Mother-in-law's tongue or. How to care for a flower Mother-in-law's tongue: and about superstitions. Home care

Indoor flowers are the best decoration for a home, but popular rumor ascribes mystical properties to some of them. One of these flowers is sansevieria, the people called him mother-in-law's tongue, Indian sword, pike tail.

There is a belief that mother-in-law's tongue should not be kept in the house, because it can cause a lot of trouble. So what is the danger of this plant?

Folk signs about mother-in-law's language

Sansevieria – exquisite exotic plant, its long green leaves can delight with their beauty all year round. In addition, it is unpretentious and does not require much attention; even a novice gardener can handle it. But there is a belief that this a flower can harm the family, which is why Sansevieria is nicknamed mother-in-law’s tongue.

It happens that a mother-in-law can darken the life of not only her son-in-law, but also the entire family: nagging, the desire to impose her will on everyone and excessive guardianship. The same properties are attributed to the flower of mother-in-law's tongue: allegedly, with its appearance in the house, quarrels and scandals begin, and conflicts can lead to divorce and family breakdown.

The sign says:

  • if the mother-in-law’s tongue is in the bedroom, then quarrels in the love bed and betrayals cannot be avoided, spouses may lose interest in each other;
  • a flower in the kitchen provokes quarrels on domestic grounds, and in the living room - feuds over finances.

It is not known for certain where this belief came from, but if you think that there is no smoke without fire, then you should treat mother-in-law’s tongue with great caution.

Is it possible to keep a flower at home?

It is believed that this flower should not be given to a young family - one in which the spouses have lived together less than a year. There is a popular belief that the flower will negatively affect the life of a young family, and quarrels and scandals will begin in the house.

Skeptics claim that a flower can hardly affect the lives of newlyweds, but psychologists believe that in the first year living together spouses get used to each other, conflicts of interest are inevitable, so disagreements are difficult to avoid.

Our great-great-grandmothers did not know about the opinions of psychologists and the research of meticulous British scientists, so they believed that quarrels in a young family were provoked by a flower with mystical properties.

It is considered a bad sign if A woman gave a flower to a young family. Allegedly, it is in this case that the mystical properties of the flower in destroying marriages manifest themselves especially clearly.

There is a belief that unmarried girl, in whose house there is such a flower, cannot get married for a long time.

Sansevieria given to a young wife by her husband’s relatives is a cause for concern. People believe that this the gift will have a bad effect on the atmosphere in the house, squabbles and quarrels over trifles and on everyday grounds will be inevitable.

And here it’s worth remembering one more folk sign: witches and healers advise you not to accept flowers in a pot with soil as a gift from people you don’t trust, as this may the land is from a cemetery and a slander can be made on it.

Mother-in-law's tongue, given by a young unmarried woman, portends:

  • betrayal and infidelity of either spouse
  • cooling interest in each other.

For the same reason, it is not recommended to accept a flower as a gift on family dates: wedding anniversary, spouses’ birthdays, etc. According to this sign, You shouldn’t accept mother-in-law’s tongue as a gift from a widow(widower) or a person with an unsuccessful family life.

If a young family inherited a flower, then popular rumor, on the contrary, attributes to it the properties of protecting spouses from spontaneous quarrels and making family ties stronger.

Another sign says that you should not place mother-in-law’s tongue in the bedroom or at the head of the spouses’ bed. The belief says that being in this position, the flower will fully demonstrate its properties of destroying a family.

According to Feng Shui, this arrangement of the flower is undesirable, because in the area where a person sleeps defenselessly there should not be sharp objects. And the leaves of Sansevieria are just long, pointed in shape, which is why another name for the flower is known - Indian sword.

A good location for the mother-in-law's tongue is on the windowsill in the kitchen or living room, away from the bedroom. There, its mystical properties weaken and there is no longer any need to be afraid of family quarrels. According to the superstition, the flower can be placed in the room whose windows face a busy street or a densely populated courtyard, so you will protected from gossip about you.

It’s good if the flower is visible through the window from the street, so it can protect the inhabitants of the house from the negative energy of envious people.

If you believe in this folk sign and want to protect yourself, then It is recommended to plant the flower in a pot light color (as an option - a calm gray-blue color scheme) or in white pot with metal steel ornament (steel has the property of cooling passions).

