Hi Lann,

both are Sans. trifasciata, the first is the cultivar 'Laurentii'.

Watering is like a normal Cattleya hybrid. Substrate 80% mineralic is often considered best but they tolerated almost everything.

They do better in high light but tolerate shada - the shadier the lower the probability of flowers.

All the best, helli

Thanks for your reply Helli. I will enjoy reading more about these types of Sans.

Leigh Ann

Here are two books that will give you an idea of how to raise them and what is available, it not complete but no book is. There may be some mistakes, no book is perfect. The mistakes will be in measurements, or pictures. These books are fairly current. The new one 1995 the older one 1986 The pictures are a size you can see, not chopped off and the color as best as you can get with a printed book, each plant that we grow of the same species may be a different color depending on how you grow your plants. More light, the lighter the leaves will be. Less light the darker the leaves will be.

1. The Sansevieria Trifasciata varieties by Juan Chahinian

2. The Splended Sansevieria by Juan Chahinian

3. The first book written in this country is by Hermine Stover of Endangered Species and may be downloaded free published in 1983 in black and white, it is out of date at this time. But was very accurate when it was written.

Books are out of date the minute they are published. None are complete. Names change as I write.
I will give you more information regarding the International Society Later. Did not proof. Norma

Hi Norma,

Thank you for the great info. I had already downloaded the Hermine Stover book and have read part of it. The Sansevieria Trifasciata Varieties is available for
$200 and up, but I did find the other for $35 so I will probably get that one.

I like it much better because it is written about the species. The hybrids, are named differently in each continent. Also each hybrid is different, each leaf may be different, you don't know who the parents are, and often they are sports, each one is different and can at any time revert. Species are pretty fixed in size, shape, color, so easier to ID. Get the second book over look the petty mistakes, the pictures are great. Over all it worth the money I think you can get it for $35.00 now, I paid than that. Norma

Hi Norma,

I haven't gotten the book yet, but plan to. Since I have been looking for plants I don't already have, I have only gotten 2 more plants....Black Robusta and Moonshine. The wider leaves are nice.

Thanks for the note.

Leigh Ann

Both of those are sports, 'Moonshine''Moonbeam' (synon.) will ususally hold true and not revert. They come up silver but change to green in about a year, but the green and new silver ones look great together. Norma

That need morning sun only or filtered light, not direct sun. I grow three hundred fifty pots of these plants, none of mine are in direct sun. I have 2 ply nursery covering on the top, filtered sun in the morning through an orange tree + 30% shade cloth. I have another batch out side on the shady side of my garage, + 50% shade cloth to protect them, no heat at all, they have made it through the winter here in my valley which was down to 20F for five nights enough to do damage. I am only telling you how I grow my plants, I believe your winters are milder than mine because you are on the ocean side of the Santa Monica Mountain Range? Just don't water that much during the winter, perhaps only once a month or less. I keep the temps. at 66% in my make shift green house. The soil needs to be fast draining making sure you have a hole in the bottom of the pot. They like to be crowded, to the point of breaking out of the pot. I hope this information will give you enough information to give you a start. Are you inner valley zone 8, or the sunset zone along our southern coast. It will make a big difference,
I also start my cuttings, or offsets in the smallest pot they will fit in. Three growths to a 1 gal. container. I will help you all that I can. You need to ask the questions. The also love high humidity and there are tricks providing that for them. Norma

I looked up zone 8, and realize it is not near the ocean at all? Then if I am right you will need heat to 66F steady. So they will need to be houseplants, they like the same temps. that we do to live well comfortable, they also like humidity, get a 2" saucer and set them on marbles, or put a bucket of water close by, or put plants all around them for the humidity. Do not use peat moss. Helli gave you the right ratio for the mix. /For organic matter you may want to use med size bark, not the fine stuff, air need to get to the roots, If potted correctly it won't need changing for a year and will not need fertilizer. Do not over pot, underpot will give you more offsts, three growths to a 1 gal. pot. norma

Nope, not near the ocean, unfortunately. I do have all 4 plants in the house and the mix I made up is very close to what Helli recommended...no peat either. I will get some humidity saucers set up today. Thanks!