This plant is toxic to pets.Read on for our care guide.
Outdoors, these plants appreciate the morning sun but should be protected from the direct hot afternoon sun.
Indoors, they like a bright north-facing window.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
A potting mix made especially for succulents or cacti is ideal.
Water
African spear plants can survive prolonged periods of drought.
Being left in soggy soil or standing water for too long can cause theroots to rot.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
Let the soil dry out between waterings, then water the plant deeply.
Watering every week to every other week is generally enough.
verify they remain in temperatures above 50F.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
That includes protecting them from cool drafts, such as those from air conditioners.
Humidity usually isnt an issue as long as the soil isnt saturated.
Fertilizer
African spear plants can live in lean soil, and they dont require much fertilizer.
Feed them with a succulent fertilizer diluted to half strength monthly from spring to fall.
Cut them at their base with sterilized pruning shears.
The long spear-like leaves of this plant can also be braided for an aesthetically pleasing look.
They are best planted at the start of the growing season in the spring.
In the wild, they grow in dense groupings, spreading by creeping rhizomes under the soil.
Germination can take up to six weeks if it occurs at all.
Move it to just one container size up, as its roots still will like being a little cramped.
Also, be sure the pot has ample drainage holes.
African spear plants rarely get bug infestations; however, mealybugs and spider mites will occasionally bother this plant.
Use aninsecticidal soapon its leaves to remove and kill the insects.
Overwintering
African spear plants go dormant in the winter.
During the winter months, wait longer between your waterings than you did during the growing season.
Watering roughly once a month should be fine.
You’ll also want to skip fertilizer in the winter.
How Long Does African Spear Plant Bloom?
If it blooms, African spear plant blooms for about two weeks.
It’s never a guarantee they will bloom, and they may not bloom again the following year.
What Do African Spear Plants Flowers Look and Smell Like?
When it blooms, an African spear plant shoots up a flower stalk from its base.
They don’t look unique or remarkable, although they have a sweet vanilla or jasmine-like fragrance.
How to Encourage More Blooms
To encourage blooms, consider giving a phosphorus-rich fertilizer.
Phosphorus spurs plants to produce flowers and fruits, while nitrogen encourages more leaf production.
Deadheading does not do anything for this plant.
They are slow-growing succulents that will survive if you forget to water or feed them.
To prevent these conditions, only water when the soil is dry.
Keep the plant in temperatures above 50F, and keep the plant in a sunny spot with indirect light.
Moist soils typically weigh down a pot, but this plant does not like soggy soil.
Genetic testing has improved much in recent years.