It is not advisable to keep your mother-in-law's tongue in a red pot or a similar color (from deep pink to dark burgundy), because these colors have the ability to inflame passions and intensify emotions.

Popular rumor attributes to this flower ability to predict major family quarrels and scandals. On the eve of such shocks, it blooms at inopportune times. The traditional time for Sansevieria to bloom is winter, and at this time it does not foretell anything unusual. Bloomed at a different time of the year - be prepared for major shocks and big changes in life.

Pike tail at work

Designers often use sansevieria for office landscaping, as it looks stylish and is low maintenance.

If you decide to use mother-in-law's tongue to decorate your workplace, then popular rumor ascribes the ability to the flower protect your master from gossip and annoying attention from envious people.

The pike tail is also famous for its ability to protect its owner from unpleasant communication and empty, aimless conversations.

Sansevieria, or as it is popularly known, mother-in-law's tongue, is a fairly popular plant among lovers of home flora. This flower came to us from the distant and hot African continent. Today there are more than 60 varieties of Sansevieria in the world, ranging from an indoor flower to a plant nesting in the branches of tropical trees. In our country, the flower is better known as “pike tail” or “mother-in-law’s tongue.”

It is unpretentious, can grow in poor light conditions and easily adapts even to unfavorable conditions environment.

Description and care

Depending on the subspecies of mother-in-law, the tongue may differ in leaf color, shape, height and rosettes. This plant is characterized by heavy, dense leaves, most often bright green.. They may have numerous yellow lines and small black spots in the center.

The size of sansevieria can reach one and a half meters, but there are also very dwarf babies that do not grow up to 20 centimeters. In tall plants, rosettes are most often hidden in pointed leaves; if the flower is small, then the leaves often bend outward, forming the shape of a flower.

Mother-in-law's tongue practically not picky about its contents. He gets enough loose soil and a large clay container. Please note that it is clay, since the plant has a very powerful root system that can easily penetrate plastic or plastic. The pot must be wide enough and stable, since the leaves of sansevieria are very dense and heavy, which can lead to a shaky position of the flower.

If you are the owner of a tall plant, then a couple of weeks after transplanting it is better to play it safe and tie your mother-in-law’s tongue to a support. Periodically check the container with the flower, root system develops very quickly, and if the flower becomes crowded, it may die.

To prevent water from accumulating in the plant pot, use gravel as drainage. The lighting in the room where Sansevieria grows should be as bright as possible, since it is used to basking in the sun in hot Africa.

Otherwise, the wide leaves of the pike tail may lose their bright, rich color, and the plant will stop blooming. By the way, mother-in-law’s tongue got its name precisely because of the external similarity of the shape of the leaves with this human organ.

Mother-in-law's tongue is an excellent air purifier in the apartment. Among other houseplants, Sansevieria has the most developed oxygen filtration system due to its wide, dense leaves. The flower is also capable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation from a computer, TV, etc. household appliances. It is also commonly believed that mother-in-law’s tongue cleanses the room of negative energy and attracts good luck and prosperity to the house.

Superstitions: can you keep it at home?

Widely known among the people magical properties Sansevieria. There are many different folk signs associated with this flower. It is believed that if conflicts often break out in your home, animals suddenly begin to show aggression towards their owners, children do not obey, and there is no understanding and care between you and your loved one, then mother-in-law’s language will become great solution all these problems.

Besides the fact that the plant has excellent wound healing and antiseptic properties, it is capable of cleaning the energy background in the house.

It is believed that mother-in-law's tongue attracts material wealth and good luck to the apartment. You can not only improve relationships with loved ones, but also improve your well-being. tall plant with its long leaves it forms a kind of magical antenna that concentrates positive energy.

Those who want to restore harmony in their relationship with their significant other should get a low plant with bowl-shaped rosettes. They accumulate love energy in the room.

Mother-in-law's language is not easy able to absorb negative energy in the home, it also helps a person get rid of bad thoughts, adjusting his aura in a positive way. The mystical abilities of the plant are quite extensive. The flower also carries protective properties. He protects the house from enemies and prevents evil tongues from spreading gossip.

If you don’t have good team relationships at work, place a pot of sansevieria next to your workplace. It will draw out all the negative energy from your ill-wishers, after which their desire to harm you will significantly decrease.

