Houseplant · Asparagaceae
African Spear
Dracaena angolensis
Stiff, smooth cylindrical spears taper to a fine point and stand upright in a fanned clump, the whole plant sculpted rather than leafy.
Bright indirect
Every 14–30 days
USDA 10–11
2–7 ft · 0.6–2.1 m
Overview
The African spear rewrites what a snake plant leaf looks like. Instead of flat blades, it grows stiff, rounded spears that rise straight up, each one a smooth column tapering to a hard point. Run a hand along one and it feels firm and smooth, closer to a rigid rod than a pliant leaf. It is a snake plant of the dry country of southern tropical Africa, now named Dracaena angolensis and long known as Sansevieria cylindrica.
Look at how the plant is built. The spears push up from the base and fan outward, so a clump reads as a cluster of upright, tapering columns rather than a rosette of blades. In the dwarf 'Boncel' form the spears are short and fat, splayed low like the arms of a starfish. In braided specimens, several slim young leaves have been woven into a single ropey, plaited column.
For all their firmness, the spears depend on a sound base. Kept dry between waterings, they stay rigid and upright, holding a crisp, architectural line. Left in a wet, heavy mix, that firm base turns soft, and the tissue rots from the inside out, so the once-stiff spears slump and lose their shape.
Care
The short version: the firm, upright spears hold their form in bright indirect light and a gritty, fast-draining mix, and they want water only after the soil has dried through, about every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter.
Light
In bright indirect light the spears grow firm, upright, and evenly formed. The plant still holds in everything from full sun to low light, though dim spots slow new spears to a crawl. Strong afternoon sun can bleach and scar the smooth surface unless the plant is brought to it slowly.
Water
The spears tell you when to water: they want the soil to go completely dry first, then a deep soak. That falls near every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter. A spear kept too wet softens at the base, while a dry one stays hard and straight.
Soil
A gritty cactus or succulent mix drains fast enough to keep the base of each spear dry. That quick drainage is what stops the firm tissue at the soil line from turning soft and mushy, the one failure this plant cannot recover its shape from.
Humidity
The spears take dry air in stride, and low humidity leaves them unmarked. No misting or pebble tray is needed to keep the smooth surface in good condition.
Feeding
The spears build slowly, so they ask for little food. A monthly feed of all-purpose fertilizer at half strength through spring and summer supports new growth, with none given in winter.
Pruning
There is minimal cutting to do. Only a spear that has been damaged or has gone soft and rotten at the base needs removing, taken off cleanly while the rest of the clump keeps its shape.
Repotting
Slow to add spears, the plant sits happily crowded and needs repotting only every 3 to 5 years, or once the roots and rhizomes press against the pot or bulge its walls. A single size up gives the clump just enough room.
Size & spacing
Over years the spears can stretch to 2 to 7 feet (60 to 210 cm) tall, the clump widening to 6 to 24 inches (15 to 60 cm) across. Those tall, rigid columns carry their weight up high, so a heavy pot keeps the plant from tipping.
Troubleshooting
The spears themselves are the clearest gauge of health, and most trouble writes itself there in color and texture. Check where the spears meet the base, since softness and discoloration surface there first. Match the look and feel below to catch a change while it is still small.
A soft, mushy base and a sour smell at the soil line
The firm base has given way to root rot, almost always from too much water in a mix that holds it. Slide the plant out and cut every blackened, mushy root back to firm, sound tissue. Reset it in fresh, gritty mix and leave it dry until it firms up again.
Fix:
- Unpot and cut away rotted roots
- Repot in dry well-draining mix
- Withhold water until recovered
Spears gone yellow, soft, and bending over
When a stiff green spear turns yellow and goes limp, it is holding more water than it can use, the look of overwatering or soil that stays soggy. Stop watering and let the mix dry through before the next drink. A grittier mix or a better-draining pot keeps the spears firm if it happens again.
Fix:
- Stop watering
- Let soil dry fully
- Improve drainage
Soft, discolored spears after a cold spell
Cold damage softens and discolors the spears once the plant sits below 55°F (13°C) or meets a frost, since this tender tropical holds up only in zones 10 and 11. Move it to warmth and cut away the collapsed tissue. Keep it indoors whenever the cold threatens to reach that low.
