Dracaena trifasciata

Dracaena trifasciata, a flowering species from the Asparagaceae family, originally grows in tropical West Africa, ranging from Nigeria eastward to the Congo. It goes by several common names, including snake plant, Saint George's sword, mother-in-law's tongue (also shared with *Dracaena hyacinthoides*), and viper's bowstring hemp. Its popularity as a houseplant comes from its low-maintenance nature—it can get by with very little water and sunlight.

This evergreen perennial forms dense clumps by spreading through creeping rhizomes, which may grow above or below ground. Its stiff leaves rise vertically from a basal rosette. Mature leaves are dark green with light gray-green cross-bands, typically 70–90 centimeters (2.3–3.0 ft) long and 5–6 centimeters (2.0–2.4 in) wide, though under ideal conditions they can exceed 2 meters (6 ft) in height. The species name *trifasciata* means "with three bundles." The plant uses crassulacean acid metabolism for gas exchange, which helps it survive drought. Its stomata—the microscopic pores on the leaves—open only at night to reduce water loss from evaporation in hot sun. Getting it to flower outside its natural habitat is tough, but replicating those conditions can work. The blooms range from greenish white to cream, some fragrant at night and others not, and they have a sticky texture. The common names "mother-in-law's tongue," "Saint George's sword," and "snake plant" refer to the leaves' shape and sharp edges, which resemble snakes. "Viper's bowstring hemp" comes from its use as a source of plant fibers for bowstrings.

Like other members of its genus, *D. trifasciata* provides bowstring hemp, a strong fiber once used for bowstrings. Today, it's mainly grown as an ornamental—outdoors in warm climates and indoors as a houseplant in cooler regions. It's a popular choice for beginners because it tolerates low light and irregular watering; in winter, it may need watering only once every few months. Overwatering leads to rot. The NASA Clean Air Study showed it can filter indoor air, removing four of five main toxins linked to sick building syndrome, but its filtration rate is too slow for practical use. Propagation can happen via cuttings or by dividing the rhizome, though cuttings lose the variegation. Some authorities consider it a potential weed in Australia. It's widely used ornamentally in the tropics—in pots and garden beds—and as an indoor plant in temperate areas. The plant contains saponins, which are mildly toxic to dogs and cats and can cause gastrointestinal upset if eaten. In South Africa, it's used to treat ear infections.

Numerous cultivars exist, many bred for variegated foliage with yellow or silvery-white leaf margins. Popular ones include 'Compacta', 'Goldiana', 'Hahnii', 'Laurentii', 'Silbersee', and 'Silver Hahnii'. 'Hahnii' was discovered in 1939 by William W. Smith Jr. at the Crescent Nursery Company in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a 1941 patent assigned to Sylvan Frank Hahn of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The variety *D. trifasciata* var. *laurentii*, along with cultivars 'Bantel's Sensation' and 'Golden Hahni', have received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Non-variegated forms are often mistakenly sold as *Sansevieria zeylanica*, a different species rarely cultivated.

In its native African range, specimens with yellow leaf-margin stripes are linked to Ọya, the female orisha of storms. In Nigeria, the plant is associated with Ògún, the orisha of war, and is used in rituals to remove the evil eye. In Brazil, where it's called *espada de São Jorge* ("Saint George's sword"), it's planted outside homes to ward off evil, similar to *Dracaena angolensis* (Saint George's spear). The plant plays a key role in the Afro-Brazilian religion Umbanda, representing the orisha Ogum (Ògún), who is syncretized with Saint George. Some yellow-edged varieties are called *espada de Santa-Bárbara* ("Sword of Saint Barbara") and are tied to Iansã, the Umbanda name for Ọya, syncretized with Saint Barbara; these are grown to protect against bad weather. The plant appears on the porch in Grant Wood's 1930 painting *American Gothic*.