Several years ago, our friends moved out of state and asked me if I wanted their “mother-in-law’s tongue” plant (Sansevieria trifasciata). Of course, I said yes. I’ve always thought that “mother-in-law’s tongue” was just about a perfect name for this plant…dark green, stiff leaves grow tall and end in a sharp point. It’s also known as “snake plant”, but mother-in-law’s tongue works just fine. Certainly was an accurate description of my mother-in-law, fer sure!

Indestructible

Now mother-in-law’s tongue is about the easiest house plant to grow…darn near impossible to kill; it thrives on neglect. My Grandma had dozens of these plants, which she put in plain old dirt, kept them in a rather dim pantry, forgot to water them and they were fine.

As a matter of fact, about the only way you can kill it is to over-water it, as it doesn’t need a lot of water, especially in the winter. Plant it in well-draining potting soil and a container with drain holes.

My friends’ plant was still in the plastic pot from the store and I left in in there until the rhizomes grew so much that the pot split. So, I divided the plant and filled two new pots. And I still had a nice piece left over. Being psychologically unable to throw away anything with a root, I thought, “I’ll give it to a friend”. I put it in a plastic shopping bag, plopped the shopping bag into an empty frog pot and propped the plant up against a buffet table.

Every week, I’d water it lightly. Three years later, it’s still in the same plastic shopping bag and growing.

When he temporarily can’t think of anything else to complain about (national debt, climate change, etc.), Wonderful Husband occasionally complains about why do I have three pots of mother-in-law’s tongue, blah, blah, blah. The answer is simple – I’m a plant hoarder.

I have been vindicated though…one of my friends said she was looking for a mother-in-law’s tongue, so as soon as she comes back from vacation, the one in the plastic shopping bag gets a new home.

Apparently, the plant can produce a long stalk of blooms, although I’ve never seen it happen.

In my Zone 6b, it has to come inside during the winter, but in some tropical areas, where people have planted it in the ground, it’s becoming invasive. So do Mother Nature a favor and keep it in a pot!

Stay Green, good friends!