Caring for sansevieria is a real pleasure. She does not need to create special conditions and adhere to them. The plant feels great not only in good light, but also in partial shade.
But still, in order to prolong the life of your pet, it is better to remember a few simple rules, the observance of which will create a favorable environment for mother-in-law's tongue.
Location
For sansevieria, it is better to choose a place with good lighting. This is especially true for varieties with variegated leaf colors, which grow and develop well even in direct sunlight. But the plant will do well in partial shade.
It is best to place the flowerpot on the south, east or west side. You can place sansevieria in the northern part of the apartment, but in this case its color will not be as bright and saturated as in good lighting.
Watering
The watering regime for Sansevieria differs significantly at different times of the year:
- In winter - once every 2-3 weeks.
- From spring to autumn - moderately, allowing the soil to dry out a little.
15-20 minutes after watering, it is necessary to pour out excess water from the pan. It is better to use water for irrigation that is at room temperature.
Important! Never allow water to get into the sansevieria rosette, as this may cause it to rot.
Periodically it is necessary to wipe the leaves with a damp soft sponge to remove dust from them and saturate them with additional moisture. You can sometimes lightly spray Sansevieria.
Soil for mother-in-law tongue and fertilizer
To prepare the substrate for sansevieria, use turf and leaf soil, sand, in a ratio of 2:1:1. Also, before planting, it is necessary to provide a layer of drainage, for the creation of which expanded clay is best suited.
Top dressing
Young specimens of Sansevieria begin to be fed no earlier than six months after planting. For fertilizer, it is better to use a special liquid preparation for indoor succulent plants, which is easy to purchase at any specialized store.
Fertilizers containing large amounts of phosphorus and calcium are well suited for mother-in-law's tongue. But there should be as little nitrogen as possible, since its excess can lead to rotting of the root system.
Plants are fertilized only in summer, once a month.
Transfer
It is necessary to replant sansevieria only if its roots have completely filled the pot and the plant becomes cramped in the old container:
- Young plants - once every 2 years.
- Old plants – once every 3 years.
When choosing a new pot, it is worth considering that the root system of Sansevieria develops more to the sides than to the depth. Therefore, you should give preference to containers that are wide, but not very deep.
The transplant is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Water the plant you are about to transplant thoroughly.
- Add layers of drainage and new soil to the new pot.
- Carefully remove the sansevieria from the old container.
- Carefully separate the old earthen lump from the root system. Be careful not to damage the roots.
- Place the sansevieria in a new container in the center, on a layer of substrate.
- Fill the pot with new soil so that all the roots are covered with soil.
- Compact the soil.
After transplantation, it is better to place the sansevieria in partial shade and not water it for several days.
Diseases and pests
Pests such as thrips, spider mites, and mealybugs can sometimes appear on sansevieria leaves. To get rid of them, you need to wipe the leaves with a soft, damp sponge, removing all parasites and, if necessary, treat with special preparations.
As a rule, with good and proper care, Sansevieria is not susceptible to the occurrence and development of diseases or pests.
Lighting
In its homeland, Sansevieria grows in conditions of strong solar activity. However, it does not necessarily need to be in the sun to grow and develop.
Mother-in-law's tongue feels great in diffused light and partial shade.
Sansevieria is very unpretentious, but variegated varieties require more light and may even lose their color if there is not enough light.
Direct sunlight does not harm sansevieria at all , so if it is exposed to the sun for several hours a day, no sunburn will appear on the leathery leaves.
What time of year should you do this and how often?
Usually, new shoots appear on sansevieria in the spring, but under especially favorable conditions for it, it can produce children all year round.
You can both replant and plant a flower at any time of the year; this will not harm its vitality in any way. On the contrary: having received a new spacious pot and space for the root system, she will happily begin to grow and reproduce. The plant does not have a dormant period, it enjoys life all year round on any windowsill and at any temperature above +15 o C, so if a flower asks to be replanted in winter, you should not refuse and postpone the matter until spring.
Watering
Sansevieria stores a large amount of moisture in the rhizome, and hard leaves evaporate it very poorly. Therefore, this plant does not need abundant watering and is even harmful. It is adapted to water shortages and dry soil.
