The snake plant is one of the most popular houseplants because it can clean the air and make rooms look nice with its beautiful, dark green leaves. It is a succulent plant that is easy to grow and maintain and can be purchased from plant online stores. If you don’t already have an indoor mother-in-law tongue plant, you can easily grow a new one by taking leaf cuttings from a healthy one. Any room of your house with intense indirect light can benefit from the variety of mother-in-law tongue plants that are available. Also, because it grows slowly, it requires little maintenance to maintain it.
| Scientific Name | Dracaena trifasciata, Sansevieria trifasciata |
| Common Name | Mother-in-law’s tongue, snake plant, viper’s bowstring hemp |
| Height & Spread | Up to 3.5 feet tall and 40 inches tall |
| Family | Asparagaceae |
| Soil | Free draining soil |
| Light | Filter harsh sunlight, direct sunlight |
| Water | Every 2 to 8 weeks |
| Pets & Diseases | Mealybugs, Root rot, spider mites |
Care Guide For Mother-in-law’s Tongue Plant
Temperature And Sun:
Provide filtered or strong, indirect light for your mother-in-law tongue plant. It can live in low-light conditions, but it will grow more slowly and have fewer colours. Although Sansevieria trifasciata can survive low light, it thrives in more intense illumination. It will be too much for it in a sunny area. Choose a location with indirect sunlight that is three to six feet away from a window that lets in plenty of light. In temperate, warm, and frost-free environments, snake plants flourish. In zones 9 through 11, they can be grown outside in containers. Outside of that, mother-in-law tongue plants cannot survive in regions with subfreezing temperatures. A Sansevieria, whether cylindrical or not, will perish from even a slight chill. Mother-in-law tongue plants should be moved indoors throughout the fall and winter in areas that are close to their hardiness range.
Soil:
According to plant specialists, an African violet combination with a small amount of sand added for better drainage is the best type of soil for mother in law tongue plants. If you want to create your own soil, mix 2 parts perlite or builder’s sand with 1 part peat and 1 part garden soil. A well-draining potting mix in a container with a wide drainage hole could potentially serve as your base. Make sure to use high-quality components because this slow-growing plant can’t flourish in poor soil or mix. It thrives between 4.5 to 8.5, with 5.5 to 7.5 being ideal. Use professionally made mother in law tongue plant soil if you are unsure of where to buy each component for a proper soil mix.
Humidity And Water:
Mother-in-law’s tongue plants don’t need a lot of water because their leaves are succulent. Never over-water the mixture; keep it just slightly damp. Mother-in-law tongue plants will get mushy in wet soil, and diseases like root rot are more likely to spread. Depending on the season, water your Sansevieria cylindrica or variegated mother-in-law tongue plant gently in the morning every two to eight weeks. water every two weeks in the summer and every eight weeks in the winter. Under-watering puts snake plants in more danger of damage than over-watering does. Thus, allow the mixture to fully dry in between irrigations. Where most residences are located, which is between 30% and 50% humidity, is the ideal range for snake plants.
Fertilizing:
Use an organic liquid fertilizer with an NPK of 10-10-10 once a month during the spring and summer to give your mother-in-law tongue plant a strong foundation. Look for one without nitrates. Use a fertiliser made specifically for mother-in-law tongue plants if you’re unsure what to buy. Avoid fertilising your plants in the winter and outside of the growing season.