At first glance, or rather, hearing, one gets the impression that the plant carries negative properties. We have all heard about the behavior of the mother-in-law in the family, about her sharp tongue, love for gossip and stories. In the case of Sansevieria, everything is different. The name of the flower is indeed due to its resemblance to the sharp tongue of the old pepper shaker, but... magical properties are aimed at maintaining harmony and order between households.

Why does Sansevieria bloom?

Mother-in-law's tongue can bloom at any time of the year, everything will depend on proper care behind the plant. Despite the unpretentiousness to external environment, if the flower is left for a long time without water and grows in insufficient light, it it may not bloom at all.

There are widely known cases when Sansevieria begins to bloom in winter or late autumn. It is with this untimely event that people associate a variety of signs and superstitions.

For example, it is believed that if a flower blooms in a cold winter time, then this will become a harbinger of severe conflicts and disputes in the family. If the plant is at work, then relationships in the team will also not develop in the best way.

Oddly enough, the cause of all disagreements will be excessive guardianship and care of one person for another. If it occurs to you to take a colleague under your protection or begin to tightly control a child or your significant other, stop. It is important to have a sense of proportion in everything; without noticing it, you can take up someone else’s personal space, which will only cause aggression, but not gratitude.

If you are expecting guests to arrive or loved one, and mother-in-law’s tongue suddenly blossomed in the house, then most likely it will be a messenger with bad news. In former times it was believed that flowering Sansevieria could produce clean water liars, but how exactly she does it, the information has not been preserved.

There is also a folk superstition about what will happen if mother-in-law’s tongue blooms in spring or summer. In this case, the plant indicated the possibility of an early wedding of one of the family members living in the house or their relatives. Sansevieria flowers in warm time years could foreshadow the birth of a child or the receipt of good news.

In any case, the fact that the flower has gained color indicates positive energy in the room, harmony and stability in people’s lives.

Indoor flowers are the best decoration for a home, but popular rumor ascribes mystical properties to some of them. One of these flowers is sansevieria, the people called him mother-in-law's tongue, Indian sword, pike tail.

There is a belief that mother-in-law's tongue should not be kept in the house, because it can cause a lot of trouble. So what is the danger of this plant?

Folk signs about mother-in-law's language

Sansevieria is an exquisite exotic plant; its long green leaves can delight with their beauty all year round. In addition, it is unpretentious and does not require much attention; even a novice gardener can handle it. But there is a belief that this a flower can harm the family, which is why Sansevieria is nicknamed mother-in-law’s tongue.

It happens that a mother-in-law can darken the life of not only her son-in-law, but also the entire family: nagging, the desire to impose her will on everyone and excessive guardianship. The same properties are attributed to the flower of mother-in-law's tongue: allegedly, with its appearance in the house, quarrels and scandals begin, and conflicts can lead to divorce and family breakdown.

The sign says:

  • if the mother-in-law’s tongue is in the bedroom, then quarrels in the love bed and betrayals cannot be avoided, spouses may lose interest in each other;
  • a flower in the kitchen provokes quarrels on domestic grounds, and in the living room - feuds over finances.

It is not known for certain where this belief came from, but if you think that there is no smoke without fire, then you should treat mother-in-law’s tongue with great caution.

Is it possible to keep a flower at home?

It is believed that this flower should not be given to a young family - one in which the spouses have lived together for less than a year. There is a popular belief that the flower will negatively affect the life of a young family, and quarrels and scandals will begin in the house.

Skeptics claim that a flower can hardly affect the life of newlyweds, but psychologists believe that in the first year of marriage spouses get used to each other, conflicts of interest are inevitable, so disagreements are difficult to avoid.

Our great-great-grandmothers did not know about the opinions of psychologists and the research of meticulous British scientists, so they believed that quarrels in a young family were provoked by a flower with mystical properties.

It is considered a bad sign if A woman gave a flower to a young family. Allegedly, it is in this case that the mystical properties of the flower in destroying marriages manifest themselves especially clearly.

There is a belief that an unmarried girl who has such a flower in her house cannot get married for a long time.

Sansevieria given to a young wife by her husband’s relatives is a cause for concern. People believe that this the gift will have a bad effect on the atmosphere in the house, squabbles and quarrels over trifles and on everyday grounds will be inevitable.

