Mother In Law's Tongue
Common Name: Snake Plant, Mother In Law’s Tongue
Latin Name: Sansevieria
Family: Ruscaceae
Plant Type: Succulent
Origin: South Africa
Blooming Time: Rarely
Humidity: Low
Temperature: 60 – 85*F
Height: 4′
Color: Dark green, light green or creamy white
Insects and Diseases: Thrips, scale
Description:
Mother in Law’s Tongue has thick, vertical sword shaped leaves. The leaves are dark green and are accented with
lighter green bars going horizontal along the blade like leaves. Some varieties have a yellowish colored border along the leaves.
Lighting:
Bright indirect sunlight is recommended for Snake’s Tongue. The plant can survive in lower lighting conditions, but it will grow faster and have deeper colors when given brighter light.
Watering:
The soil should be kept barely moist, but not soaked. Watering can be done in sink or tub, to make sure that all the roots get water. But, make sure that there’s a hole in the bottom of the pot so that excess water can properly drain.
Soil:
Soil should retain water, but drain well to prevent root rot. A African Violet soil mixture will work very well when a little sand is added for drainage. To mix your own soil add 1 part garden soil, 1 part peat and 2 parts of Perlite or coarse sand.
Fertilization:
Snake’s Tongue should be fertilized once a month. Use a good quality water soluble mixture that is nitrate free.
Fertilizer is only needed during the growing season and shouldn’t be given during the winter months.
Propagation:
Propagation can be easily done through leaf cuttings or division of the plant. Keep leaf cuttings in evenly moist soil, provide occasional mistings and place them in filtered sunlight.
Toxicity-Poisonous:
All parts of the Snake Plant are mildly toxic, but the plant has been used in herbal remedies in some areas of the world. While low doses of the plant normally don’t produce any symptoms, large doses can cause vomiting or nausea.
The poison found in the plant can cause the tongue and throat to swell and be numb. In severe cases there may be distress in the digestive tract.
Tips:
Unlike most plants, Snake Tongue’s will droop when they’ve gotten too much water not too little! If the leaves have a wrinkled appearance or start to bend, the plant isn’t getting enough water!
Snake’s Tongue plants like to be root bound, repotting should be avoided unless the plant gets too heavy for the pot and can’t remain upright. When repotting, select a pot that is just a few sizes larger than the current pot.
Written by Connie Corder for HouseplantsForYou.com, Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved
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By sarah February 28, 2009 - 2:50 pm
Hi
please help
the leaves of my snake pant easily come out of the soil. they have drooped to the left of the pot and can’t remain upright. one touch, and they leave the soil ocmpletely. What is wrong with it?
sarah
By Joyce March 18, 2009 - 5:19 pm
Can I planted my mother-in-law plant outdoor in the summer?
By admin March 18, 2009 - 5:39 pm
The mother-in-law plant cant tolerate temperatures much lower than 50 degrees F or much higher than 95, ideally the temp should be between 60 and 85. Keep this in mind if you decide to plant yours outdoors during the summer. If you do decide to do that it would be best to leave it in a pot so that you will be able to move it to the shade or bring it back indoors if the temperature starts to get too high or too low.
By dana April 1, 2009 - 1:22 pm
My Mother in Law plant is very large (4″ to 4 1/2″ with even some 5″ or more spikes). I have had it for 25 years or more. It rarely looses leaves. The leaves are always bright, firm and not miscolored. My problem is droopy leaves. The new, center leaves stand up but the older and outer ones droop to the floor. I have tried tying them up posted and unposted. I have tried trimming them. Nothing seems to change. I have this large, beautiful, vibrant plant with droopy leaves. Is there anything I can do?
By CoCo April 2, 2009 - 12:47 am
If the plant gets too much water it will cause the leaves to just fall off and it will also cause them to droop. Most experts recommend that soil be kept just barely moist, but some say that it is best to let the soil completely dry out before watering.
Most plants will begin to wilt with too little water, but this one wilts or “droops” with too much water. Too little water causes the leaves to become wrinkled.
By Rod May 28, 2009 - 1:58 am
The leaves on my snake plant seem to be getting large brown spots in which sap secretes, also on some of the leaf stems half the stems seem to be shrinking, any ideas for me.
