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Spiky Mother-in-law’s-tongue

Dracaena pearsonii

SA tree number

English: Spiky Mother-in-law’s-tongue, Gemsbok Horns, Elephant’s Toothpick

Afrikaans: Bobbejaan-se-dood, Gemsbokhoring

Synonyms:  Sansevieria pearsonii, Sansevieria desertii

Sansevieria pearsonii, known as Spiky Mother-in-law’s-tongue or Gemsbok Horns, is a tough, upright, colony-forming succulent with stiff cylindrical leaves that end in sharp points. It produces night-scented flowers and eye-catching orange berries that attract birds. It thrives in dry, sandy environments and is well-adapted to arid regions in southern Africa.

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Distinguishing features:

  • Upright, cylindrical, ribbed leaves forming dense clumps

  • Leaves end in sharp, rigid points

  • Flowers are pinkish-brown, fragrant, and open at night

  • Rounded orange berries follow the flowers

  • Grows from creeping rhizomes forming colonies


Overall appearance:
A hardy, evergreen succulent with cylindrical upright leaves arranged in dense fan-like clumps and a tall central flower spike.


Height:
Up to 1 metre


Width:
Up to 75cm


Leaves:

  • Cylindrical and erect

  • Ribbed with narrow grooves running lengthwise

  • Tough and leathery texture

  • Rigid pointed tips

  • Overlapping at the base, forming a tight fan-like structure

  • Arise from an underground creeping rhizome


Flowers:

  • Flowers are pinkish-brown and tubular

  • Open only at night

  • Strongly scented

  • Appear in clusters on a long flowering spike emerging from the centre of the rosette

  • Attract night-pollinators like moths


Flowering season:
Winter to early spring (July to September in South Africa)


Fruits:

  • Rounded berries

  • Bright orange when mature

  • Attract and are eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds


Seeds:

  • Carried inside the fleshy fruit

  • Dispersed by birds that eat the berries


Stems:

  • No visible above-ground stems

  • Leaves grow directly from underground rhizomes


Thorns:
No thorns as such, but the ends of the leaves can be extremely sharp and tough.


Roots:

  • Thick, fibrous roots

  • Grows from underground creeping rhizomes


Rhizomes:

  • Creeping, thick and woody

  • Spread horizontally and give rise to new shoots, enabling dense clump formation


Soil type:

  • Prefers dry, sandy or rocky soils

  • Often found on termite mounds, riverbanks, and in open woodland and scrub


Aspect:

  • Best in semi-shade or dappled light

  • Grows well under trees or in light woodland areas

Uses:

  • Leaves produce strong fibres used to make rope and cords

  • Grown as an ornamental plant for dry gardens and containers


Ecology:

  • Flowers attract night-flying moths as pollinators

  • Fruits are eaten by birds which aid seed dispersal

  • Rarely browsed by herbivores

  • Can resprout after damage due to rhizomatous growth habit


Distribution and habitat:

  • Indigenous to Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal

  • Also found in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Eswatini

  • Grows in dry savanna, open woodland, scrub, and along riverbanks


Derivation of name:

  • Originally classified as Sansevieria pearsonii, molecular phylogenetic research has revealed that the genus Sansevieria is not distinct from Dracaena, but rather forms a subgroup within it. As a result, Sansevieria pearsonii has been reclassified under the broader Dracaena genus and is now correctly known as Dracaena pearsonii.

  • The original genus Sansevieria named after Pietro Sanseverino, an Italian patron of botany

  • Species name pearsonii honours Henry Harold Welch Pearson, first director of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden


Interesting facts:

  • The “Gemsbok Horns” nickname refers to its upright horn-like leaves that look like an antelope’s horns.

  • Its underground rhizomes allow it to recover quickly from drought and damage.

  • The flowers only open at night and are fragrant, specially designed to attract moths.


Growing tips:

  • Plant in well-drained sandy or rocky soil

  • Choose a lightly shaded area—under trees works well

  • Water sparingly; this plant is drought-tolerant

  • Propagate by dividing clumps or using rhizome cuttings

  • Ideal for water-wise gardens and rockeries

This plant is a fantastic alternative for:

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