And here it’s worth remembering one more folk sign: witches and healers advise you not to accept flowers in a pot with soil as a gift from people you don’t trust, as this may the land is from a cemetery and a slander can be made on it.

Mother-in-law's tongue, given by a young unmarried woman, portends:

  • betrayal and infidelity of either spouse
  • cooling interest in each other.

For the same reason, it is not recommended to accept a flower as a gift on family dates: wedding anniversary, spouses’ birthdays, etc. According to this sign, You shouldn’t accept mother-in-law’s tongue as a gift from a widow(widower) or a person with an unsuccessful family life.

If a young family inherited a flower, then popular rumor, on the contrary, attributes to it the properties of protecting spouses from spontaneous quarrels and making family ties stronger.

Another sign says that you should not place mother-in-law’s tongue in the bedroom or at the head of the spouses’ bed. The belief says that being in this position, the flower will fully demonstrate its properties of destroying a family.

According to Feng Shui, this arrangement of the flower is undesirable, because there should be no sharp objects in the area where a person sleeps defenselessly. And the leaves of Sansevieria are just long, pointed in shape, which is why another name for the flower is known - Indian sword.

A good location for the mother-in-law's tongue is on the windowsill in the kitchen or living room, away from the bedroom. There, its mystical properties weaken and there is no longer any need to be afraid of family quarrels. According to the superstition, the flower can be placed in the room whose windows face a busy street or a densely populated courtyard, so you will protected from gossip about you.

It’s good if the flower is visible through the window from the street, so it can protect the inhabitants of the house from the negative energy of envious people.

If you believe in this folk sign and want to protect yourself, then It is recommended to plant the flower in a light-colored pot(as an option - a calm gray-blue color scheme) or in a white pot with a metal steel ornament (steel has the property of cooling passions).

It is not advisable to keep your mother-in-law's tongue in a red pot or a similar color (from deep pink to dark burgundy), because these colors have the ability to inflame passions and intensify emotions.

Popular rumor ascribes to this flower ability to predict major family quarrels and scandals. On the eve of such shocks, it blooms at inopportune times. The traditional time for Sansevieria to bloom is winter, and at this time it does not foretell anything unusual. Bloomed at a different time of the year - be prepared for major shocks and big changes in life.

Pike tail at work

Designers often use sansevieria for office landscaping, as it looks stylish and is low maintenance.

If you decide to use mother-in-law's tongue to decorate your workplace, then popular rumor ascribes the ability to the flower protect your master from gossip and annoying attention from envious people.

The pike tail is also famous for its ability to protect its owner from unpleasant communication and empty, aimless conversations.

Mother-in-law’s tongue, “snake skin”, “pike tail”, “devil’s tongue”, “Indian sword”, “leopard lily” - that’s what they call it evergreen Sansevieria (with an emphasis on the second “e”), which can often be found on the windowsills of home greenhouse lovers.

Beautiful name perennial flower received from a prince named Sanseviero, who lived in the eighteenth century. By the way, in Africa, strong ropes and cords are made from this plant, and coarse fabric is also obtained. Sansevieria acquired all other names because of its unusual appearance.

This plant has long thick leaves that look like a pencil lead, a spoon or long tongues, and is popular among flower growers " mother-in-law's tongue"with oval leaves, on a dark green background of which you can see light green stripes; other species may have stripes of a beautiful silver color. The end of each leaf of the “pike tail” is sharp and if the tip is broken, the sansevieria will grow more slowly.

Every novice amateur gardener who wants to see a new plant in his home will definitely find information not only about care, but also scan the new flower for its energy. As usual, flowers have special magic and can influence the emotional background of the owners and the aura in the apartment in different ways. It must be said that a sufficient amount is associated with sansevieria interesting signs and superstitions, having learned about which flower growers can decide for themselves whether to have a pike tail at home or not.

It is a custom or accepted among people that no matter what the mother-in-law is, there are still a lot of jokes associated with her. In particular, it is believed that the mother-in-law loves to chat and gossip. Apparently someone saw long leaves sansevieria and jokingly called them mother-in-law's tongues. This name quickly became attached to the flower, and hence the sign that if you plant sansevieria at home, people will often gossip about the family, scandals and quarrels will begin, which will end in divorce.

