DRATRI-20260516-AC-001
Dracaena trifasciata
Identity
Dracaena trifasciata
Confidence: probable
Acquired as: Sansevieria zeylanica
Provisional taxon: —
Author citation: (Prain) Mabb.
Status: ACTIVE
Type: MOTHER
Location: LOC-RM-04 · Office
Acquired: May 15, 2026
Propagated: —
Source: —
Stock: p1020928-3gallon
View lineage graphAliases
Sansevieria trifasciata · misapplied name · uncertain
Sansevieria zeylanica · obsolete taxonomy · uncertain
Snake plant · common name · confirmed
Specimen photos
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Unboxed
Not cover · Type photo
Tall potted snake plant indoors
Not cover · Not type
Plant Health Timeline
A deterministic record of care, observations, blooms, documentation, and lineage activity for this specimen.
Timeline status
Recently active
Health trend
Healthy
Age in collection
39 days
Last observation
7 days
Last watering
21 days
Last photo
13 days
Last bloom
No data
Bloom cycles
0
Propagations produced
0
Unresolved issues
0
Watch items
0
Longest quiet period
17 days
Life Story listOpenHide
May 2026
June 2026
Quarantine
Quarantine records are manual workflow records; moving a plant does not start or release quarantine by itself.
No active quarantine record.
Care
Last watering, open conditions, and recent care history.
Last watered
Jun 2, 2026
Next estimate
Jun 20, 2026
Open conditions
0
Recent care history
pest check · Jun 16, 2026
Green Thumb care note · Jun 10, 2026
Q: Are the leaves that aren't vertical of any concern? Does it indicate any issue?
Probably not a problem. Snake plant leaves often lean from age, reaching light, or crowded growth. Concern only if leaves are soft, yellow, mushy, or collapsing at the base. Rotate the pot, give brighter indirect light, and water only when fully dry.
watered · Jun 2, 2026
pest check · Jun 2, 2026
No pests observed.
Husbandry
Inherited from this plant definition.
Very drought tolerant; use fast-draining mix, avoid overwatering, and give brighter light for best growth.
Full husbandry guideOpenHide
Full husbandry guide
Inherited from plant definition
Quick summary
- Water
- Water sparingly
- Light
- Low light
- Toxicity
- Toxic if ingested
- Care notes
- Very drought tolerant; use fast-draining mix, avoid overwatering, and give brighter light for best growth.
Watering
- Cadence
- Every 2-6 weeks indoors, only after the mix dries completely.
- Moisture level
- Soil should dry almost or fully between waterings.
- Drought tolerance
- High; stores water in leaves and rhizomes.
- Wet/dry cycle notes
- Err on the dry side; empty saucers and avoid frequent small drinks.
- Seasonal adjustments
- Water less in winter and in cool, low-light conditions; slightly more in warm bright growth periods.
Light
- Intensity
- Low to bright indirect light; best in medium to bright indirect light.
- Duration
- About 6-12 hours daily; some gentle morning sun is usually fine.
Temperature and hardiness
- USDA zone
- USDA 10-12 outdoors; commonly grown indoors elsewhere.
- Cold tolerance
- Best above 10 C; brief drops near 5 C may damage foliage.
- Heat tolerance
- Handles warm indoor conditions well if not waterlogged.
- Frost sensitivity
- High; frost can severely injure or kill leaves and rhizomes.
- Overwinter instructions
- Keep indoors in bright light, reduce watering, and protect from cold drafts.
Humidity
- Range
- Average indoor humidity; roughly 30-60%.
- Dry air tolerance
- High; tolerates dry indoor air well.
- Misting notes
- Misting is unnecessary and can encourage leaf spotting or rot if foliage stays wet.
Soil and medium
- Preferred medium
- Very fast-draining cactus/succulent mix with added perlite, pumice, or coarse sand.
- pH preference
- Slightly acidic to neutral, about pH 6.0-7.5.
- Drainage needs
- Excellent drainage required.
