Hi Laura,

these are all nice plants, though the names are rather abbreviated or mistyped. So you ordered

trifasciata 'Bantel's sensation'
grandicuspis
parva
gracilis (actually already have this one)
hyacinthoides
trifasciata 'Compacta'
cylindrica (Skyline is only a common name and superfluous)
trifasciata 'Silver Hahnii'
trifasciata 'Laurentii Argentea' (not sure about the correct name)
Stellette (this is a hybrid, trifasciata x aethiopica)

ATB, Helli

Thanks for your corrections! And just in time-I was getting ready to make name tags.

I thought 'Skyline' was a cultivar name?

No,

it is not. It has never been decribed properly and, more importantly, does not differ that much. It is just a lighter cylindrica.

I suspect the big nurseries have a special treatment that lets the plants develop many leaves and keeps the plants from offsetting. So far EVERY Skyline I saw reproduced in a 'normal' manner, with at most three much more elongated leaves.

ATB Helli

Regarding S. cylindrica 'Skyline', I see nothing wrong with identifying this lighter form with a commercial name. Laura and Mickie, please be aware that there are both 'lumper' and 'splitter' opinions. 'Lumpers' tend to ignore differences between plants and refrain from naming, some 'splitters' name almost any difference no matter how small. Both groups have valid points but neither are absolute or are necessarily correct. It boils down to which side of the fence you're on. Personally I don't like common names because there are way too many and sellers name plants indiscriminately, even if they already have valid names. However, in defense of 'Skyline' there are several officially named varieties of Sansevierias that are unstable, are temporary and therefore likely to offset to another variety. It's also very common in horticulture for lighter forms of particular plants to have their own names. I would go for cylindrica 'Light Form' just as easily as 'Skyline', it's simply a designation indicating that it's a bit different from the species. I don't think it's a big deal.

Initials t. h. stand for trifasciata 'Hahnii', then the variety name would follow.

Laura, I wondered if you've tried propagating your sansevierias from leaf cuttings. It's a fun and interesting process, and I consider it a creative one as well. All species and hybrids propagate true from leaf cuttings, so new plants will be the same as the one that
provided the leaf. The rules are different when it comes to varieties, some propagate true, some don't. So your new
species grandicuspis, parva, gracilis and hyacinthoides will all propagate true. Your 'Stellette', being a hybrid,
will also propagate true from leaf cuts.

'Compacta' and 'Laurentii Argentea' will almost always produce the species trifasciata but any plant arising from
the variegated tissue will usually be an albino without
chlorophyll and will not live if separated from the green
propagation leaf. On occasion, a leaf of 'Compacta' will produce 'Nelsoni'. 'Skyline' will produce the species cylindrica. Your 'Silver Hahnii' is one of the varieties that will propagate true from leaf cuts. 'Silver Hahnii Marginated', the same as your plant but with cream-colored
variegated leaf margins, also produces 'Silver Hahnii', the variegated margins will be lost.

All this said, I encourage you to propagate leaves from 'Compacta' and 'Argentea' even though chances are high that only trifasciata will be produced. Very rarely something else will arise, a new variety, and one never knows when that will happen.

Please ask if you'd like more info on leaf propagation,
culture, or whatever. No question too basic.

By the way, ATB Helli... you must have a wonderful collection of sans in having access to Ernst Specks' offerings in Germany as well as Alan Butler's Vivaio Brookside Nursery in Italy. Then there's also Al Laius
in Great Britain... I wish we had access to these great sources here in the U.S.

Russ

thanks for all of your comments.
I have just been bitten by the sans bug so I haven't had a chance to do much. I've got almost 20 varieties but they are all young. Once I get them going I will do some leaf cuttings.
I'm finding that there are a lot of varieties available in my area now that I'm looking. Since they do so well outside here in the yard they can get aggressive. They are then available at plant swaps and society give aways. Cool!

S. 'Skyline' I don't belive is a Cylindrica, read the description of San. cylindrica and you will know what I mean. It could be a newly discovered species, that has not been published that I know of. Norma

I was shocked to have it confirmed by Myron Kimnach. His name will pop up in Hermann Jacobsens Book. At one time the curator of the Huntington Desert collections. It is one of the Cylindrica v. Angolenses betweem Congo and Angola. I have been saying this all along. It is similar to S. 'Koko'= Ed Eby of the the Koko Crator of Hawaii.
Russ I can kiss you for that explanation above, Norma