Opponents of this opinion, on the contrary, argue that a pike tail will only light a fire in the hearth, improve the connection between spouses, and make the family indestructible.

If you have an enemy at work who is trying to prick you with his statements, just put sansevieria on your desk. They say it will help get your enemy out of the way and make your life at work calmer.

It turns out that mother-in-law’s language absorbs all the negativity that comes from people and improves relationships between participants in communication.

If you were given leaves of mother-in-law's tongue, then put them under your pillow and sleep for three nights in a row. Such a gift can be perceived as a real declaration of love. If the parents of a husband or wife give a married couple sansevieria, the spouses will immediately stop quarreling.

A girl who is not sure of her beloved’s feelings can easily check this by choosing any piece of her mother-in-law’s tongue. If in thirty days the leaf does not wither or fall off, then the guy loves him, and everything will work out.

According to another belief, an unmarried woman should not engage in mother-in-law language, otherwise no one will ever put a wedding ring on her finger.

Eat popular opinion that a flower in the house will lead to frequent conversations about money between spouses. If a woman gives a pike tail to the couple, it means she wants to destroy their family, and if the mother-in-law’s tongue was inherited by the couple from other residents, then it will become a real household talisman.

The benefits and harms of Sansevieria in the house

Benefits in the home:

Damage in the home:

  1. Sansevieria contains the substance saponin. In small doses it is valuable and useful, but in large quantities it becomes a real poison! Doctors use saponin extremely carefully, and medicinal preparations with this component are not recommended for children and pregnant women.
  2. Powerful energy can sometimes be destructive. It is because of this that it is advised not to keep pike tail in rooms where adults or children sleep: the strong aura of the flower will disrupt any sleep.
  3. Trouble will begin for domestic cats and dogs if they decide to eat the leaves of mother-in-law's tongue. Pets will begin to vomit, diarrhea and intestinal upset.
  4. Small children also need to be protected from the flower; they will also suffer if they decide to eat a sansevieria leaf.

Is it possible to keep a Pike Tail at home and where to put it according to Feng Shui

If you are guided only by positive signs that are associated with mother-in-law’s tongue, then keeping a pike tail in your apartment is not only possible, but also necessary. After all, Sansevieria takes away all the negativity emanating from people and things, giving it to household members positive energy. In addition, according to Feng Shui, sansevieria will bring wealth and good luck to the house.

When choosing a place for this flower, remember that it is better not to place a flowerpot with mother-in-law’s tongue next to the bed. A suitable place would be a niche under the window, and the kitchen windows should face the courtyard. This will minimize gossip around your family.

It's good if Sansevieria appears in your workplace. Thanks to this, your productivity will increase, quarrels with colleagues will stop, and your colleagues will not pester you about stupid questions.

Signs on the condition of the flower Mother-in-law's tongue

If you see white arrows with flowers on your sansevieria, rejoice: the time has come for you and your family. white stripe. Mother-in-law's language in this way simply shouts that the time has come to start something new, change your life for the better, and promises that any endeavors will be crowned with success.

If mother-in-law's tongue blooms in winter, this does not bode well. The owner of a blooming sansevieria will face troubles, troubles, failures and disappointments.

Yellowed pike tail leaves predict separation.

If the flower begins to fade, get sick and wither, it is necessary to urgently take measures to restore a comfortable psychological environment in the family. The mother-in-law's fading tongue warns the owners of an impending illness.

Flower care

Sansevieria is an unpretentious plant, capable of adapting to any conditions, but this flower requires some care.

This plant will not be harmed by excess color, but if the window sills are located in the south, then it is better to move the pot into the shade. If yellow There is a lot of mother-in-law tongue on the leaves, so less light is required. If you want to protect your flower from burns, then it is better to protect sansevieria from direct sun rays.

Sansevieria can survive a week without water, so you should not water it often, otherwise the flower may rot. If the flower is in the cold or in the shade, it needs to be watered less often; mother-in-laws hate spraying, but you can wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.

The soil for the flower should dry out quickly and be of low nutritional value. Choose soil for your mother-in-law's tongue that is suitable for growing cacti. The main thing is that the ground is light.

