sansevieria

American  

[san-suh-vee-eer-ee-uh, -suh-veer-ee-uh] / ˌsæn sə viˈɪər i ə, -səˈvɪər i ə /

noun

1. any plant belonging to the genus Sansevieria, of the agave family, grown as a houseplant for its stiff, sword-shaped leaves and white or yellow flowers.

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sansevieria British  

/ ˌsænsɪˈvɪərɪə /

noun

1. any herbaceous perennial plant of the liliaceous genus Sansevieria, of Old World tropical regions. Some are cultivated as house plants for their erect bayonet-like fleshy leaves of variegated green (mother-in-law's tongue); others yield useful fibre (bowstring hemp)

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Etymology

Origin of sansevieria

1795–1805; < New Latin; named after San Seviero, principality of Raimondo di Sangro (1710–71), learned Neapolitan; -ia

Example Sentences

The easiest plants to start with, according to Tarte, are the ones that shrug off the cool nights Seattle throws into the summer mix, including citrus, yucca, sansevieria, succulents and ficus.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2023

First-time plant parents love low-maintenance pothos and sansevieria because they are easy, but what about fussy staples like orchids and fiddle-leaf figs?

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2021

Greenery dots the space — small ferns, a sansevieria, a ZZ plant.

From Washington Post • Oct. 22, 2019

Sedums, sansevieria, Mother in Law’s Tongue, agave, Australian grevillea “Poorinda Royal Mantle” all work well in drought-tolerant conditions.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2015

The first picture in what has become the recognized Wood manner was a portrait of his mother holding a potted sansevieria.

From Time Magazine Archive