Water the sansevieria so that the lump of earth dries out at least 2/3 . In summer, the flower needs to be watered well once every 10 days, and then the substrate in which it grows should be dried.
In winter, watering is reduced, watered once every 2-3 weeks, depending on the room temperature. Sansevieria is not picky about the temperature and composition of water. However, you should not water the plant with cold water.
To bloom or not to bloom - the plant decides this question itself
"Cuckoo's Tail" may not bloom for years, and then suddenly please the owners - bloom in the summer with delicate whitish-yellow-green flowers and narrow petals, fragrant like the aroma of vanilla.
A bunch of inflorescences that look like small stars appear on the discarded peduncle. They secrete drops of nectar that attract insects in a certain environment.
The aroma from them can spread throughout the entire room, and can be “heard” even on the landing - it is so intoxicating. It blooms in the evening, blooms at night, and closes during the day. Pleases with its beauty for no more than a week.
The reason for the sudden flowering is not good care at all, but the fact that the instinct of procreation awakens in the “mommy”, like in any living organism.
When she begins to feel her death approaching, the force of nature forces her to bloom to leave behind seeds.
This happens at a time when the pet’s rhizome grows greatly and fills the volume of the flowerpot so that it becomes cramped, the nutrients dry up - at such a moment it decides to show all its beauty.
Even without knowledge or experience in the field of floriculture, every person will be able to decorate their home with one of the classes of an unassuming miracle of nature.
Collectors can get a wealth of information on the Internet about the uniqueness of this beauty, from compact types to one and a half meter types.
Unfortunately, many rare types of exotic flowers are not fully studied and not appreciated due to their inaccessibility to other countries.
The soil
In nature, Sansevieria grows on depleted rocky soils of semi-deserts. But in apartment conditions it is not at all necessary to plant it in an earthen mixture for succulents.
The plant is not susceptible to rotting, so mother-in-law’s tongue grows best in a universal soil mixture with the addition of raising agents : brick chips, perlite, fine gravel.
You can mix the substrate for planting sansevieria yourself. The most optimal composition: 4 parts turf soil, 1 part sand, 2 parts leaf soil, 1 part brick chips.
Humidity
Existing in steppe and semi-desert climates, the plant has adapted to very dry air. Therefore, it is not necessary to maintain a certain humidity in the room where Sansevieria grows. In conditions of high humidity, the plant also does well, although the risk of root rot increases.
Sansevieria is not sprayed . It does not require high air humidity, and water getting inside the outlet can lead to its rotting. In order for the flower to have a beautiful appearance and not be dusty, it is enough to periodically wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
Where to put
— Lighting . In shaded places, the plant slows down its growth; in deep shade, growth stops, but the plant itself survives safely. When changing location, plants undergo an adaptation period - the plant is moved gradually, allowing it to get used to the new conditions before determining its final location. But preferably a place illuminated by the sun, but develop in partial shade.
- Temperature. Sansevieria is undemanding to temperature, but responds well to heat. If watering is limited, it can withstand low temperatures, even frost, but for a short time. In summer in temperate latitudes it can be planted in open ground. In winter, the temperature should be 18-20 degrees; in short periods, sansevieria can withstand even 8-10 degrees. This is one of the few plants that can be placed next to heating devices. In summer, it can tolerate heat of even 30 degrees.
- Humidity . It grows well in dry air, but also likes periodic spraying with lukewarm water and wiping the leaves with a damp sponge or cloth. Avoid spraying with water because Sansevieria prefers low air humidity.
Diseases
Sansevieria is a plant that is very resistant to various infectious and fungal diseases.
Sometimes, when the soil is heavily waterlogged, root rot develops, and when water gets into the rosette, the leaves rot.
To preserve the plant, it is enough to reduce watering, dry the soil, and remove the affected rosettes.
Pests very rarely settle on sansevieria . Sometimes you can find mealybugs or scale insects, but the pests do not breed here in large numbers.
Therefore, they are often limited to only mechanical removal of harmful insects. If it is not possible to destroy the pests, you need to spray the plant with insecticidal preparations.
Problems
When growing sansevieria, even novice gardeners rarely have problems. But sometimes, due to significant errors in care, this flower can even die. It is necessary to regularly inspect it and analyze changes in its appearance.
