Sansevieria trifasciata Syn. Dracaena (Mother in Laws Tongue)
Snake Plant / Mother-in-law's Tongue
1 grower · 1 size · from $45.00 ex GST
- Type
- Evergreen succulent
- Height
- 0.6 m to 1.2 m
- Spread
- 0.3 m to 0.6 m
- Growth
- Moderate
- Flowers
- Greenish white, mostly spring and summer by the Queensland Government; spring by the American references, and winter in its native habitat by the North Carolina toolbox
- Sun
- Part shade, two to six hours of direct sun; tolerates very low light
- In Australia
- Naturalised
| Size | Grower | PricePrice ex GST | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250mm | Yackandandah Valley Nursery250mm | $45.00 |
Growing mother-in-law's tongue
What arrives under this name is the plant the species page describes: a stemless clump of stiff, upright leaves banded across in dark and light or greyish green, spreading by creeping rhizomes. The Missouri Plant Finder calls it snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue, and the Queensland Government gives snake plant, bowstring hemp and good luck plant as its other names. The botanical name has moved too: the Australian Plant Census holds Sansevieria trifasciata as a synonym of Dracaena trifasciata, and notes that Queensland treats it as Sansevieria trifasciata. As a pot plant, the Missouri Plant Finder gives it part shade and a well-draining potting mix, with much less water from autumn to late winter, and blames root rot on overwatering. The Dracaena trifasciata page gives the full account of size, light, water and flowering.
Using mother-in-law's tongue
Under any of these names it is the one plant for pots and gardens, and the species page sets out its uses and what the Queensland Government says of it as an invasive plant. The table above shows the sizes growers list under this name. The HortOS guide to nursery pot sizes explains how those sizes are named: by rim diameter in millimetres up to 400 mm, and by volume in litres beyond that, and it gives the rough height and age of plant behind each step.
What to check before you buy
Treat listings of mother-in-law's tongue, snake plant, Sansevieria trifasciata and Dracaena trifasciata as one plant and compare them side by side. The common name does not say whether the stock is the plain banded form or a cultivar: the New South Wales flora notes various cultivars in cultivation, so ask the grower which it is. The yellow-edged Laurentii has a page of its own. For checks on the pot, see the HortOS guide to judging nursery plant quality.
Cautions
The ASPCA lists the plant, under snake plant and mother-in-law's tongue, as toxic to dogs and cats.
An invasive plant in Queensland, not prohibited or restricted under the Biosecurity Act 2014, with the general biosecurity obligation applying to it; Council Pest Vegetation under Brisbane City Council's Natural Asset Local Law. (Queensland Government (Business Queensland), invasive plants under the Biosecurity Act 2014; Brisbane City Council Weed Identification Tool (Natural Asset Local Law))
Prices are set by each grower and shown ex GST. Availability is confirmed by the grower at order.
Common questions
- Who grows Sansevieria trifasciata Syn. Dracaena (Mother in Laws Tongue) wholesale in Australia?
- 1 wholesale grower lists Sansevieria trifasciata Syn. Dracaena (Mother in Laws Tongue) on HortOS right now, each with their own pot sizes and trade prices. They are in Victoria. The growers are named on this page.
- What pot sizes does Sansevieria trifasciata Syn. Dracaena (Mother in Laws Tongue) come in?
- Growers on HortOS list Sansevieria trifasciata Syn. Dracaena (Mother in Laws Tongue) in 250mm.
- How do I order Sansevieria trifasciata Syn. Dracaena (Mother in Laws Tongue) from these growers?
- HortOS is for the trade. Add the lines you want to a list and send it: each grower gets their part of the order by email, confirms what they have and quotes freight, and nothing is bought until you approve it. Listing, searching and ordering are free.
- Is mother-in-law's tongue the same as snake plant?
- Yes. Both are common names for Dracaena trifasciata, still sold as Sansevieria trifasciata. The Missouri Plant Finder and the ASPCA give both names for the one plant.
- Is mother-in-law's tongue a cultivar?
- No. It is the straight species under its common name, and no reference read describes any difference between plants sold under it and the species.
- Should a listing say Sansevieria or Dracaena?
- Both name the same plant. GBIF and the Australian Plant Census accept Dracaena trifasciata, and the New South Wales flora lists Sansevieria trifasciata as a synonym of Dracaena trifasciata.
- Is mother-in-law's tongue poisonous to pets?
- The ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs and cats. It names saponins as the toxic principle, with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea as the signs.
Sources
- GBIF species API: Dracaena trifasciata (Prain) Mabb., the accepted name, with Sansevieria trifasciata Prain as its synonym
- Australian Plant Census (APC): Dracaena trifasciata, with its distribution and comment
- PlantNET, the New South Wales flora online (Royal Botanic Garden Sydney): Dracaena trifasciata
- Queensland Government (Business Queensland), invasive plants: Mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control, Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
- HortFlora, the Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia (Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria): Sansevieria trifasciata Prain
- Brisbane City Council, Weed Identification Tool: Mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder: Dracaena trifasciata (snake plant)
- The HortOS catalogue (the name growers list it under: Sansevieria trifasciata Syn. Dracaena, Mother in Laws Tongue)
The growers, sizes and prices above are live and change as lists arrive. Cite this page: HortOS, Mother-in-law's tongue (Dracaena trifasciata), https://au.hortosapp.com/plants/sansevieria-trifasciata-syn-dracaena-mother-in-laws-tongue.
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