The Sansevieria cylindrica is a succulent plant that is more commonly referred to as the African spear plant or the cylindrical snake plant. It generally comes with long and straight cylinder-like leaves that you can easily braid.
This kind of braiding is generally carried out in order to give it an aesthetic appearance in your home. This kind of braiding, however, is not purely aesthetic. It can also help you restrict the growth of the plant if you want to keep its size relatively small.
There are several important steps that you need to follow to braid this plant in an appropriate and careful manner without causing it any kind of damage. Let’s go through each of these steps in detail to figure out how to braid Sansevieria cylindrica.
Gather Materials
Firstly, you should gather all the relevant materials that you will need to braid this plant. You should set aside roughly 20 minutes for the entire process once you have managed to gather these materials.
You can take a look at some of the important things that you will need for this process below.
⦁ A maturing and healthy Sansevieria cylindrica plant
⦁ Ties in the form of sturdy raffia or rubber bands
⦁ Strong and sharp scissors
⦁ Two bowls
⦁ A spare cloth for wiping different components throughout the process
⦁ Water
⦁ Well-draining and sandy soil mix
⦁ Well-draining pot or container
⦁ Tarp
⦁ Large spoon or scoop
⦁ Pumice stones
Select the Plant The Correct Sansevieria Cylindrica
It is important for you to select the right kind of Sansevieria cylindrica plant so that you can carry out the process well. Make sure the plant has significantly grown to around 15 inches in terms of its height. This will allow you to have long enough stems of leaves that you can work with.
You can either opt for one or two plants depending on what you want your final outcome to look like. Two plants will provide a more intricate pattern while a single plant will be easier to braid.
Make sure each plant has three stems so that braiding can take place. It can also be better to carry out the braiding process right before the onset of spring or its growing season.
Separate from Pot
You will now have to separate the plant from the soil in the pot. You will need to carry this out carefully to prevent too much damage to the roots. Give it a few shakes and twists and loosen up the soil a bit so that it can come out easily.
Once you successfully remove the plant, you should scrape off any kind of dirt. You can use your hands for larger bits or for an initial removal, after which you should lightly wash the roots to remove the remaining dirt and soil thoroughly.
Dry It Up
You can now take a spare piece of cloth and dry the roots completely. Dry the stems as well in case some water splashed onto them while rinsing. Try not to leave behind any kind of moisture as this could be harmful to the health of the plant.
Stack and Secure
The next step is to take the removed plants and stack them together, one on top of the other in case you are using two plants. You will then need to tie them together in a secure manner.
Take the tie and wrap it firmly at the base of the stem that is closer to the roots. Hold up the tied-up plants in position for braiding. Ensure that the leaves or stems face you while the roots are on the opposite side.
Braid
It is now time for you to start braiding! Make yourself comfortable and use some support to ensure a sturdy hold over the plant.
If you are using a single plant, you can go one at a time. If you are using two plants, you will need to braid two stems at a time.
Take the stems on the right and place them over the central stems. Next, you should take the stems on the left and braid them over the central ones. Keep repeating this process from the right to left without losing control over your hold on the plant.
Tie Longer Stems
Once you reach the end of the braid, you will need to tie the long stems together. You will reach the end once you can no longer braid the shorter stems any further.
If you notice that the short stems are still hanging out at the tip, that’s okay! You will not be able to braid them anymore, in which case you should take the long stems in your hands and hold them firmly together.
Take another tie and wrap it around the long stems. It is better for you to use a raffia tie here since it will firmly stay in its place. You should also remove the rubber band near the base with a raffia tie.
Bring It Together
You can now add some finishing touches to the braid by taking the shorter stems that are hanging out and inserting them into the gaps in the braid. This will prevent them from sticking out too much or coming loose.
Repot the Plant
You can now repot this braided plant. Take a new pot or container and fill it with the sandy and coarse soil mix using a spoon or scoop. Ensure that this soil is well-draining to prevent root rot due to excess retention of water.
Mix in some pumice stones to improve the draining quality of the soil. Once you put the soil in the pot, you can carefully plant it inside and cover the remaining part of the roots with some more soil.
Concluding Remarks
Through this guide, you have now learned how to braid Sansevieria cylindrica. You can now try it out on your own by carefully following the steps mentioned above.
Once you are done repotting it, you can continue to care for it through the relevant watering, feeding and sunlight requirements.