The pot for sansevieria should be wide, but not too large and deep. There should be large drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

Everyone can make a choice for themselves: to have an unpretentious sansevieria in the house or to hold off on purchasing it. People who think in a positive way always keep in mind the most positive qualities of this beautiful plant, including his healing properties. The main thing is not to self-medicate, I use sansevieria, but be sure to consult a doctor. Remember that you need to care for any plant and do it correctly, and then no superstitions are scary.

If you decide to get a plant like Mother-in-Law’s tongue in your home, you should listen to folk beliefs, because some of them promise good things, while others are a harbinger of unpleasant life changes. What signs exist about the Mother-in-Law flower and how they can be recognized will be helped by the advice of experienced fortune tellers.

Interpretation of superstitions about the plant

This flower has several popular names - in floristry the indoor flower is called Sansevieria, popularly - snake skin, pike tail, devil's tongue or Indian sword. The flower received this name for a reason - its long and pointed foliage is really appearance resembles swords or long tongues.

As the sign about the Mother-in-Law flower says, a bush growing in the house is an excellent symbol of strengthening family relations between spouses and all family members. Practice shows that families who acquired such a flower lived for a long time in happiness and love, and all quarrels, disagreements and troubles left their home away.

Despite the name, which implies gossip, discord and disagreement, the Mother-in-Law flower, on the contrary, is real and powerful protection all household members from any negativity - the evil eye, damage, the evil eye and other magical influences.

The flower scares away all ill-wishers who have bad thoughts and bad intentions towards your family. It protects household members on an energetic level and prevents negativity from entering the house.

Energy properties

Folk signs about the Pike Tail they say that such a flower is able to balance the energy balance of any home - be it a house or an apartment. In a house where there is no such plant, complete discord will reign.

According to popular belief, Mother-in-law’s tongue in the house is capable of absorbing all the negativity - anger, hostility towards others, bad mood, and in return, charging a person with positivity and positive energy. The pike tail helps all family members get closer, find common language and understanding. Long leaves take away all the bad things and radiate the energy of calm, comfort and well-being in the house.

If there is a negative atmosphere in the house, it has worsened financial situation If one of the family members is often sick, it is necessary to place Mother-in-Law's Tongue in a place where all family members often gather. This could be the kitchen or living room. The plant will soften the tense atmosphere, absorb all negativity and direct positive energy in the right direction.

Signs about flowering

Signs about the Pike tail, which blooms, have several meanings.

  1. If Mother-in-law's tongue blooms earlier or later than expected, it is a bad sign. A major scandal or quarrel awaits you at home or at work (if the plant is located in the office). A quarrel can be provoked by excessive guardianship or concern for other people. This phenomenon usually occurs when winter period, which is not typical for Sansevieria.
  2. Some believe that Mother-in-Law’s tongue blooms only in a house or apartment where there is a favorable atmosphere, understanding and comfort. Therefore, if a plant blooms at any time of the year except winter, there is nothing bad or alarming about it. As superstitions and signs say about the Pike Tail flower, new and successful endeavors await a person - obtaining a new position, developing a hidden talent, concluding a new deal, etc.

How to get the most benefit from a plant

For positive superstitions to come true and for you to be able to force the plant to diligently take care of the well-being of the family, you need to provide it with good care:

  • water frequently;
  • feed periodically;
  • keep in a bright, warm place where there are no drafts and sudden temperature changes;
  • To maintain its decorative effect, periodically wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.

When buying Mother-in-law's tongue for your home, it is important to remember that such a plant brings maximum benefit only to positive, kind and optimistic people. The plant subtly senses the home aura and the atmosphere in the house, multiplies it and directs it in the right direction.

Mother-in-law's tongue is a flower often found on the windowsills of Soviet apartments, in public medical institutions and kindergartens. Its long leaves, usually rich green in color with dark splashes or stripes, were a common attribute of any self-respecting housewife of the USSR. As it turned out, in the 21st century, culture from Africa also found a place next to man. IN modern world Sansevieria, as mother-in-law's tongue is also called, is quite widespread and continues to win the hearts of indoor plant lovers around the globe.

A flower with many names

Born under the scorching sun of subtropical countries, Sansevieria or Sansevieria has taken root quite well on modern window sills. There is no name for the indoor flower, which in nature has 69 varieties. The most common popular names heat-loving beauties are:

  • mother-in-law's tongue;
  • pike tail;
  • snake skin;
  • Indian sword.