By Rod May 28, 2009 - 2:07 am
is it possible that spiders can cause the above damage (previous comment)
By Cindy May 28, 2009 - 5:23 pm
I used to have problems with the leaves of my snake plant drooping and falling out but I think I was over-watering it and I moved it into a brighter light and now the leaves are firm and upright – the plant looks so happy. Hope that helps.
By Mary Ann June 3, 2009 - 12:49 pm
I can not believe it, my snake plant has blooms that are growing out the center, it is in a pot and is about 2 feet tall and the bloom stalk is 1 foot tall it looks like the blooms will be white. I’ve never seen this, I’m in central Fl. and I keep it outside all year.
By Anonymous January 17, 2012 - 1:46 pm
Wait till they open, they small wonderful. I also have a snake plant and live in central Florida. I leave mine out all year round in a pot but protect it in the winter from the cold. It flowers every year. These flowers seam to close at night and open during the day. Enjoy it because not everyone gets them to flower at all.
By ellie June 25, 2009 - 5:02 pm
I have 2 cats. Can I keep my Mother In Law Tongue Plant?
By Rod June 29, 2009 - 1:21 am
I would if i had a cat as even though the plant is poisonous cats are clever. There are many plants in the garden which are poisonous in which their instinct tells them not to touch. (no cats but mother in law tongue plant and kids.)
By Bonnie July 1, 2009 - 11:07 pm
MARY ANN,
WE HAVE ABOUT THREE OF THE SNAKE PLANTS AND THEY ALSO HAVE BLOOMS THAT GROW OUT OF THE CENTER OF THEM. THEY ARE ALSO KEPT OUTSIDE YEARROUND.
THE BLOOMS ARE TRUMPET SHAPED AND WHITE. THEY ONLY BLOOM AT NIGHT, AS DOES NIGHT BLOOMING JASMINE
THEY ALSO HAVE A VERY PLEASANT SMELL, MUCH LIKE THE JASMINE.
WE LIVE IN COASTAL TEXAS.
By Sheryl Ann July 8, 2009 - 10:22 pm
MY mother in law tongue has bloomed for first time ever -i did not know it could bloom-i keep it outdoor on patio year round- i live in texas – i have had this plant for many years and do not know what i did to make it bloom- looks very nice – now that it bloomed will it die?-like century plant maybe?
By Mary Ann July 10, 2009 - 11:48 am
Hi Bonnie and Sheryl
Congrats, I hear this is very rare and may only happen once in the plants lifetime.
Mine only bloomed for max of 2wks. I took lots of pix and I still miss the wonderful scent. I’ve had corn plants bloom several times with the same sweet smell (and only in the eve), and hope my snake plant will bloom again too!
By sherry July 12, 2009 - 7:00 pm
My mother-in-law tongue has bloomed for the first time too. It is an older plant, probably at least 10-15 years old. It had belonged to my mother before me. I didn’t even know they bloomed. I have had it on my sunporch all summer and trimmed all the damaged and yellow leaves off a couple of months ago. Maybe this extensive pruning helped it bloom, I don’t know. When the stems first starting getting the little nectar drops I tasted a drop and it is very sweet, like honeysuckle. The flowers smell “green” and powdery. The plant is living outside in Maryland. Based on previous posts, it seems the key to blooms is the plant living outside for an extended period of time.
By Susan M. Cain July 14, 2009 - 4:02 pm
Sheryl & Sherry,
I just happened to find this website and I was wondering if I should now after all blooming has finished relieve the plants by cutting the dead blooms off? And then I read that these plants that have spread across the width of my yard and……..BLOOM ONCE A YEAR EACH YEAR! Are not suppose to? Did I understand that correctly?
Thanks,
Susan
By Lorna Shaffer July 22, 2009 - 10:45 am
I’ve had my mo-in-law plant for about 10 yrs, moved it from Oregon
8 yrs ago to western AZ & about a month ago, it started this little
stem & w/in the last 3 days has started blooming & like all above
have said, it is a wonderful fragrance & i’ll be sorry to see it end.
When I bought it, it just had 3 leaves (tongues) & only about 7 inches
tall, now it is almost 5 ft tall !
