Sansevieria, also known as snake plant, is one of the native ornamental plants of the tropics and is commonly called Mother-in-law’s tongue. Plants with this shape are called Mother-in-law’s tongue because of their sharp shape. Sansevieria is very easy to grow. Plants from the Dracaenaceae family originated in South Africa, Arabia, India, and Indonesia. Because it can grow in conditions that do not require a lot of water and sunlight, it is quite popular as a display indoor plant.
If you decide to place them indoors, you should choose a location that is exposed to sunlight, such as a window sill. This will allow the plant to grow maximally without withering much.
It is recommended that you sunbathe the snake plant at least once a week, because sunlight will keep the leaves from fading.
Mother-in-law’s tongue has many unique names. The snake plant is also known as devil’s tongue, bowstring hemp, lucky plant, and sansevieria. Snake plants have leaves that resemble blades. The green on it is usually variegated. Mother-in-law tongue can also function as an ornamental plant, but it also has very beneficial properties for us, such as its ability to absorb various kinds of air pollution.
Snake Plant Benefits
Let’s imagine, what if there were plants that provided beauty and protected us from harmful substances? Our attention is not focused on these things. Snake plants are one of the plants that can perform such a miracle, aren’t they interesting? In a house, office, etc., plants serve the function of enhancing the environment. Moreover, the effect is purely aesthetic. Mother-in-law’s tongue benefits are not limited to that. These are some of the extraordinary benefits of snake plant summarized from several sources:
Natural Air Purifier
Snake plants purify the air better than most other indoor plants, including Devil’s Ivy’s toxin-absorbing properties, making them an excellent choice for ornamental plant lovers as well as health-conscious individuals. Benzene, xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde can all be filtered out of the air by Mother-in-law’s tongue as well as carbon monoxide, oxygen, and other pollutants.
Removes Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution
Studies have shown that indoor air pollution can be just as harmful as outdoor air pollution. You can reduce air pollution both indoors and outdoors by planting snake plants both indoors and outdoors. Snake plants grow well in both conditions and can tolerate direct sunlight that very few indoor plants can.
An Abundant Source of Oxygen
Harvard University published a theoretical report which showed Mother-in-law’s tongues to be one of the most oxygenated ornamental plants. Therefore, their health benefits for humans are undeniable. Toxins are absorbed efficiently by mother-in-law’s tongue, and oxygen is released to the environment. Airborne allergies can be reduced by releasing moisture into the air through plants.
Anti-cancer Plants
The ability of mother-in-law’s tongue to absorb and detoxify toxic air pollutants and cancer-causing agents such as benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene makes it a viable option for treating and preventing this deadly disease.
Carbon Dioxide Absorbers at Night.
Even at night, snake plants can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2). The cause of this is Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM). CAM has the capability to perform certain types of photosynthesis that are usually associated with drought-tolerant plants, dry climates, and succulent plants. In hot climates, they open the stomata at night to minimize water loss.
Radiation-absorbing
Besides absorption of radiation, the snake plant also helps absorb electronics radiation. In a guest table or family room that is often used for gatherings, it is very fitting to place this plant.
Absorb Unpleasant Odors
The snake plant flower has a distinctive smell and can absorb anything harmful to humans. The snake plant is used as perfume in some developed countries such as China and France. Snake plant can be placed in the bathroom or kitchen, which are frequently used, and various other places that leave a strong odor. If we take good care of it, this snake plant is considered a lucky plant if placed indoors. The leaves can store water, so they can survive without water for a long time. Snake plants can have small yellow flowers with a sweet scent, although they are rare. The last benefit of the Sansevieria plant is that it is used as a sweetener in the yard or indoors. As a result of the shape, green leaves with grey or silver horizontal streaks make a natural impression at home. Besides being beautiful, Sanseviera also helps reduce stress.