Mother-In-Law’s Tongue: Modern Style for a Retro Houseplant

Sansevieria trifasciata, snake plant, mother-in-law’s tongue, sword of Saint George. No matter what you call this houseplant, the West African native is almost impossible to kill. (My mother can attest to this; she has one nearly 100 years old.)

According to landscape designer Beth Mullins (of Growsgreen in San Francisco), mother-in-law’s tongue is “retro and easy and can handle dark corners with very little water.”

Little water? Yes; in fact, overwatering is one of the few ways to kill the plant. Dark corners? Check. (Though in bright light, it will flower.) And retro? To a fault; the trick with sansevieria is not in keeping it alive, but in keeping it in this decade. Sansevieria was all the rage in the 1970s, and though it’s made a comeback, it still can look retro–in a bad way.

Here are five ideas (circa 2017) for styling mother-in-law’s tongue at home:

For more houseplants, see:

• Expert Advice: 10 Best Low-Maintenance Houseplants.
• 5 Favorites: Mini Houseplants for Apartment Living.
• Houseplants for a Hater.
• Ask the Expert: Tips for Starting a Houseplant Collection.

Finally, get more ideas on how to plant, grow, and care for various houseplants with our Houseplants: A Field Guide.

Additionally, get more ideas on how to successfully plant, grow, and care for mother-in-law’s tongue with our Mother-in-Law’s Tongue: A Field Guide.

Interested in other tropical plants for your garden or indoor space? Get more ideas on how to plant, grow, and care for various tropical plants with our Tropical Plants: A Field Guide.