Lovely plant ! Lorna
By Susan M. Cain July 22, 2009 - 11:59 am
Lorna,
When they (MLT) were in full bloom I pulled open the sliding glass door and was hit with a most pungent smell. I have lived here since 1994 and I have never noticed that they had a smell at all.
I did clear a sky blue vine from overhead i guess giving them a little more sun made them real happy
Do you know anything about “Sky Blue Vine”?
Susan
By ellie July 22, 2009 - 1:35 pm
Can anyone recommend a good fertilizer? It says on the website to find a water soluble, nitrate free one. Where can I find that?
By GeekLady September 28, 2009 - 1:21 pm
For those who had the blooming snake plant, did a “fruit” form where the bloom was? Mine did; several green round pods formed where the blooms were, and all of them fell off except one. The remaining one has turned reddish orange. Has anyone seen this? I rooted this snake plant from a larger pot that got overcrowded. The original plant has never bloomed. I have had both outdoors all spring and summer.
By Indoor Gardener October 24, 2009 - 2:43 pm
Today we added a forum the the HousePlantsForYou.com website. The forum is located at http://www.houseplantsforyou.com/forum/ and you are invited to come by and join in. Get yourself a cool user name, and join in on the discussions.
By Lauren B October 27, 2009 - 1:02 pm
Ihave a MLT and it’s so big now i need to get a bigger pot any tips on how to repot it……….
By Gloworm Muller October 28, 2009 - 7:38 am
Hi my nickname is Gloworm> I would be happy to read or join your Garden Club
Many thanks
G
By Indoor Gardener October 28, 2009 - 10:00 am
Hey Gloworm – we would be very glad to have you so come on over http://www.houseplantsforyou.com/forum/ and sign up.
By m November 12, 2009 - 11:28 am
I have a snake plant with large white fuzzy growth on several of the leaves. Any ideas as to what might have caused these. the growth almost looks crystalline.
By Paggy December 27, 2009 - 2:38 pm
My Mother in law bloomed this year much to my surprise. The blooms were so sweet smelling. I didn’t even know that they would bloom. Mine is in direct sunlight by a window and has been since it was given to me. Some of the leaves are about 5 feet tall. Love it.
By QB December 29, 2009 - 11:39 am
Hi.
I have had my mother-in-law for over 32 years. It bloomed for the first time about 5 years ago. And has bloomed several time. I live in middle Missouri. My husband was in the Army so we were stationed in many different places. When we went to Germany I had my mom keep it for me. I sit it outside for the summer, but this year when I brought it in, it started getting brown circle spots on the leaves. It is over 4′ tall and I hate cutting the leaves off.
By Liesa March 7, 2010 - 9:11 pm
I live in northern Canada, and my snakes tongue plant has never lived outdoors. I inherited it from my grandfather over 20 yrs ago and he had it many years prior. This one is also a spawn off that one, and therefore has been re potted. Last summer,(2009), it bloomed for the very first time, as well as 2 others that are much older. This one however is now in bloom as i write this. (March 7/10). This one is always in a south facing window, sometimes gets a bit of winter air when my door opens and closes. It also is planted in about a 5″ width and 9″ deep pot and is 3 ft high. I have also heard many say that they have never ever seen them bloom. I am so happy my did , its B E A U tiful!!!
By Esher March 16, 2010 - 8:28 am
Help We were up north and Florida had some really cold weather. My mothers tongue is all brown on the top quarter of the plant. Should I trim these? Leave it but it doesn’t look pretty. HELP please.
By gary April 7, 2010 - 10:45 am
great questions but how do i find answers? snake plant falling over
By dee April 20, 2010 - 2:23 pm
just wanted to say that my mil plant has bloomed twice now in the last month. very pretty delicate flowers. i was totally shocked cuz i didnt know that they would/could bloom. my plant is about 18 to 20 years old
By The Tax Lady May 8, 2010 - 1:00 pm
My plant started out as a 3 stem throw-a-way from a nursery in Hingham, Mass. I plucked it out of the trash, then babied it for years. Took it with me where ever I moved. Had it on my kitchen counter, next to the sink, and used to hang my re-used-washed zip-lock bags on it to dry the bags. Repotted it as it expanded in width. Then we moved to Swansea, Massachusetts, and planted it in the ground in the Florida room addition.
