How to take care of the devil's tongue

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s day everyone! Wait a minute… a devil’s what?! A devil’s tongue, you say?! 😈

Relax, the “devil’s tongue” is the common name for the plant, Sansevieria. Its other common names include the “mother-in-law’s tongue” and the “snake plant”. This is not a indoor house plant blog, but Winnie is looking to start taking care of a plant, so here, we’ll show you how to keep this handsome little devil nice and happy. Lucky for you, this plant requires very little maintenance, and will actually thrive with less care.

Another bonus: this plant is great for purifying the air in your home, #freeCleanAir.

Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene

Plant Care Tips

Water

• Do not overwater the plant, especially during the winter. Allow the soil to dry between waterings and try to avoid getting the leaves wet when you water. If you water too often, the leaves will get mushy.

Light

• Snake plants are very tolerant to any light conditions. They will do fine in low light or direct light, but will grow slower and have less color. The ideal lighting conditions for them is indirect sunlight, in the proximity of a window that gets sunlight.

Temperature

• The ideal temperature for the plant is between 15° to 30°. It cannot tolerate temperatures under 10° or over 35°.

Toxicity

• This plant is a little bit toxic to small animals like cats and dogs. It may cause vomiting and diarrhea when chewed or ingested. Keep away from cute dogs! (@westiedoodle)

Soil

• Since they are prone to rot, using a free-draining soil mix is best. If you want to mix your own soil, use one part garden soil, one part peat, and two parts builder’s sand/perlite.

Fertilizer

• It doesn’t require a lot of fertilizer, but will grow a little more if you do it a couple times in the summer and spring. Any fertilizer for houseplants will do. How to fertilize? Follow the instructions on the package.

Propagating

Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants.

• If you want more of this plant, you can propagate it! This is easily done by cutting off a leave into 3-4” pieces. Replant it fresh soil, the right side up, and it will start to root and grow in about a month.

Pests

• If you notice mealybugs and spider mites, mist the plant then wipe them off. Gross.

Disease

• The most common diseases is root rot due to overwatering. Remember to water less, cut off any mushy leaves, and keep the leaves dry.

Remember, this plant is pretty resilient, and is a good first plant for those who want to start taking care of plants. This plant is very sexy for modern and contemporary interior designs. This year for Valentines Day, instead of giving her flowers, I gave her this nice aesthetic plant. Boys, try it out! Try giving her nice plants along with the flowers that you already get her. Both of you can enjoy them if you live together! Happy growing! 🌱🌿🌴

Written on February 14th, 2018 by Aldrin Balisi