How to Care for a Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
(aka Snake Plant)
With names like “mother-in-law’s tongue” and “snake plant” it’s surprising that Sansevieria trifasciata is actually a popular houseplant. But the stiff, pointed, vertical leaves that give it such names actually make for a very appealing plant. Plus, it’s pretty easy to care for! Here are some tips on how to care for a mother-in-law’s tongue (aka snake plant)!
Mother-in-law’s tongues and snake plants are actually different varieties of Sansevieria trifasciata. If your plant has a yellow border to its leaves, it’s a mother-in-law’s tongue. If it has green leaves with lighter colored horizontal bands, then it’s a snake plant. Along with those differences, there are also varieties that differ in height, with the shortest growing 1 foot tall and the tallest getting to be 8 feet tall! But all varieties can be cared for the same.
Dirt:
If you want to properly care for a mother-in-law’s tongue plant, you need to get the right soil! A sandy, well-draining potting mix tends to suit them well. If your plant’s soil doesn’t drain well, you put it at risk of staying too moist and developing rot or diseases.
Pot:
Snake plants/mother-in-law’s tongues love to be root bound. That means it’s fine to keep them in a small-ish pot, and you can wait a while before re-potting your plant.
Light:
It’s very easy to care for a mother-in-law’s tongue plant, as they’re actually pretty adaptable. In a perfect environment, your plant would have mostly indirect light, with some direct sunlight occasionally. But they’ll also do just fine in completely full sun, or in darker corners of the room.
Water:
Mother-in-law’s tongues are plants that should not be over-watered, which is great if you tend to forget to water your plants! In fact, during the winter they really only need to be watered once a month. The rest of the time, wait until the plant’s dirt feels dry before watering.
Temperature:
Snake plants prefer warm temperatures (their native environment is West Africa where it’s tropical). At temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, your plant will be in trouble. So make sure not to place it near cold windows, drafty doors, or vents.
Food:
If you’re not that into fertilizing your houseplants, then the snake plant is the plant for you! They really don’t require much, if any, fertilizing. You can completely skip fertilizing them during the winter and just fertilize in the spring/summer when the plant is growing. An average all-purpose fertilizer tends to work well with snake plants/mother-in-law’s tongues. Mix it into the water of your watering can so the plant gets a little of it each time you water.
So as you can see, it’s very easy to care for a mother-in-law’s tongue plant! And not only are they nice to look at and easy to care for, but they also have air purification properties. They’re particularly good at getting rid of formaldehyde in your home’s air (which may off-gas from things like furniture). So they’re pretty much the perfect houseplant!
One word of warning- if you have cats or a dog that likes to eat your houseplants, be careful with mother-in-law’s tongues/snake plants. They’re poisonous to cats and dogs, though generally the effects are only mild to moderate in severity. Still, it’s best to play it safe and keep the plant away from your pets.
Do you know if any of your other houseplants are air purifiers?
If you would like more plant tips, here are a few other posts to check out.
- How to Successfully Grow Peppers Indoors
- How to Care for a Peace Lily Plant
- How to Care for an Aloe Vera Plant
- 7 Reasons to Plant a Windowsill Garden
Jennifer W. says
My Snake plant has a lot of yellow leaves. Is this due to over or under watering?
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Hi Jennifer, it can mean a few different things. So it takes a little troubleshooting. If they are yellowing starting at the tips and working back to the plant, that normally comes from lack of water. If they are just turning yellow all over it is likely due to overwatering. You should allow the plant soil to fully dry out between waterings and make sure that it is in some well-draining soil and a large enough pot as they do not like to sit in water.
It could also be due to not enough light. If changing the watering/soil does not start to perk up your plant, try setting it where it gets a little more light each day. Hope that helps!
Cassandra says
My mother I law snake plants had some brow spots I cut them off is that’s okay to down
Vinnie W. says
Can you plant mother-in-laws outside
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
If you live in a warmer climate it can be planted outside.
Mary says
My mother in law plant does not grow very tall – probably max 1 1/2 feet tall and most are shorter. This plant was my mother’s. It was on the kitchen counter when I was a teenager in Iowa and now I am 75 and moved to Phoenix AZ area and I have the plant indoors. My question is: can I put this plant out doors on a patio – it can be in a shaded area or sunny or part of each. The temps in the summer are hovering around 100 degrees.
What do I fertilize it with?
Thank you for your assistance,
Mary
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Hi Mary, if you are moving it outside in that high of temps, I would make sure that it stays in a mostly shaded area. You will also want to be sure to keep a close eye on watering as it may need it a little more often in higher temps. As for fertilizer, just a basic one like a 2-2-2 fertilizer should work just fine.
David says
Our snake plants are tall 4 feet and spiney and drooping over . We have put in a pole and gently taped them to stand up. or they will fall over .We use a water gague so as to not overwater. and we fertilize semi annually .
Help what is happening ..what can we do ?
Sincerely,
David
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Hi David, sorry to hear about your snake plant. This could be happening for a few reasons. Overwatering, root bound, bad soil drainage, pests, not warm enough, or not enough light. We can rule out the overwatering as you said you have been watching that. So the next place I would start is by repotting it and making sure you use a well draining soil. Hope that helps!
Laura says
Hi, my snake plants leaves are curling in, and feed a little mushy, but they are standing tall. I plan on repotting it.
Why is it curling in?
Thanks.
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Laura, they could be curling for a number of reasons. It could be from pests, to much water, fungal infections, or too cold. I would start by looking the plant over closely to see if you see any pests on the plant as that normally is the number one reason for curling.
Genevieve M. says
My snale plant looks very healthy. I am a happy owner. My quesion is, I have it about one year and it will not grow. At the highst point it is about 15 inches tall I thought it wpuld be at least two feet tall. What am I not doing that Ishould be doing.?
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
If it is still nice and healthy but not growing, it may need to repotted into a larger pot to encourage growth.
Connie says
My snake plant has a few stems bending over. If I repot it will they ever straighten up again?
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Hi Connie, if they are still green and just slightly bending, they may stand back up after repotting. If they are turning brown and dry then they will need to be trimmed off.
Ros A. says
My M.I.L.Tongue plant has new shoots coming up the side of the pot and pushing the whole soil ball out of the pot. What should I do. It is very healthy
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
Sounds like it may need to be repotted into a larger pot.
Erin T. says
HI! My snake plant is very old. It was my grandmothers. I live in Minnesota. My plant is curling and bending over. I have no idea what is wrong. Thanks so much!
Reuse Grow Enjoy says
It may be time to repot it to a little larger of a pot.