Year round light, and bright area, but never full sun. It finally bloomed !!! and the whole Florida room was full of this delightful aroma. My cat never touched the plant. When we moved to Florida, it broke my heart to leave the plant behind, but the new owners insisted the MILT plant, MUST STAY PUT. I finally asked my husband to get me another plant while here in Florida. I need a place to drip-dry my zip-lock bags !!
Watering the plant only once every two weeks, in a very well drained pot. Never let its roots sit in water. think of it almost like a cactus. “less is best”. Once it starts to bloom, it must get polinated to bloom again. When it was in the Florida room, a few hornets, and the like would get in, and I guess they did the BEE thing, and the plant bloomed again, Year after year. So I suggest you put the plant outside during the summer, so the bees get to it. And when I did water it, I always used the sink sprayer. From the TOP of the plant. (imitating natural rain, and room temperature water) Also washes any dust off the leaves, to keep its pore’s open. And the Florida room, always had the Juke box playing soft rock, SLOW oldies, or 40′s & 50′s instrumentals. Fresh spring & summer breezes whenever the weather got nice, I’d open the windows for clean air.
My first bloom was when the plant was about 6 inches across. Must be a mature plant.
My plant was 30 years old when I had to leave her in Massachusetts.
Whenever growing any plant, you must immitate the original native habitate.
And wipe off any foreign objects (spider webs, scale, etc) with a damp washcloth dipped with a mild dish detergent. I only fertilized it once in the spring, and once in the fall with “flowering plant food”. That will encourge blooms.
By Mary Stocker May 20, 2010 - 7:44 am
I have a snake plant .it is beautiful and tall but now there are four or five things coming up out of the dirt about the size of a thumb.; They do not have leaves on them. Are they new plants or blooms or what?
By judy smedley May 24, 2010 - 10:42 am
My snake plant has some leaves the bend over and some leaves that look like they are folding in half length wise. What causes this?
By Erica June 11, 2010 - 3:49 pm
I have a few different plants in my family room area. I just recently got this mother in law tongue. All of the sudden I have spider mites all over it and also some flying things that I can’t identify. I have tried the soapy water trick, and I had no luck at all. Today I went to Lowes and got some insecticidal soap and I put the plants out on the porch. I didnt have this problem until I bought the mother in laws. the other plants I have had for about 2 yrs +, Does anyone have any suggestions?
By Erica 2 June 17, 2010 - 1:43 pm
i have mother in law tongue plants outside that have been here since before i moved in. I never really liked them and we tried to dig them out but the roots are so large and and some have even gone under my driveway. i planted lilies and was hoping we had gotten all of the mother in law plants’ roots but instead the plants have multipled . apparently in trying to cut them out we cut them into smaller pieces and i would love to know how i can get rid of them without digging up my lily plants and without killing them. does anyone have an idea so i can quit pulling them out almost daily? i am desparate. thanks:)
By adkins June 21, 2010 - 8:42 pm
I have an offspring of one from my grandmother from 1976, my mother has that one now and it has been repotted several times, at present there must be 16 pots from the same plant, The original is still alive and five and half feet tall but never bloomed. and I even had to cut back a couple leaves for on reason or another. of all the plants from this one , only the one in the bathroom that has an western 12″ x18″ window has bloomes for the first time. all repotted plants was given three shoots. the flowers are wonderfull, and would be great if I knew what to do to keep them blooming..thanks to all of you who have taken the time to write a little of what you know and why. god bless !
By Renee June 30, 2010 - 2:05 pm
Why are the leaves of Mother In Law’s Tongue turning YELLOW? Please help!
By Robin July 6, 2010 - 7:57 am
My leaves of my mother-in-laws tongue are starting to fold in half lenghtwise. What is causing that? Color is green, They’re just all seeming to close in half. Help!!
