The mother-in-law's tongue flower has several names, among which are pike tail, leopard lily and snake skin. However, its scientific name is sansevieria. It is unpretentious, therefore it is suitable even for beginner gardeners. Due to its easy care, it is often grown both in various public spaces and in offices.
Distribution locations
Sansevieria are succulents - plants that store water. Scientists know more than two hundred species. Various varieties of sansevieria can reach one meter in height. Some of them look like compact sockets. There are also flowers with flat, upright leaves or thick and rounded leaves.
Their homeland is tropical and subtropical parts of Africa. In nature, mother-in-law's tongue flower also grows in India and some other Asian countries. Growing in conditions of intense heat, frequent and long-term droughts, it is extremely unpretentious and viable. Thanks to this, it can be found not only on flat terrain, but also on the slopes of rocks.
In places of distribution of sansevieriaare used differently. It can serve as both a hedge and a material for the production of ropes and fabrics. In addition, it is quite often used as a medicine.
Description
The mother-in-law's tongue has a well-developed root system, smoothly turning into strong and sometimes very hard leaves. Sometimes you can find plants with a crown directed horizontally in relation to the soil, as well as spread out to the sides. The leaves can be colored with varying degrees of intensity, ranging from bright green to green-brown. The pattern on them is also different: it can be not only in the form of stripes, but also spots that have an irregular shape.
During the flowering period, white-green stamens framed by thin petals appear on the plants. They are collected in dense inflorescences, located on a long straight peduncle. Sansevieria blooms for a little over a week. During this time, you can enjoy its delicate aroma, something similar to vanilla. Under natural conditions, she can secrete some nectar that attracts insects that contribute to her pollination. A photo of the flower of the mother-in-law's tongue can be seen in this article.
However, it is worth noting that not all species bloom in the same way. For example, on a pickaxe during the flowering period, small berries are formed, inside of which there are seeds. However, the same plant, but at home almost never bears fruit.
Home care
The mother-in-law's flower tongue is unpretentious thanks tothe difficult natural conditions in which it originally grew. He is used to the sun, so he needs to allocate a place on the windowsill, where there is a lot of light. However, do not leave it in direct sunlight. The air temperature should be at least +14 ⁰C in the room where the mother-in-law's tongue flower is kept.
Home care requires watering the plant no more than once a week and only when the soil has completely dried out. This procedure must be done carefully so that the liquid does not get into the center of the outlet, otherwise the mother-in-law tongue may rot. Homemade sansevieria needs periodic wet rubbing of its leaves. Its strong and well-developed roots require a heavy pot made of reliable and durable material.
Reproduction
For these purposes, the spring period is most suitable. Mother-in-law's tongue can be propagated in the following ways: by dividing the root, sowing seeds, using a cutting and cutting a leaf. Let's consider only the first two in more detail.
First you need to divide the roots so that each of the parts to be planted has a green outlet. Now you need to plant them in pots prepared in advance.
Some types of mother-in-law's tongue produce berries with seeds inside during flowering. Now you don’t have to injure an adult plant to make several young ones out of it. It is enough just to prepare a pot of earth, sow the seeds, cover them with a film and put them in a bright and warm place.place. After the bores get stronger, they are seated in twos, and then they are looked after as adult flowers.
Transfer
As mentioned above, sansevieria is very unpretentious. Therefore, a young plant needs to be transplanted no more than once every three years. An adult flower is subjected to this process only when its root system completely occupies all the space in the pot. When transplanting, its peculiarity should be taken into account. It lies in the fact that the root system of this plant is always distributed in breadth. Therefore, a wide but low pot is ideal for him.
For transplanting mother-in-law's tongue, it is best to give preference to soil intended for growing dracaena. If this is not in the store, then you can cook it yourself. To do this, you will need the following components: two parts of turf and one each of peat, humus, fine sand and leafy soil.
Useful properties
The mother-in-law's tongue flower has a number of healing qualities:
- it is known as an effective pain reliever;
- will help get rid of migraines if you set it on fire and inhale the smoke emanating from it;
- has a fast healing effect;
- will help to quickly get rid of inflammatory processes in the body;
- has a hemostatic effect.
Traditional medicine actively uses the beneficial properties of this plant in the form of various infusions, as well as freshly squeezed juice. The flower will help get rid of various inflammations that occur in the genitourinary system and the gastrointestinal tract, as well as otitis media, tonsillitis, periodontal disease and scabies. In addition, it contributes to the destruction of bacteria and the neutralization of chemical fumes in the room. It is believed that it can absorb negative energy and radiation coming from the TV and computer.
Traditional healers compare its properties with the well-known aloe flower, because sansevieria can also disinfect and heal wounds. For skin abscesses, you need to cut, rinse and firmly fix the leaf of this plant right at the site of damage.
Harm
Although mother-in-law's home flowers are safe for the human body, you should not put these plants in the nursery so that the child cannot be poisoned by them. Sansevieria can only be dangerous if they are not properly consumed internally. It is also not recommended to be near them for a long time for children and pregnant women due to the content of saponins in the leaves of the plant. Therefore, the best place to place sansevieria is a living room or a loggia.
It is believed that the energy of the flower is too powerful, so it can interfere with he althy sleep for both children and adults. Pets may experience nausea, vomiting, and indigestion if this plant is consumed by pets. If handled carelessly, children can also be poisoned. If this happens, it is necessary to induce them to vomit, then give activated charcoal and be sure to calldoctor at home.
Teschin's tongue flower, care of which, although quite simple, needs to be transplanted with gloves. In this case, you can also use glasses in order to protect your eyes from the possible ingress of plant juice into them. The cut parts of the flower are packed in a plastic bag or destroyed.
Signs
The mother-in-law's tongue is surrounded by a lot of superstitions, which are mainly associated with its saber-shaped form. Some tend to believe that the plant can bring squabbles and quarrels into the house, and grows well only where there is negative energy. Others are convinced that a flower can get rid of it and radiate only that which contributes to peace and tranquility.
Feng Shui experts recommend planting this plant in those houses where conflict families live, as sansevieria allegedly neutralizes and takes away all negative aspects, transforming them somehow into positive ones. The appearance of bad news is preceded by the drying or dying of its leaves. If the mother-in-law's tongue begins to bloom in winter - this is a big quarrel or even trouble in the house, and in summer - to successful undertakings in business.