- Growth substrate habit
- Rhizomatous succulent; roots prefer airy, not soggy, media.
- Substrate recipe notes
- Use a gritty mix; avoid heavy peat-rich potting soil unless heavily amended.
Fertilization
- Type
- Balanced houseplant or cactus fertilizer.
- Strength
- Quarter to half strength.
- Frequency
- Every 4-8 weeks during active growth only.
- Seasonal schedule
- Feed in spring and summer; skip or greatly reduce in fall and winter.
- Micronutrient notes
- Normal micronutrient content is adequate; avoid excess salts.
Repotting
- Interval
- Every 2-4 years or when crowded.
- Pot type
- Pot with drainage holes; heavy pot helpful for tall plants.
- Root sensitivity
- Moderate; roots and rhizomes bruise easily, so handle gently.
- Dormancy consideration
- Repot in active growth when possible; let any root damage dry before watering.
- Division guidance
- Divide rhizomes into sections with roots and shoots; allow cuts to callus briefly.
Propagation
- Preferred methods
- Rhizome division, leaf cuttings, and tissue culture.
- Difficulty
- Easy by division; moderate by leaf cuttings.
- Expected success
- High for division; variable for leaf cuttings, especially variegated forms.
- Optimal timing
- Late spring through summer.
- Rooting hormone notes
- Optional for leaf cuttings; not essential for division.
- Tissue culture notes
- Used commercially; useful for clean mass production of named selections.
Pests and disease
- Common pests
- Mealybugs, spider mites, scale, and fungus gnats in overly wet media.
- Common diseases
- Root rot, soft rot, and leaf spot from excess moisture or poor airflow.
- Treatment notes
- Remove pests manually or with horticultural soap; improve drainage and reduce watering for rot.
- Susceptibility level
- Low overall, but high risk from overwatering.
- Preventative practices
- Use a dry-down watering cycle, sterile tools, airflow, and well-drained pots.
Toxicity
- Pets
- Cautiously considered toxic to cats and dogs if chewed or eaten.
- Humans
- Usually mildly toxic if ingested; may cause stomach upset.
- Sap irritant
- Sap may irritate sensitive skin or eyes in some people.
- Edible?
- Not edible; do not ingest.
Dormancy and blooms
- Dormancy behavior
- Growth slows in cool, low-light periods rather than true dormancy.
- Typical bloom season
- Usually late spring to summer indoors, sporadically.
- Bloom duration
- Short; flowers last days to a few weeks.
- Fragrance
- Often lightly fragrant, especially at night.
- Rebloom tendency
- Uncommon indoors; mature plants may rebloom irregularly.
- Bloom triggers
- Strong light, root maturity, slight root restriction, and seasonal growth cycles.
- Pollinator notes
- Flowers may attract moths or other small insects when grown outdoors.
Growth habit
- Growth habit
- Evergreen clumping succulent with upright sword-like leaves and spreading rhizomes.
Conservation and collection status
- Rarity
- Common in cultivation.
- Conservation status
- Not generally regarded as threatened; exact status varies by source and taxonomy.
- Reference links
- https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Dracaena%20trifasciata; https://www.gbif.org/species/11041822; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=67710
- Protected species notes
- No special protection is typically noted for common cultivated stock, but verify local rules for wild collection.
- Collection restrictions
- Avoid collecting from the wild without permission; follow phytosanitary and import rules for plant material.
- Import/export concerns
- May be subject to nursery inspection, soil restrictions, and phytosanitary certificates across borders.
- Invasiveness
- Can naturalize in warm frost-free regions; dispose of garden waste responsibly.
- Native range notes
- Native to tropical West Africa; widely cultivated and often misapplied under the older Sansevieria name.
Sport / mutation
Status: NONE
No sport observations yet.
Parents
No parent propagation recorded.
Children
No child propagations yet.
Add note
May 16, 2026, 1:36 PM EDT
On sale
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Bloom tracker
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