It has been proposed by Pei-Luen Lu1 & Clifford W. Morden( in Phylogenetic Relationships among Dracaenoid Genera (Asparagaceae: Nolinoideae) Inferred from Chloroplast DNA Loci, Systematic Botany (2014), 39(1): pp. 90-104, DOI 10.1600/036364414X678035), that the genus Sansevieria should be transferred to the genus Dracaena. This treatment has not yet been taken up universally and so, for the time being, we are leaving Sansevieria as distinct. The proposed new name in Dracaena can be seen below in the list of synonyms.
There is a lot of confusion between this species, Sansevieria roxburghiana from India and Sansevieria zeylanica from Sri Lanka[]. It is most likely that they all have similar uses.

Common Name: Bowstring Hemp

General Information

Sansevieria aethiopica is a succulent, evergreen, perennial plant producing long, narrow, erect or slightly spreading sword-shaped leaves up to 75cm long from a rhizomatous rootstock. The plant can spread to form colonies.
The plant is harvested from the wild for the good quality fibre that is obtained from the leaves. The leaves are also used for local medicinal purposes.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

South and east Africa - South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya.

Habitat

Dry open places, bush-veldt or savannah, in well drained sandy or rocky soil

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Sansevieria aethiopica is native to the tropics and subtropics of southern Africa where it grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome. It is not very frost hardy, though it can succeed outdoors in the mildest parts of the temperate zone if it is given a selected sunny position[].
Requires a very sunny position in a very well-drained sandy gritty loam[] and a pH between 6 and 7[]. Plants must be kept dry after they have flowered[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].

Edible Uses

The rhizome is a source of water[]. This is presumably of some use in the arid areas of its native range, but of rather limited benefit in Britain[].

Medicinal

The leaves are bruised, then heated for a short time. They are then twisted by hand and the fluid thus obtained is dripped into the ear as a cure for ear problems[].

Other Uses

A high quality fibre is obtained from the leaves. It is used for making sails and paper[, , , ].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a warm greenhouse in mid spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least a couple of years in a greenhouse before trying any of them outdoors.
Division of suckers as growth commences in the spring.
Leaf-cuttings, 7cm long placed in sand in a frame[]. The leaf is cut into sections, the cut surfaces allowed to dry for a few hours, and the sections then placed in pots in a warm light frame, but with shelter from direct sunlight. Rooting and new growth should take place within a month.