Asked on Sep 03, 2013
Can you name this houseplant?
by
Ivylore
+41
This plant is very easy to care for, but it spreads so fast! It outgrows each planter and I am dividing it frequently. Can you name it? If I don't divide it, will it stop multiplying in the planter? ***Thanks for all the responses!- "snake plant" or "mother in law's tongue!
constantly outgrows its planter
34 answers
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I do not know the scientific name but I have always heard it called "the mother-in-law's tongue"
Shara Smith
on Sep 03, 2013
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Snake plant or as Shara said mother in law's tongue. Scientific name is sansevieria trifasciata It will keep multiplying it must like you. If you let it rootbound it may just grow taller too. I had a friend who never repotted hers and it is over 2' tall. May be a different variety but it would not hurt to let it just sit and see what happens. The pot looks small and that is one reason for the crowding. It is a great plant to divide and give to friends in cute little pots.
The Garden Frog with C Renee
on Sep 03, 2013
- See 2 previous
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Thanks Shara and Renee for your replies- I do have a snake plant -is that the same? The coloring of the leaves is similar and that's why I was unsure about this plant. My snake plant grows straight up and taller. This plant is much shorter and it grows in a rose bud kind of way. Is it just a different kind of snake plant (mother in law tongue)? Thanks again.
Ivylore
on Sep 03, 2013
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Different varieties of the same plant I think...nice plant btw.
Judy
on Sep 05, 2013
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I have one growing in water for years.
Joanne N Joe Villa
on Sep 05, 2013
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I have one also and have shared. It is not the snake plant but in that family.Grows like crazy. My mother had a snake plant and got so rootbound and broke the pot.
Evonne Kruger
on Sep 05, 2013
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It is a Sanseviera. Also Mother-in-Law's tongue/Snake plant.
Donna Shipley
on Sep 05, 2013
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Please do not plant this outdoors. It will take over...native to Mexico. Good plant for cleaning air in the house
Deborah R
on Sep 05, 2013
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My mom and dad have one that is about thirty years old. Great plant.
Claudia of Mockingbird Hill Cottage
on Sep 05, 2013
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Our original snake plant is over 20 years old. We have 2 huge plants that we made from it and have given away many 'shoots' to friends. And yes, they like to be in a tight pot.
Michelle W
on Sep 05, 2013
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mother-in-laws tongue.just saw it on a plant web site.
Diane Ray
on Sep 05, 2013
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That is sooooooooo awesome!!!! My father had 2 green thumbs!!! He could make a broom stick bloom! (just kidding of course) But he was awesome with making cactus bloom!!! Good luck with your plant. Mine get so root bound they break the container they are in!!!
Gloria Damron
on Sep 05, 2013
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The shorter versions like this one are called "father in laws tongue" and the longer ones are called "mother in law tongues" they do like to be root bound and if left alone will definitely bloom!
Dinah Dee Roberts
on Sep 05, 2013
- See 1 previous
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it is a Sansevieria the proper type name is birdsnest sansevieria variety is called "jade" and sansevieria can be called mother-in-laws tongue or by any of the other common names for this plant such as devil's tongue, jinn's tongue, bow string hemp, snake plant and snake tongue. enjoy your easy care plant
April E
on Sep 05, 2013
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Variegated Mother In laws tongue ; )
Ashley Hinistroza
on Sep 05, 2013
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Another of my plants identified, I love this portion of hometalk.
Kim 'Kiewatt' Waknitz
on Sep 05, 2013
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This plant is called "Mothers-in-Law Tongue" because it is extremely hardy and hard to kill or get rid of : )
Nancy Looby
on Sep 05, 2013
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It is a sansevieria birds nest and can be quite invasive. Doesn't like the cold. Enjoy
Leona G
on Sep 05, 2013
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Here in Puerto Rico we called it "lengua de vaca" which means "cow's tongue". Funny in the states is called after the mother-in-law and here after the cow! Anyhow, is a great plant, grows fast and can decorate any space.
Ileana J.
on Sep 05, 2013
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@Ivylore yes they definitely bloom but I think they have to be rootbound for that. And the blooms are fairly small too, but pretty!
Dinah Dee Roberts
on Sep 05, 2013
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have had one for over 20 years and has never bloomed.
Diane Ray
on Sep 06, 2013
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The only way they will bloom is with enough sun. Even though sansevieria can tolerate low sun, they are from Africa and love a lot of light. If they have enough light, they will bloom. I've actually never seen the bird's nest type bloom. They can break pots when they are happily growing and reproducing.
The Houseplant Guru (Lisa Eldred Steinkopf)
on Sep 06, 2013
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I have one. I have called it snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue.
Diane Frank
on Sep 06, 2013
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Motherinlaws tongue???
Kathy Jo Norman
on Sep 07, 2013
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I call it mother-in-law's tongue. I love dividing and giving to friends in cute little pots for home warming presents, or other occasions. It's very hardy and lasts forever.
Julie G.
on Sep 07, 2013
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Mother in laws tongue...grows great outside and can just divide it and use that for more plants. Hardy here on the gulf coast in Texas
Pam McFairen
on Sep 08, 2013
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Mine has bloomed several times...maybe it's the soil it's in ....
Dinah Dee Roberts
on Sep 08, 2013
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My mom always called this a bird's nest snake plant. I have this and a regular snake plant that looks exactly like the bird's nest. Just different heights.
Alicia Repine
on Sep 09, 2013
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mothers in law tongue ,that's what I e always heard it called
Trish Whisnant
on Sep 09, 2013
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It's called Sansevieria trifasciata or Snake Plant or sometimes Mother-In-Law's Tongue. The variety shown is called "Bird's Nest." It is super hardy and thrives on neglect! Plus, it's really pretty. Here is a link in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sansevieria_trifasciata
Coco Tree Service Corp
on Sep 10, 2013
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I have had one for 40 years, and this year it had it's first flower. It is very root bond now and it needs a new pot. I plan on doing that very soon.
Shelly
on Sep 10, 2013
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How about Sanseveria> When they are ancient, they even bloom.
Rose S
on Sep 11, 2013
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I've always heard ti called "Snake plant" also and you can't kill that sucker! I once cleaned out a house where the owner had not lived in it for over 9 mo. nor had anybody been in his house to water his plants during that time. Believe it or not, that snake plant never died but others in the sunroom did. 9 mo. without water, hard to believe but I know it happened.
Betty819
on Jun 10, 2014
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Mm tropical plant?
Sarah Tyminski
on Apr 17, 2016
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