Most often, the plant suffers from excessive watering. In this case, the leaves turn yellow and die, and they become soft. If you do not reduce watering, the root system may begin to rot.
With a lack of moisture, if sansevieria is not watered for months, the leaves become limp and wrinkled.
With prolonged exposure to low temperatures, the growth of the flower slows down greatly, then its leaves wither and die. In this case, if the temperature in the room is not increased, the plant may die.
When there is insufficient lighting, thin, weak leaves grow, and Sansevieria stretches out . Variegated varieties may lose light stripes or borders in the dark. If left in a dark place for a long time, brown spots may appear on the leaves, especially if over-watered.
What benefits does a pike tail bring?
This plant is used in a variety of areas. First of all, it is an excellent choleretic agent. Traditional medicine uses sansevieria as an excellent anti-inflammatory agent. Leaves applied to the wound promote rapid healing.
Such properties allow the home plant to be used externally or as an internal preparation. Homemade pike tail leaves can be used similarly to aloe leaves; they should be applied to the wound for quick healing.
Almost all elements of homemade pike tail are used in medicine. Finely chopped root has a strong immunomodulatory effect. Medicinal decoctions are made from it, which have a preventive effect on colds.
In addition, homemade pike tail has several useful properties:
- Antiviral.
- Fungicidal.
- Diuretic.
Of course, if you use this home plant haphazardly, you can harm yourself. To use it, you need to know well the individual tolerance of your body and the diagnosis of the disease.
In principle, the plant is absolutely harmless. It can be used to treat a wide variety of colds:
- Cough.
- Bronchitis.
- ORZ.
The use of Sansevieria in the treatment of other diseases has a great positive effect:
- acne;
- dermatitis;
- skin ulcers;
- women's diseases.
Medicinal properties of the plant “Pike tail”
According to traditional medicine, the plant has a beneficial effect on the human nervous state, it perfectly purifies the air. The indoor microclimate improves.
Medical professionals are skeptical about the benefits of this plant. However, it has long been recognized as a medicinal plant, but not widely used in comparison with, say, chamomile.
It must be said that the “pike tail”, when properly cared for, reduces the harmful effects of radiation from the computer, which is why it is often installed next to the monitor.
The mythical properties of the plant, which cannot be explained by natural laws, are also of interest. For example, where there is a home flower, people very rarely quarrel, there are no scandals or petty squabbles.
People who are often near the flower and who constantly care for it begin to feel more confident, and men's potency improves.
The human body practically ceases to feel magnetic storms. The room is cleared of viruses, especially ARVI carriers.
“Pike tail” helps if a person has:
- Stressful state.
- Mood swings.
- Fatigue.
- Decreased concentration.
This is due to the fact that the home flower has a strong effect on the functioning of the nervous system and brain.
Reproduction
In apartment conditions, Sansevieria propagates very easily by vegetative means. To propagate Sansevieria or mother-in-law's tongue, separate rosettes, parts of rhizomes and cut leaves are used.
The rosette, separated from the plant, and rhizome fragments are planted directly in separate permanent pots. This procedure is carried out in spring or summer during the growing season.
When dividing the rhizome, it is important that the planted part has at least one growth point. Then, with moderate watering of the shoots, they soon begin to grow and send out new shoots.
Sansevieria can be propagated from cut leaves . They are placed in water or immediately planted in the ground to a depth of 2-3 cm. To avoid rotting of the leaves, they should be watered moderately. After 1.5-2 months they take root and then form new shoots.
Now you know how to propagate mother-in-law's tongue at home.
Transfer
Young plants need to be replanted once every 2 years. Adult flowers are rarely replanted - once every 4-5 years, when the side shoots become cramped in the old pot. Sansevieria or mother-in-law's tongue is transplanted in spring or early summer.
The pot for the plant should be wide and shallow, since it grows wide and does not have long roots. First, the flower is removed from the pot and excess rosettes and shoots on the sides are cut off. The trimmed parts are planted in separate containers, and the old plant is transplanted into the previous pot using the transfer method.
Before planting sansevieria, you need to pour a good drainage layer a few centimeters thick of expanded clay or shards onto the bottom of the pot. Then a layer of fresh soil is poured onto the bottom, the plant is placed in a pot and the rhizome is sprinkled with fresh soil.
