Snake Plant

*Sansevieria trifasciata*

How to know it

Stiff upright sword shaped leaves with banded green markings, growing straight up from the soil. Feels almost artificial to the touch.

What it does

Grown indoors worldwide because it tolerates low light and irregular watering. The leaf fibre has been used for rope and bowstrings. It is one of the few plants that continues gas exchange at night.

Safety

Not for eating. The leaves are mildly toxic if chewed, so keep it as a plant to look after rather than to taste.

Two things to do with children

Give one to each classroom and make watering it a named job. It survives the mistakes children make, which builds confidence before they meet a fussier plant.

Feel a snake plant leaf and then a basil leaf. Thick and thin, tough and soft. Two survival strategies you can hold in two hands.