Sansevieria received its official name from the famous scientist and botanist of the 18th century, a native of Italy, Prince Sanseviero.

The plant not only looks picturesque, but also has a sufficient number of useful properties. According to research by the American company NASA, the pike tail is almost the only representative of the flora that clears space of carbon dioxide and other harmful substances. Scientists were also amazed by the fact that during the night the Indian sword is able to absorb and process all the carbon dioxide in the room where it is located. Neutralizes mother-in-law's tongue and harmful secretions from plastic windows.

Folk signs associated with culture

Before bringing home this or that green window sill dweller, some housewives are also interested in the energetic influence of the plant. So, for example, folk superstitions Previously, mother-in-law's tongue was given a bad name. It was believed that sansevieria represents the wife’s mother, and it has long been believed that this particular lady loves to teach young people, meddle in their affairs and gossip.

It used to be believed that by having a pike tail in the house, the family doomed itself to a short-lived existence as a married couple. Between husband and wife, disagreements and constant quarrels and scandals must begin. However, modern esotericists believe that the ancient signs associated with mother-in-law’s tongue are nothing more than legends. Experts are convinced that it is Sansevieria that is called upon to protect peace in the house where it grows, and is named after the long tongue of the wife’s mother as a joke.

By growing pike tail at home, the housewife provides her family with a calm and peaceful atmosphere in her home. Observations have shown that the number of quarrels and scandals with the appearance of mother-in-law's tongue on the windowsill is significantly reduced and eventually disappears altogether. People living near her improve their mood and sleep.

There are also signs on the topic of Sansevieria flowering. A native of the subtropics rarely shoots an arrow with buds. Popular rumor claims that if a plant throws up a flower in the winter from December to February, then this is in trouble, and over the next year you should not expect gifts or mercy from fate. In other seasons, the blossoming of mother-in-law's tongue promises happiness and prosperity to its owner.

Modern experts are sure that sansevieria produces buds only in a favorable atmosphere, which means that its flowering in any of the 12 months brings good luck.

Varieties of mother-in-law's tongue

Caring for sansevieria at home is not particularly difficult, and its buds smell pleasant and are beautiful in appearance. The most popular varieties of mother-in-law's tongue include the following plants:

  • big;
  • hyacinth;
  • Duneri;
  • graceful;
  • pick;
  • Liberian;
  • three-lane;
  • cylindrical.

A reddish border along the edge of a wide, almost 60 cm ovoid leaf with stripes indicates a large sansevieria. This plant blooms with white or greenish-transparent inflorescences.

Indian sword hyacinth and duneri

The hyacinth piketail stands out among its green relatives with tufts of lanceolate leaves with light horizontal strokes. The flowers of this representative of mother-in-law's tongue are small.

Duneri is another type of Indian sword. Her characteristic features are flat, straight-directed leaves, periodically intersected by dark wide stripes. The buds are distinguished by their whiteness.

Graceful mother-in-law's tongue and pickaxe

Often in indoor pots You can also find Sansevieria graceful. It is distinguished by small pointed shoots of a greenish-gray hue. The color of its rather wide stripes is grayish-beige.

The leaves-tongues of the pickaxe can reach a height of 1.8-1.9 meters in an adult plant and have a soft green tint. The spots that nature generously endowed this sansevieria with are both white and white-green. This variety of mother-in-law's tongue produces light buds.

Liberian, three-strip and cylindrical sansevieria

The flowers of the Liberian Sansevieria are considered the most strongly fragrant. The leaves of this plant are flat, lance-shaped and grow parallel to the ground. The stripes that cross the tongues are usually light green.

Three-strip sansevieria is so named because of the vertical lines that strip its leaves. Fresh green shoots have a white or light border around the entire perimeter and dark streak stripes located horizontally. This representative of Sansevieria usually blooms with small greenish-white buds.

But the leaves of the cylindrical Indian sword are often used to braid the plant. The rich green tube shoots have a diameter of up to 2 cm, and the mother-in-law’s tongue itself blooms with unusual brown flowers that secrete sweet nectar.

How to care for sansevieria?

To grow healthy and pleasing sansevieria at home, you need to follow several rules. Important details of caring for mother-in-law's tongue include:

  • choice of location;
  • landing;
  • watering;
  • fertilizer.

