Dracaena spathulata

A small, rhizomatous snake plant, formerly Sansevieria concinna, from the sandy coastal forests of south-eastern Africa. It grows in the shade of coastal forest and thicket rather than in open sun, so it takes lower light than most snake plants. Keep it warm, let it dry between waterings, and water less in winter.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry

Light Dappled lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

It grows in sandy soils in the shade of coastal forest and thicket, as in Maputaland and the Mozambique coast. The rhizomes creep through the sand and leaf litter, sending up small tufts of spathulate (spoon-shaped) leaves.

Mainly low elevation on the coastal plain. Subspecies sudwallensis comes from about 1,000 m near Sudwala Caves in Mpumalanga.

South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga)MozambiqueZimbabweTanzania

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.