The plant should not be planted too deeply, and after replanting it is useful not to water it for 2-3 days so that all damage to the roots is healed.
Sansevieria care at home photo
The flower grows in countries with very hot climates, so it simply needs a large amount of light, heat and watering no more than once a week in the summer. In winter, watering should be reduced to 2 times a month. Excessive humidity and cold will kill the plant.
Make sure the top layer of soil is dry before watering. Dry soil does not stick to your fingers if you check the soil in the pot by touch.
Before planting, make sure there is good drainage. Be sure to make large holes at the bottom of the pot, place stones and sprinkle them with sand. The soil for the flower should consist of a mixture of sand, turf and leaf soil. Ratio 1:2:2.
After transplantation, you can use cactus fertilizer. Just keep in mind that the rate indicated in the instructions must be divided by two. Sansevieria, if fed in excess, can change the color of the leaves and become unattractive.
For the first five years, the “mother-in-law’s tongue” flower grows very actively, so it will have to be replanted once a year - in the spring. After growth slows down, it is sufficient to replant once every 3 years.
Choose a pot taking into account the fact that mother-in-law’s tongue has thick, long, strong roots, and the height of the plant can reach up to a meter. But perhaps you have a shorter type of it, and it does not reach such a height.
But in any case, its roots are developed and strong - otherwise it would not be able to survive in the natural conditions of a hot climate and lack of water. He extracts it from all subsoil layers around the flower.
Useful tips
For amateur gardeners who grow sansevieria, you need to know a few useful tips, as well as the medicinal properties of the plant:
- "Mother-in-law's tongue" grows very quickly, but when it reaches its maximum height, its growth stops;
- The plant contains useful biologically active substances, for example, saponins. After undergoing the necessary processing, they can be used in medicines;
- Their sansevieria tincture can be used as an enema to eliminate intestinal problems;
- Sansevieria extract is used in the manufacture of choleretic, anti-inflammatory and laxative drugs. The juice of the leaves of the plant can be instilled into the ears for otitis, the skin of the leaves has wound-healing properties, and a decoction from the plant helps with infections of the genitourinary system.
Mother-in-law's tongue flower: signs
The indoor flower mother-in-law's tongue, according to popular belief, is a symbol of well-being. This plant is incompatible with quarrels, disagreements and scandals. All negativity is caught and intercepted by pointed leaves. Signs with the mother-in-law's tongue flower are associated only with positive aspects. It is believed that its bloom is a sign of new beginnings. The buds will wither to warn household members about imminent problems and troubles.
Before believing in signs, you should pay attention to the time of year and the characteristics of care. Care, timely feeding and adherence to watering rules will allow you to correctly evaluate the “hints” of the mother-in-law’s tongue flower.
Mother-in-law's tongue is a plant that has a beneficial effect on the spiritual atmosphere in the house and has excellent healing properties. Its leaves have antiseptic qualities and are widely used in folk medicine to treat wounds, abrasions and burns.
Toxicity of the plant and precautions for care and placement
Although Sansevieria is a beautiful plant and can be used for medicinal purposes, ingestion of its juice can cause serious poisoning.
It's all about saponins - useful substances that, after special processing, are used in medicines. However, in large doses they turn into poison.
Signs of Sansevieria poisoning are : pain and burning in the throat, excessive salivation, vomiting and diarrhea.
Cats and dogs that decide to chew the leaves of Pike Tail will experience vomiting, intestinal upset, and may develop dermatitis.
However, it is important to consider that all these symptoms can only appear if the plant juice enters the body. When applied to the skin, the juice has wound-healing properties.
Due to the fact that Sansevieria is a poisonous plant, certain precautions should be taken when placing and caring for it:
- All manipulations with the flower, for example, replanting or pruning, must be carried out with gloves and make sure that the juice does not get into the eyes;
- All trimmed parts of the plant must be immediately destroyed or thrown away;
- Sansevieria should not be placed in rooms where small children sleep or play;
- If there are cats or dogs in the house, it is better to place the plant out of their reach;
- At the first signs of poisoning with sansevieria juice, you need to induce vomiting, then drink activated charcoal and seek help from a doctor.