By BRENDA July 18, 2010 - 9:36 am
I HAVE A MOTHER IN LAWS TONGUE PLANT 2- OF THEM ACTUALLY. THAT MY MOTHER HAD AND SHE GROWED THEM WITHOUT ANY SOIL SHE HAD THEM IN A TALL JAR WITH ONLY WATER NEVER FERTILIZED. SHE NEVER CHANGED THE ORIGINAL WATER SHE WOULD LET THE WATER IN THE JAR GET REALLY LOW AND THEN SHE WOULD FILL IT UP AGAIN. THEY ARE ABOUT 8 YEAR OLD 2-FOOT TALL. VERY BEAUTIFUL. AMAZING THE KNOWLEDGE MY MOM KNEW. SHE PASSED AWAY 4-YEARS AGO.
By anita August 29, 2010 - 8:09 pm
My mother-in-law plant has some very long leaves/tongues that I would like to cut off. Do I simply cut the leave(s) at the base? Please help.Thanks
By ellen August 30, 2010 - 8:43 am
some of my leaves are turning yellow. what is causing this?
By Allan November 27, 2010 - 12:08 pm
I have a plant that is very old, i brought it in for the winter and for the first time every it has blooms on it, beautiful, they remind you of (honey Suckle blooms) I noticed this morning drippings hanging from under the blooms, thought it was water but as it turns out the dripping are from inside the bloom and the taste the purest , sweet sugar and wonderful taste, AWESOME!
By Luv2Knit March 13, 2011 - 6:33 pm
I have a Snake Plant and was reading on here several questions concerning “folding leaves lengthwise”; “drooping from the base”…the only answer I seen was over-watering. Mine actually did this when I didn’t water it enough, or so I thought; however, I didn’t see if it would be ok to cut a drooping leaf, or if it will straighten back up on its own? I just re-potted it and positioned it so the leaf would semi stand on its own, but I’m not holding out much faith in this process….Is there anything else I could do to help it?
By hjk27uk March 29, 2011 - 1:09 pm
I really hope someone can help me with some desperately needed advice please. I must begin by confessing that know nothing about plants or caring for them, but recently I took over something from a deceased relative that I have been told is a variety of the Mother-in-Law plant. Every picture that I see on the internet seem to be of individual leaves growing from the base of the plant where mine is more like a very long tube of leaves that follow the malformation so i’m not sure.
I’ve always known of this plant in the house when I visited and now its mine, scary thought, it has been badly neglected for at least 25 years. It used to be straight, and about 7 years ago was half the size. It has had a bit of a mad growth spurt in the intervening years. It did flower once about 15 years ago when I was a kid and the flowers matched those that are on the net for M-I-L plants.
It’s actually growing at an almost 45 degree angle now and then bends back over itself with two more curves until the tip points vertically upwards. The problem is (apart from the obvious already stated!) that it is very unstable and i’m scared its going to snap at the root base if I don’t do something soon. I’ve uploaded some pictures onto photobucket as I’m probably not explaining all this very well.
It has lived as long as I can remember on a windowsill facing the sun and I’ve put it in a similar situation. It has to be propped against a wall for support or it will snap under its own weight. It would be far too tall if I staked it straight so I will need to cut it down if that’s at all possible but I don’t want to kill it. I have no idea how to do it though, searching for information led me to this site. If anyone could help with advice on what I can do to improve the poor things situation I’d be very grateful. Thank you in advance.
By Fran April 2, 2011 - 1:53 pm
Can I cut the drooping leaf on my snake plane without killing it? It has bent way over.
By PlantLady May 8, 2011 - 7:11 pm
Yes, you can remove leaves from the plant without killing it. It’s best to use a sharp knife and cut as much of the leaf off as close to the bottom of the plant as you can. Drooping leaves are usually caused by over watering.
By Nancy May 14, 2011 - 11:52 am
This is the second year in a row that my plant mother-in-law bloomed and people tell me that they have never seen one blooma nd mine has tear drops on it .something
By Tammy May 24, 2011 - 10:00 pm
I have a Mother In Law’s Tongue she blooms three times a year, I fertilize her spring to fall and water it every two weeks or so with Peters 20/20, in the fall and winter I don’t water her very often only when I think of it…She sits by a window that gets full afternoon sun and is about 3 feet from the window and she loves it, leaves are strong and perky..I have lots of plants and my apt. is a jungle and I love it..My 4 Hoyas bloom all the time and Beefsteak begonia blooms in the winter, I rarely water them in the winter and they love it
They sit on a window seal and get either morning or afternoon sun 