Fix:
- Move indoors
- Remove damaged tissue
Sticky film, cottony white specks, or fine pinprick speckling
Sticky residue and cottony white tufts on the spears point to mealybugs or scale, while fine speckling and thin webbing mark thrips or spider mites. Wipe each spear down with a damp cloth, treat with insecticidal soap, and keep the plant apart until the surface is clean. A close look over the spears now and then finds them early.
Fix:
- Wipe leaves with damp cloth
- Treat with insecticidal soap
- Isolate affected plant
Pale, bleached, or brown marks down the sunlit face
The smooth surface has taken sunburn, scorched by harsh afternoon sun or a sudden shift from shade into full glare. Give the plant morning sun only and raise the light over a week or two so the spears can harden to it. The bleached marks are permanent, but new spears come up unblemished.
Fix:
- Move to morning sun only
- Acclimate gradually to brighter light
Toxicity
Inside those smooth spears sits a natural compound called saponins, and it is what makes the plant unsafe to chew. A cat or dog that bites into the firm tissue tends to drool, vomit, and feel sick for a while. People are essentially safe near it, but no part is meant to be eaten, so keep the spears out of reach of small children.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Mild
The smooth leaves hold saponins, so a cat that bites into a spear tends to drool and vomit. A larger mouthful can widen its pupils and leave it unsteady, so the spears belong out of a cat's reach.
Dogs Mild
A dog that gnaws through the firm skin of a spear tends to drool, vomit, and get diarrhea. The upset stays mild and eases once the plant is beyond reach.
Horses Caution
The same saponins packed in the spears can turn a horse's stomach, so keep the plant clear of any that might take a bite.
Rabbits Caution
Rabbits fare no better than other pets with the saponins in the spears, so keep the plant out of nibbling reach.
Livestock Caution
Grazing animals that chew the spears meet the same saponins and can drool and take an upset gut, so fence the plant off where they roam.
Birds Caution
A bird pecking at the smooth surface can swallow the same irritating saponins, so the plant is best kept out of reach.
People Caution
People are essentially safe handling the spears, though no part is meant to be eaten. A child who chews one may drool or feel queasy, so keep it out of small hands.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Only a couple of forms look different enough to name, and each one changes the shape and set of the spears.
'Boncel' (starfish sansevieria)
A dwarf cultivar whose spears are short and fat rather than tall, splaying low from the base into the spread arms of a starfish.
Braided form
A form in which several slim young leaves have been woven together while soft, thickening into one ropey, plaited column as they grow.
How to propagate
More of these spears are easy to raise, and splitting the clump is quicker than coaxing roots from seed or a cut length of leaf.
DivisionEasy
Spring or summer, during repotting · Several weeks
The quickest way to more spears is to divide the clump during a spring or summer repotting. Ease the offsets apart at the rhizome, leaving roots on each piece, and pot them separately. Each takes a few weeks to root in and grows spears identical to the parent.
Leaf cuttingsModerate
Spring or summer · Several weeks to months
Sections of a single spear will also root, taken in spring or summer, though slowly. Stand the cut lengths upright in gritty mix and wait a few weeks to a few months for roots to form at the base. This is how the several young leaves for a braided column are raised.
SeedDemanding
Spring or summer · Months
Seed is the slowest path and seldom worthwhile indoors, where the spears almost never flower. Fresh seed sown in spring or summer takes months to show. Most growers raise new spears by division or cuttings instead.
Myths
The starfish 'Boncel' is a species all its own.
It is not. 'Boncel' is a cultivar of Dracaena angolensis, the same plant with shorter, fatter spears. It is not a separate species, however different that low starfish of stubby spears looks from the tall form.
Braided plants grow their woven shape on their own.
The braid is shaped by hand, not by the plant. Several slim young leaves are woven together while they still bend, and the plant keeps the plaited form as the spears thicken and grow on.
Snake plants never need watering.
The firm spears hold up a long while between drinks, but not forever. Water them about every two weeks in summer and once a month in winter, and let the soil dry out each time before the next.