Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

The tongue of a tiger (Sansevieria trifasciata) is a long, vertical, dark green leafy tree with pale, wavy horizontal stripes. This plant is called "snake tree" due to its stripes on the leaves. There is also a tiger's tongue tree with leaves that form a short rose and is often called a cat's tongue tree. All species of tiger's tongue are well tolerated and easily cared for. Here are a few tips for taking care of a tiger's tongue.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Planting trees

1. 

   Planting tiger's tongue properly.
   • Use good quality bonsai soil instead of garden soil.
   • Replace the pot only when the roots begin to crack.
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Part 2 of 5: Putting the tree in place

1. 

   
   
   Place the tiger's tongue in a well-lit place.
   • Place the tiger's tongue on the windowsill facing east, west, or north any time of the year. If the window is facing south, you should place the tree about 30 cm inwards from the door throughout the year. (This advice applies to the northern hemisphere.)
   • Set up a bright fluorescent lamp or other type of lamp. This will provide enough light for the tiger's tongue to thrive.

2. 

   
   
   Use thin curtains to reduce the intensity of sunlight during the day.

3. 

   Rotate the pot a quarter of an angle weekly to evenly expose the plant to light.

4. 

   
   
   Place plants at room temperature between 5 and 30 degrees Celsius. advertisement

Part 3 of 5: Watering

1. 

   Use a hydrometer to check the soil moisture weekly. Water when the reading is near zero or when the soil is dry to avoid root rot.
   • Check moisture manually: Make sure the surface of the pot is dry to the touch before watering in spring and summer.

2. 

   Water less in winter or in a room with air conditioning. Wait until the pot is completely dry before watering.
   • Water when the leaves are drooping and the pot is dry.

3. 

   Water the tiger's tongue properly.
   • Use room temperature water.
   • If possible, use distilled water or rainwater. If using tap water, leave it outside for at least 48 hours to remove chlorine, fluoride, etc.It is better to leave it on for a week.

4. 

   Water along the trunk. You should not water between the leaf clusters. Water until the water drains from the bottom of the pot and immediately empty the tray with excess water. advertisement

Part 4 of 5: Fertilization

1. 

   Fertilize tiger's tongue once in the spring using mixed bonsai fertilizer according to package instructions.
   • Mix the fertilizer 20-20-20 with water and fertilize the plants in the spring.
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Part 5 of 5: Routine care

1. 

   Use a damp cloth to wipe away the leaves of the tiger's tongue if it becomes dirty.

2. 

   Change the pot when the plant is bigger than the old one. Other signs of needing repotting include: When the roots start to grow out of the drain or if the pot is cracked (clay pot).
   • Water well after repotting.
   • Add soil to a new pot after replacing the plant.
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Advice

• The tiger's tongue tree (snake tree) has many different colors. Some plants have yellow or milky stripes. The cat's tongue can be pink.
• The tiger's tongue tree is one of the oldest bonsai species, originally grown indoors by the ancient Chinese.
• A suitable balanced fertilizer is Flora-Nova Grow NPK (7-4-10). This fertilizer prevents excess and provides many micronutrients as well as macronutrients.
• The tiger's tongue tree (snake tree) produces many small white flowers and is fragrant in the summer if they are well lit and properly watered.
• These plants release oxygen at night, so they are suitable for a bedroom.

Warning

• Miracle Gro can NEVER use Miracle Gro on a tiger's tongue! Otherwise they will die. The reason is because the NPK content of this fertilizer is 24-8-16, too much nitrogen can burn the plants and lead to root death.
• The tiger's tongue tree is toxic to pets, especially cats. There is very little documentation on this, but if you eat the tiger's tongue, and especially let your mouth come into contact with the "soft core in the leaves", you may experience a temporary rash and / or laryngitis.

What you need

• Land for ornamental plants
• Fertilizer for ornamental plants