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 often looks retro—in a bad way.
Here are a few ideas (circa 2015) for styling mother-in-law's tongue at home:
Above: A young mother-in-law's tongue in a corner vignette in Berlin coffee house Roamers.
Above: A snake plant in a ceramic crock in the bedroom of blogger A Daily Something.
Above: A mother-in-law's tongue from Time of the Aquarius via Want a Raise? 11 Houseplants That Could Help Your Career.
Above: Two snake plants in the Nashville, TN home of stylist and photographer Caroline and Clark Brewer, via Design Sponge.
Above: A snake plant in the entryway of Gardenista contributor Erin Boyle for West Elm blog Front + Main.
Above: A young snake plant in the kitchen of UK blogger At Home with Red.
Above: A potted plant vignette in the Brooklyn home of jewelry designer Caitlin Mociun. Photograph via Refinery 29.
Above: Aloe vera, zz plant, and golden pothos make friends with a snake plant in a bathroom styled by Lisa Muñoz of Leaf and June. Photograph via Vogue.
Above: Mother-in-law's tongue in the corner of a restaurant dining room in a photo on the VSCO grid of photographer Nicole Franzen.
Above: A snake plant in a modern planter in the hallway of blogger Sarah Yates of A House in the Hills.
Above: Mother-in-law's tongue in a pot by ceramicists Form & Fable for Indie Home Collective.
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.
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