Software
Houzz Logo Print
madishartte

Cleaning Up a Sanservieria

9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago

Hello! I got a sans off of Craigslist about a year ago. I received it with a lot of damage to the upper tips of the leaves, and a lot of pinching of the tips. The plant also leans rather alarmingly to the right, and I'm planning on repotting the roots deeper in the spring to counteract this. I would dearly love to clean up the plant at the same time, and trim off (and potentially propagate?) the damaged leaves. Since this is the first sans I've owned (and it's a massive plant, at least 4 feet tall), I would like some advice on how to best go about this.


Weird deformed growth.

New growth!

Also, because I'm super proud to share, I just got a Bantel's Sensation in the mail a couple of weeks ago, and it's doing wonderfully.

(And for any of those wondering, the sans in the lower left of the upper picture was a stem I picked off of the floor at Lowes. The older growth is very torn up, but there's been new growth since I potted it up, mainly in stacking.)

Comments (5)

  • 9 years ago

    How much light is the plant getting, and where are you located?? The nice thing about Sans is the leaves last a LONG time. The bad thing about Sans is the leaves last a LONG time........so any damage or blemishes will stay there. My comments are on your big pot.... If you are in a temperate area I would repot in Spring and get the plant outside (slowly adjusting it to more light etc.) By late summer there will be a bunch of new pups coming up. You can then decide to remove and repot only these new pups and/or just cut down all damaged leaves. Don't plant it deeper than its currently growing (bad for any plant) as it will just rot the leaves. You can try tying any floppy growths to a central stick or just cut them off. New growth in good light will be strong and upright.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It was in a west facing window before we moved, and it's now in an east facing window. I was planning on moving it outside in the spring. I'm in zone 9 Northern California, so we get pretty hot summers. 110+ on average. Do you think it would be OK on the North side of the house?

    It's in the pot it came in. I repotted it in a gritty mix last year; before that it was just in normal potting soil. What depth would you recommend for the repot? It's probably in a 10 or 12 inch pot right now.

    Sadly most of the floppy growth is again from the previous owner. I currently have it all tied up with a ribbon so it doesn't spill out into the walkway of the bedroom.

  • 9 years ago

    Just wanted to say your Bantel's looks beautiful!

    And is it just the light, or do I see some striations on some leaves of yout first plant?

  • 9 years ago

    Sounds like you are doing everything right!! I would go one size larger if you repot it in Spring, but keep the plant itself growing at the same depth below the soil line. Sans seem to thrive in heat. Now 110F is warmer than I would normally experience but here on the East coast it is always a struggle to get them enough light and heat so you seem to be ahead of the game!

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OK that's good about the heat! We have a Mediterranean climate here, so very rainy winters (when we're not in a drought!) and then no rain from mid-April to late October. And then the heat sets in . . .

    I'll have to measure the pot when I get home tonight and see what size it is. It's at least a 10 inch.

    The large floppy sans does have striations! It's a lighter green, with dark green banding. Or sometime light silvery green with dark green. Etc etc. Picked it up for $10, which I was very pleased about. I'm pretty sure it's a Zeylanica. Or maybe a Black Coral? The both look pretty similar online.

Sponsored