Bowstring Hemp (Sanseviera aethiopica)

At a glance

Lifecycle: Perennial (hardy)
Exposure: Full sun
Frost limit: −1.1 °C

Cultivation

Requires a very sunny position in a very well-drained sandy gritty loam. This species is not very frost hardy, though it can succeed outdoors in the mildest parts of the country if it is given a selected sunny position. There is a lot of confusion between this species, S. roxburghiana. Schult. from India and S. zeylanica. (L.)Willd. from Sri Lanka. It is most likely that they all have similar uses, though none of them are likely to be very hardy in Britain.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a warm greenhouse in April. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least a couple of years in a greenhouse before trying any of them outdoors. Division of suckers as growth commences in the spring. Leaf-cuttings, 7cm long placed in sand in a frame. The leaf is cut into sections, the cut surfaces allowed to dry for a few hours, and the sections then placed in pots in a warm light frame, but with shelter from direct sunlight. Rooting and new growth should take place within a month.

Edible uses

The rhizome is a source of water. This is presumably of some use in the arid areas of its native range, but of rather limited benefit in Britain[K].

Material uses

A high quality fibre is obtained from the leaves. It is used for making sails and paper.

Habitat

Not known

Native range

Tropical Africa.