagated cultivar to that of the plant the leaf cutting was from.
Scenery in film and television Sansevierias have frequently been used as a set decoration in many films and TV shows, both in Hollywood and internationally, since at least the 1930s, including
Being John Malkovich,
Blue Velvet,
Duck Soup,
Groundhog Day,
Homegrown,
The Paper, and
These Final Hours.
Air purification According to a
NASA Clean Air Study, along with other plants such as
golden pothos (
Epipremnum aureum) and
corn plant (
Dracaena fragrans),
Dracaena trifasciata is capable of purifying air by removing some pollutants such as
formaldehyde,
xylene, and
toluene. Sansevierias use the
crassulacean acid metabolism process, which absorbs carbon dioxide at night, although oxygen is released during daylight. Nighttime absorption of purportedly makes them especially suitable bedroom plants. However, since the leaves are potentially poisonous if ingested, they are not usually recommended for children's bedrooms.
Feng shui According to
feng shui, because the leaves of sansevierias grow upwards, the plants can be used for feng shui purposes. Some believe that having sansevierias near children helps reduce coarseness, although care must be taken to ensure the child cannot reach the plant's poisonous leaves. Others recommend placing pots near the toilet tank to counter the drain-down vibrations. ==References==