Grocott's Mail
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Tuesday, June 24
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Grocott's Mail
    • NEWS
      • Courts & Crime
      • Features
      • Politics
      • People
      • Health & Well-being
    • SPORT
      • News
      • Results
      • Sports Diary
      • Club Contacts
      • Columns
      • Sport Galleries
      • Sport Videos
    • OPINION
      • Election Connection
      • Makana Voices
      • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
      • Newtown… Old Eyes
      • Incisive View
      • Your Say
    • CUE
      • Cue Archives
    • ARTSLIFE
      • Makana Sharp!
      • Visual Art
      • Literature
      • Food
      • Festivals
      • Community Arts
      • Going Places
    • OUR TOWN
      • What’s on
      • Spiritual
      • Emergency & Well-being
      • Covid-19
      • Safety
      • Civic
      • Municipality
      • Weather
      • Properties
        • Grahamstown Properties
      • Your Town, Our Town
    • OUTSIDE
      • Enviro News
      • Gardening
      • Farming
      • Science
      • Conservation
      • Motoring
      • Pets/Animals
    • ECONOMIX
      • Business News
      • Entrepreneurship
      • Personal Finance
    • EDUCATION
      • Education NEWS
      • Education OUR TOWN
      • Education INFO
    • EDITORIAL
    Grocott's Mail
    You are at:Home»OUTSIDE»Local and Lovely»LOCAL & LOVELY Mother-in-law knows best!
    Local and Lovely

    LOCAL & LOVELY Mother-in-law knows best!

    Grocott's Mail ContributorsBy Grocott's Mail ContributorsNovember 6, 2017Updated:November 16, 2017No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Gives mothers-in-law a bad name, but it’s not that bad as a plant. Photo: Internet (plantsrescue.com)

     

    Name: Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce    

    Family: Ruscaceae

    Common names: Engl. Bowstring-hemp, Mother-in-law’s-tongue, Snake-plant;  Afr. Aambeiwortel, Skoonma-se-tong;  Xho. Isikholokotho

     Common garden and container plant.

     Description

    Succulent stemless perennial up to 600mm in large colonies. Rhizome sturdy, fibrous and bright orange. Leaves are erect, rigid, loosely clustered, often with a slightest twist, flat, dark green in colour with paler markings and margins red. Flowers are in dense inflorescence, ± 450 mm; flowers ± 30 mm, greenish white to pale mauve, ± 6 in clusters, open at night (September-May). Fruit are orange berries.

    Conservation status

    According to the SANBI (South African National Biodiversity Institute) Red list of South African Plants, Sansevieria hyacinthoides was not selected in any one of four screening processes for highlighting potential taxa of conservation concern for detailed assessment and was hence given an automated status of Least Concern (L.C.). http://redlist.sanbi.org

     

    Distribution and habitat

    This species occurs naturally in eastern and northern parts of South Africa where it grows in dry bush, scrub and shaded areas. Provincial distribution: Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

     

    Derivation of name and historical aspects

    Sansevieria name after Raimondo di Sangro, Prince of Sansevero (30 January 1710- 22 March 1771) was an Italian nobleman, inventor, soldier, writer, scientist, alchemist, and freemason best remembered for his construction of the Chapel of Sansevero in Naples. Raimondo was the seventh Prince of Sansevero, born at Torremaggiore into a noble family. His father was Antonio, Duke of Torremaggiore, and his mother was Cecilia Gaetani of Aragon. His mother was died shortly after his birth. From the age of 10, he was schooled at the Jesuit College in Rome. He died in Naples in 1771, his death being hastened by continuous use of dangerous chemicals for his experiment and inventions. In 1794, the Swedish naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg named the genus Sansevieria after him. Hyacinthoides means resembling a hyacinth.

    Isikholokotho derives from isikhotsholo, the name of green snake, and alludes to the similar colouring of the leaves.


    Ecology

    Browsed by rhinos, antelopes; rhizome eaten by mole rats. Weaver birds strip the leaves for fibre to build nest. Fibre from leaves can also be made into binding twine.

    Uses and cultural aspects

    Hyacinthoides is popularly known as remedy for ear infections, ear ache and sometimes toothache. It is also traditionally used to treat hemorrhoids (perhaps mother-in-law knows best!), ulcers and intestinal worms. Other treatments include stomach disorders and diarrhea.

    Growing Sanservieria hyacinthoides

    The snake plant is a fast grower and drought-resistant. It grows very easily, needs little attention and is therefore perfect for large gardens. It can be mass planted between the rocks in a rockery, or as hardy ground cover. It prefers sun or partial shade, in any soil type with added compost. Water sparingly. It also does well in a container indoors. Great care must be taken not to over water. It is easily propagated form seeds, cuttings or by division of large clumps. http://pza.sanbi.org/sansevieria-hyacinthoides

    References and further reading

    Dold, T., Cocks, M. 2012. Voices from the Forest, Celebrating Nature and Culture in Xhosaland. Jacana Media, Sunnyside, Auckland Park, South Africa.

    Pooley, E. 2005. A Field Guide to Wild Flowers, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. The Flora Publications

    Trust, c/o Natal Herbarium, Botanical Gardens Road, Durban 4001.

    Van Wyk, B.E., van Oudtshoorn, B., Gericke, N. Medicinal Plants of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raimondo_di_Sangro

    Previous ArticleBurglars busy in Grahamstown
    Next Article Cheers for three Kingwood musicians
    Grocott's Mail Contributors

      Grocott's Mail Contributors includes content submitted by members of the public, and public and private institutions and organisations - regular and occasional, expert and citizen, opinion and analysis.

      Comments are closed.

      Code of Ethics and Conduct
      GROCOTT’S SUBSCRIPTION
      RMR
      Listen to RMR


      Humans of Makhanda

      Humans of Makhanda

      Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

      © 2025 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.