Despite the fact that the subtropical plant is unpretentious by nature and even some of its species prefer to live in a canopy, perched on tree branches, right choice space will be the key to the health of the window sill inhabitant. The flower does not like direct sunlight, however, constant light is vital for it.

Sansevieria loves the east or west side.

The ambient temperature in summer should not exceed +25 degrees Celsius. In the winter season, the thermometer in the room where the mother-in-law's tongue grows must be at +10 and above.

Landing

Piketail prefers small but wide pots, as its roots spread wide rather than deep. There must be drainage under the soil layer so that the water in the vessel does not stagnate and the plant does not rot. The best option for the soil mixture there will be turf and leaf soil, mixed with sand in a ratio of 4 to 2 to 1. A substrate for geranium is also suitable. It is recommended to regularly wipe off dust that accumulates on the leaves with a damp cloth.

Irrigation

Sansevieria needs to be watered moderately from April to October. During the cold season from November to March, it is recommended to limit the amount of water. You should definitely make sure that liquid does not get into the center of the flower rosette, as this can lead to rotting of the plant.

Reproduction of pike tail

Like any other green inhabitant of window sills and indoor shelving, Sansevieria has a weakness for feeding. Experts recommend fertilizing the soil from March to August, and fertilizer for cacti (the dosage is reduced by half) is suitable as a healthy “delicacy” for mother-in-law’s tongue.

Pike tail propagation can also be done at home. Sansevieria produces:

  • dividing the rhizome;
  • seeds;
  • cuttings.

Root division

A new plant is obtained by transplanting an adult Sansevieria. To do this, you need to remove the mother-in-law’s tongue along with the root and rinse thoroughly. Next, the rhizome of the flower is divided into the required number of pieces using a well-sharpened knife. In this case, there must be leaves on the separated parts. The new sansevieria is placed in a prepared pot and covered with soil. Then the seedling is watered abundantly. After some time, the soil can be fertilized.

Sowing seeds

When propagated by seeds, they are collected after the mother-in-law's tongue has flowered. Next, the slightly dried material is planted in selected pots and placed in a small greenhouse for germination. After 21 days, the seeds will sprout.

After the new pike tails have sprouted, they are picked and, if necessary, transplanted to a permanent place in a large container. Watering and caring for young plants is identical to the recommendations for the first breeding option.

Germination of parts

Cuttings from leaves are considered by experts to be the most difficult way to propagate a native of subtropical forests. In order to get a new plant from an existing sansevieria, its leaves, selected in required quantity, cut into several pieces and dried.

Then the slightly withered parts of the mother-in-law’s tongue fragment are immersed on one side in wet sand to a depth of 2 cm. After 54 days, the cuttings will take root, after which they are planted in a permanent place of growth and, if necessary, in a larger pot. It is recommended to care for such sansevieria in the same ways as for those grown using previous methods.

The plant requires mandatory replanting when it begins to regularly turn the pot onto the floor.

How to repel plant pests?

Despite the fact that mother-in-law's tongue is quite unpretentious, and it is affected by pests. The most common diseases of Sansevieria are spider mite and thrips. They are combated with special insecticides purchased from flower shops. For example, Vertimek or Fitoverm will help in pest control. The course of treatment takes place at intervals of 7-10 days.

Web Maker

Another pest that is difficult to see in time due to its small size is the spider mite. This insect reproduces quite quickly and affects indoor green spaces in a matter of days. If a barely noticeable cobweb and black spots appear on the flower, it means that the pest has already attacked a representative of the home flora.

Usually, flowers affected by mites cannot be saved. They urgently need to be isolated from other neighbors in pots. If there is a desire to try to resuscitate a green patient, then he is sprayed or watered from the shower until wet, and then placed in a container with a special solution of the drug. Treatment also takes place in several stages at intervals of 5-10 days. Typically, treatment with a special agent is carried out 3 times.

Appearance brown spots or fragments on the leaves may also indicate that the crop has received an excess of moisture. In this case, the rotten leaves are removed. Mother-in-law's tongue is excellent indoor plant, which is unpretentious in care and pleases the eye with its fresh greenery. If we manage to create ideal conditions for the inhabitant of the windowsill, then we will be able to admire its flowering.