Zey is made of tough stuff. They grow primarily across Africa, in very dry conditions. They are used to places so hot that during the day they keep all their pores completely closed, so they don’t lose any water to evaporation. When the temperature cools at night, its pores open, releasing all the oxygen they have been holding in. 

Their toughness makes them a dream of a houseplant. If you’re a beginner, this is the one for you. They thrive on neglect, can live in any light conditions and doesn’t care if you forget to water them. The only thing they hate is too much water. If you want to help them grow faster, give them a feed with liquid fertiliser once per month in spring and summer. For more details, have a look at our full care guide.

Zey is a member of the snake plants, which are treasured all over the world. Across Africa, they are associated with Ogun, the deity of war, and Oya, the bringer of storms. In China, they are the ‘tiger’s tail orchid’; in Brazil, the ‘sword of Saint George’. Basically, this plant is pretty famous.

If you’d like this plant with brighter, check out their sister Susie or have a look at our full range of snake plants. They make great companions.

Did you know?

Another nickname for this plant is ‘viper’s bowstring hemp’, because its strong fibres were once used to make strings for bows.