Signs associated with “mother-in-law’s tongue”
“Mother-in-law’s tongue” also has many popular names: “pike tail”, “Indian sword”, “snake skin”, “devil’s tongue” and this influenced the emergence of various signs and superstitions, most often unfounded, associated with this plant:
- a plant of gossip - some believe that “mother-in-law’s tongue” brings frequent quarrels and family destruction into the house. This is an absolute lie - Sansevieria is an excellent plant for strengthening the family - quarrels and showdowns disappear, love and mutual understanding return
- energy - the plant absorbs negativity - rudeness, bad mood, anger and sets up positive communication, while emitting the energy of creativity and peace
- getting rid of ill-wishers - the plant is able to stop gossip and drive away ill-wishers
- flowering of a plant - it is believed that if “mother-in-law’s tongue” blooms in winter, this is a sign of a major scandal associated with excessive care. If flowering occurs at any other time of the year except winter, this is a good sign that speaks of good luck in new endeavors.
Description of the plant and species
Sansevieria is valued by gardeners for its rapid growth and original color of succulent leaves, amazing vitality and ease of care.
"Pike tail" is a member of the Agave family or, according to other sources, Asparagus. This perennial evergreen plant, which does not have a stem, grows naturally in savannas, semi-deserts and deserts of Africa and Asia.
The plant is a succulent that stores water in its tissues . It has an underground creeping rhizome with powerful rhizomes. Erect, fleshy leaves grow upward from a powerful root. They are very dense, lanceolate in shape, often covered with a waxy coating and pointed at the ends.
There are varieties of Sansevieria in which the leaves reach a height of more than a meter. Other species have small rosettes that grow wider than tall. Depending on the variety and type, the leaves can be painted in different shades of green or brown, and there may be horizontal or vertical stripes on their surface, or a bright edging.
“Mother-in-law’s tongue” blooms in early spring - the rosette produces a long peduncle, on which small white flowers are collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence, emitting a pleasant vanilla aroma.
Sansevieria blooms for 2 weeks.
The most common types for indoor floriculture are:
- Sansevieria three-lane - has long sword-shaped leaves reaching 1 meter in length. They have a bright green color with darker transverse stripes. A yellow-white border may be present.
- Sansevieria Hanni is a low-growing species, up to 30 cm high. Dark green leaves with various light stripes or inclusions form a rosette. It has several subspecies with different leaf colors.
- Sansevieria is large - it has wide fleshy leaves, 30-60 cm high, up to 15 cm wide. Their color is light green with dark transverse stripes and a reddish border.
- Sansevieria cylindrical - has dark green cylindrical leaves, 1.5-2 cm in diameter, with silvery transverse stripes. There is a deep groove along the leaf.
A flower for happiness and a leaf for mental anxiety
Many people don’t know, but mother-in-law’s tongue is blooming.
The belief is that flowering foretells a dream coming true. It is rare to see thin green stems and white flowers on a magical plant. If you see them, expect good luck and happiness in your home. According to other beliefs, flowering in winter brings bad luck, quarrels, illnesses of relatives and loved ones. Flowering in warm seasons is a harbinger of minor troubles and failures. The plant is very mysterious, but no less stunning for that. Other beliefs attribute medicinal powers to it. If you suffer from insomnia and anxiety, a pike tail will give peace to any heart. To do this, take scissors, cut off a leaf of the plant, wash and dry. When giving it to a person, do not forget to remind them to keep it under the pillow. This flower has powerful energy. He doesn't like negativity and is always ready to take the blow. If you see broken and damaged leaf tips, be careful and take action. Perhaps someone is already in a critical, depressed state and requires treatment. Timely measures taken will save a person’s health, and possibly life. The plant is not able to cope only with very strong negative currents and thoughts. A pike tail can become for you a kind of gauge of the intensity of passions in the room. Tall and dense leaves will indicate to you the negative attitude of others towards each other, black envy. Negativity, sidelong glances, resentment and anger feed the plant. Thanks to this fertilizer, it can grow about one and a half meters long. Mother-in-law's tongue is not ready for compromise; magical power is the main thing that nature has endowed it with.
