Sansevieria, also known by the scientific name Sansevieria trifasciata, is an easy plant to grow. It is also popularly known as tiger’s tongue, cow’s tongue, mother-in-law’s tongue, cat’s tongue, tiger’s tail and St. George’s sword. It is a very decorative and resistant plant.  Sansevieria resists very well both high and low temperatures (up to -5 ° C). In addition, it is a plant that helps clean the air inside the house.

Sansevieria or mother-in-law’s tongue has this name because of its leaves. This is due to the comparison of its long leaves with the long tongue (mockingly) that was attributed to “the most talkative mothers-in-law”< to i=4> for speaking and criticizing their respective genders.

Sansevieria, also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, is one of the plants recommended by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States) to remove toxic substances such as benzene, toluene, xylene and formaldehyde from the air we breathe.

• Light: Despite being very resistant, it is ideal to place it in places with a lot of light .
• Temperature: ideally is between 15 and 20ºC, although in summer< a i=4> it can withstand temperatures of 30º. Avoid drafts.
• Water: if you want keep it vigorous, do not water in excess and only when the soil is dry. In winter it needs water only once or twice a month,  always depending on the temperature of the indoor environment. We must consider it as a succulent plant, so it should be watered only when the substrate is dry . Excess water can cause rhizome rot (underground stem with several shoots growing horizontally, emitting from the roots of herbaceous nodes and shoots). It does not like humid environments, so it is preferable to avoid spraying or spraying water.
• Transplant: if the pot has become small, the ideal is to move it to a larger one when spring begins, between March and April. To ensure good drainage, it is advisable to place a few pieces of terracotta or stones at the bottom of the pot to prevent the support from being completely soaked with water. If it is not transplanted, it is advisable to renew the upper substrate: remove 3 cm of surface substrate and add new soil.
• Compost: Apply compost when temperatures begin to rise steadily (late spring and early summer) and do so once a month until temperatures begin to drop again (autumn).
• Pruning: the sansevieria does not require pruning, but it is recommended remove dry leaves to avoid diseases.
• Flowering: This tropical plant usually does not bloom indoors, but if it does, small flowers will appear in late summer.
• Additional care for sansevieria: Try not to touch the tips of the leaves, as they are sensitive and can be easily damaged.

How to revive the mother-in-law’s tongue again? Do it!

Sansevieria is generally a plant that is very easy to care for. If some leaves begin to wither and turn yellow, you should take care of watering . As they are indoor plants, low temperatures can play tricks on you. Therefore, you should always take into account if it lacks water so that the sansevieria does not rot or be attacked by fungi.