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scandia_gw

Sansevieria aka Mother in Laws Tongue Q's

scandia
14 years ago

I recently bought 2 new Sanservieria plants for my home.

After searcing the Internet I found that I have Trifasciata "Moonshine"; Zeylanica "Snake Plant"; and "Laurentil" (had this one for years).

In researching this plant I found that it blooms.

Does anybody know how to make/get them to bloom?

I asked on the Sansevieria Forum too..Since I always get sound advice on the Alabama forum I wanted to try here also.

Thanks

Comments (14)

  • ourhighlandhome
    14 years ago

    I don't know how you entice them to bloom, but if they're anything like the common "mother-in-law's tongue", you'll know it when they do. Mine have always had a unique and unforgettable fragrance.

    Good luck!

    Nelson

  • scandia
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I think I will leave them alone for months then try to feed them a little bloom booster and see what happens. After reading bunches of articles they thrive off little care so maybe little care will cause them to be happy and give me a bloom. I have the soil and pot size right and they have their own plant light. Time will tell.

    Thanks

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    14 years ago

    I have one on a window ledge, facing the eastern sun, that has been blooming for months. As soon as one inflorescence is finished, another is there to take its place. Nelson, do yours drip copious amounts of nectar all of the time?

    Scandia, if your plants are young, I doubt that they will bloom anytime soon. Any that I have had bloom only after they are several years old. I'd recommend a few hours of full sun to make sure your plants can build up lots of energy reserves for the flowering process.

    Some years ago, I had a large cylindrical leaved Sansevieria (since gifted to someone with more space) that spent much of its outdoor vacation flowering. I discovered that ants would attach themselves to those tiny florets all along the stalk, becoming so full of the free flowing nectar they looked like they were going to pop. The flower stalk looked like it was MADE of ants! Hilarious.

  • topsiebeezelbub
    14 years ago

    They only bloom when they are squeezed to death in the pot...don't be tempted to pot them up.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    14 years ago

    I'd have to disagree with that comment, based on my own experiences with this plant. Though these tough plants can survive under all kinds of conditions, they don't require overcrowding in order to bloom.

  • madabouteu
    14 years ago

    The ones I have had bloom for me were outdoors when I lived in New Orleans. I do not know whether it was the free root run, the climate. or what that introduced them to bloom. A friend in Los Angeles grows them in pots, has at least 100 species and cultivars - hers bloom all the time!

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    14 years ago

    I'd love to see a collection like that!

  • scandia
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks all. I guess I will just have to let them grow up a little before I get to see blooms. I bought more of them just because I think they are exotic looking. One of them was pretty LARGE when I bought it, standing 4 ft high not including the pot. Seriously the Moonsine is looking like it wants to bloom. Patience is what I need.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    14 years ago

    Just out of curiosity, are you buying these plants locally or have you found an on-line provider you like?

  • scandia
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I bought them at Lowe's

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    14 years ago

    Wow, I'm surprised at that....though I've never looked through the indoor plants at the Lowe's near me (or any place, for that matter). Spill it, Scandia! Where is your Lowe's? ;-)

  • scandia
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Huntsville North Pkwy. I think it was some sort of after Christmas House plant special purchase. They had a lot of House plants. The 4 foot Sansevieria was $5.00 NO kidding!!!! In a 2 gallon pot. When I got it home I repotted it, it split into 10 plants. So I put 5 in one pot and 5 in another. The Moonshine I bought for $3.00 It split into 3 plants. I rarely shop at Lowes after Christmas. I was lookin' to spend some Christmas Money I had received as a gift. And ShaZam.

  • User
    14 years ago

    The first sansiviera that I saw bloom was in an old restaurant in downtown Mobile years ago. The window faced west, the pots were overcrowded with plants, and I know they were root bound. And they were blooming away.

    If you wish to optimize the planting soil and keep feeding most of your plants, for a controlled experiment, leave ONE pot unfed and mostly ignored, and let it get rootbound. It may turn out like my first huge (and ignored) aloe vera plant, and when overcrowded and in intense heat, with only occasional watering, it shot up 4 foot tall spikes of lip-colored blooms that were truly awesome.

    It made me wonder if the plant was trying to procreate because it anticipated death!!!

    I'd be interested in what results you have with your MILtongue/snake plants. I think my big pot of them may have died with the record cold spell this winter.

  • scandia
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    The new one's are growing new leaves. I guess you call them leaves. The Moonshine is pushing a stem out. I thought it looked like it wanted to bloom. They have their own plant light which gives off heat. I accidentally broke the root base off one of them, put the leaves in water and they grew roots in a week!!! A WEEK. I am uncomfortable about root bounding a plant even though I know it can be done with this plant. Each plant has at least 4-6 inches to breathe.