For years, it was placed within the genus Sansevieria (snake-plants), a specific name which is still used synonymously by some; in the 21st century, Sansevieria became part of Dracaena (dragon-trees), after improved testing methods, physical comparisons, and other analyses found sufficient commonalities between the two genera to warrant subsumption.

The genus Dracaena is a part of the Asparagaceae (asparagus family)—i.e., they are closely aligned with and related to such groups as the Asparagus, Agave, Beaucarnea (ponytail "palms"), Chlorophytum (spider-plants), Camassia, Dasylirion (sotols), Hesperaloe (Texan or red yuccas) and Yucca (Joshua trees).

Dracaena angolensis (under the synonym Sansevieria cylindrica) received its common name from a competition in a Dutch national newspaper.

[4] It is popular as an ornamental plant[4] as it is easy to culture and take care of in a home if given bright sunlight and other required resources.

[5] In Brazil, where it is known as lança de São Jorge ("St. George's spear"), it is grown outside houses to ward off evil that might harm the home.