Sansevieria, mother-in-law’s tongue!

Long leaves striped with pale wavy bands make an original, elegant silhouette indoors: this is mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata), a houseplant so tough it shrugs off heat and needs very little fuss. Just keep the watering in check, for moisture is its main enemy and too much will rot both roots and leaves.

Sansevieria at a glance

Name	Sansevieria
Family	Liliaceae (lily family)
Type	indoor plant
Height	1½ to 5 feet (0.5-1.5 m)
Exposure	well-lit
Soil	soil mix + sand
Flowering	early spring (rare)

Its leafage is original and elegant. The plant is very resistant, especially to heat. Each variety boasts trendy traits that home designers like Nikki (photo author, top) make use of to decorate interiors.

Planting and exposure for Sansevieria

Exposure

Sansevieria requires good light but fears direct sun that would tend to speed the plant’s dehydration. Too much sun would quickly dry up the leafage. It would then take on a yellow hue for a long time.

Although the plant tolerates light shade, growth will be slowed.

Try to place it near a window that gets plenty of light, but avoid having the sun’s rays hit it.

Ideal temperature range

A house or apartment is perfect, because the ideal range is from 65 to 70° F (18 to 21° C) all year round.

Sansevieria is unhappy when temperatures drop below 55°F (12°C).

From late spring to early autumn, you can bring your plant outdoors without any problems. Bring it back inside in the evening if nights are cold.

Care for sansevieria

Watering in spring and summer

Watering must be moderate but regular, more or less once a week. Best is to water when the surface of the soil has dried out. Don’t wait too long, especially if it is hot. The plant will suffer from it.

• Don’t overwater Sansevieria.
• It more vulnerable to excess water than it is to a dry spell.

If tap water in your area is hard, try to collect rainwater.

Lukewarm water is better than cold water. The T° gap could stress your sansevieria.

Watering in fall and winter

Slowly restrict watering during the dormant state. Wait for the soil to dry off to about an inch deep (a few cm) before watering again. Use lukewarm water instead of cold tap water.

• You’ll water again at a normal rhythm in spring, when the plant starts growing again.

Repotting sansevieria

This step is mandatory and must be repeated every 2 or 3 years. Use a pot slightly larger than the previous one.

Once every 3 years at most, repot your Sansevieria in spring.

When repotting, choose a pot that is slightly wider across than the previous. It shouldn’t be too large. Check that the bottom lets water drain out through holes.

The roots are very powerful. If you don’t repot on time, your plant will simply swell and burst the pot!

Diseases that hurt sansevieria

This plant is extremely robust and can fend off most diseases.

Although it is sometimes visited by mealy bugs, its main enemy is moisture. Too much water can lead roots and leaves to rot.

• Empty the saucer or decorative cachepot a few minutes after watering, because roots left standing in trapped water are the usual starting point of the rot that kills sansevieria.
• Root rot symptoms vary, but common signs include yellowing, wilting or drooping leaves despite moist soil, along with soft, mushy, darkened tissue at the stem base and roots that smell foul.
• If rot is suspected, slide the plant out of its pot and trim away roots that are mushy, blackened, or foul-smelling with a clean blade, then repot succulents and cacti in fresh, dry, gritty mix.
• Mealy bugs appear as white cottony specks tucked where leaves meet at the base; wipe them off with a cloth dipped in soapy water and inspect again a week later.

Different varieties of Sansevieria

There are over 70 species within the family. Many of them have several cultivars or varieties.

Here are a few types of Sansevieria

• Sansevieria cylindrica – a notable variety is S. cylindrica ‘Boncel’. Leaves curl and form a thick cylinder. Single-leafed varieties also go under the name “Spear Sansevieria”. They’re sometimes braided for a playful effect.

 

• Sansevieria trifasciata – these are the most common, the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue. Pale wavy bands stripe the long leaves. Taller S. trifasciata ‘Zeylanica’ contrasts with the short, stout S. trifasciata ‘Hahnii’. This last one is generically called ‘Bird’s nest‘. S. trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ is very typical in that two yellow bands run up the sides of each leaf.

 

• Sansevieria hallii – this was until recently called the Sansevieria ‘Baseball bat‘. It sends out arched leaves that are like ¾^ths closed cylinders. Very slow growing.

 

• Sansevieria masoniana – each leaf is very wide in the middle and grows straight up. This gave it its common name “Whale fin” or “Shark fin” Sansevieria. Earlier, though, it went under the name “Sansevieria Mason Congo”

Which Sansevieria to choose?

Among the many species and cultivars, four stand out for their very different leaf shapes. Use this table to match a plant to the look you are after.

Whichever you pick, the care described above is the same for all of them.

Propagating Sansevieria

Leaf cuttings is one of the easiest ways to propagate this plant if you want to leave the mother plant undisturbed.

You can also simply divide the clump, as shown for this ZZ plant division.

Splitting parts of the rhizome (roots) will also trigger new shoots in each.

You’ll be surprised by how small the roots are compared to the size of the leaves! Work carefully to avoid breaking them because the whole plant depends on those few roots.

• Leaf cuttings of variegated cultivars such as Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ usually lose their yellow edges and grow back plain green, so divide the clump instead if you want to keep the variegation.
• When propagating snake plant (Sansevieria) from leaf cuttings, slice a healthy leaf into sections several centimetres long and mark which end was nearest the roots, since sections planted inverted root poorly or not at all.
• When splitting a rhizome, make sure each piece keeps at least one growing point or leaf fan plus some roots, then water according to the plant’s needs—sparingly for rot-prone types like bearded iris, but steadily for moisture-loving ones such as cannas and gingers.

Learn more about Sansevieria

Sansevieria was named after an Italian village, Sanseviero. There are many bizarre cultivars, some of which grow as tall as a person!

Sansevieria is actually kin to another family that is famous for houseplants, the Dracaena family.

---

---