The Mother-In-Law’s Tongue Plant, Why Are They Getting Such A name?

When I first heard this name, I said ‘What?! Is it true?’

Yes, it is.

Its scientific name is Dracaena trifasciata.

You won’t be surprised by how it gets such an infamous name when you look at them. They are plants that come in different shades of green on their leaves. There are many varieties, but one thing in common is their sharp-edged leaves.

Their sharp-edged leaves remind me of all sorts of knives depending on their variety: the long straight-up one like the fencing sword, the long wavy one like the Kalis sword, the shortleaf versions, they look like a dagger!

Do all these sharp knives remind you of how your mother-in-law talks when she is unhappy with you(if you have one)? If you don’t have one, then maybe it’s not uncommon to hear about the squabbles between the mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law?

Some mothers-in-law will have no qualms showing their daughters-in-law unpleasantness by waging a war with their ‘tongue’(sword), leaving the daughters-in-law speechless and feeling helpless at times, even if it’s not their fault.

Yet many a time the daughters-in-law don’t fight back, because they don’t want to get themselves into more trouble, or don’t want to put their hubbies/wives in a difficult situation, or they value their relationship with them above everything else.

It’s not important who is right and who is wrong if you value a relationship, or what’s more if you value them as your elders.

It also shows that you accept your mother-in-law totally as a full package, including her flaws. No one is perfect.

That's why many daughters-in-law will get a bit nervous or tensed whenever their mothers-in-law are coming for a visit. The home could turn into becoming a battlefield where you can 'sniff' the smell of the gunpowder, or the invisible bombs flying to and forth between these two parties.

The husbands many a time caught in the middle and are forced to take sides between their mothers and their wives. Either side will have a drawback.

Of course, not all mothers-in-law are like that, there are some who are very kind to their daughter/son-in-law too! It’s just that the name of this plant ‘Mother-in-law Tongue’ amused me and I can’t help thinking of the reason behind it.

Another thing that amazed me is their superb survival will!

They literally can survive anywhere in any harsh environment; lack of sunlight/water, a cramped spot, etc. — they’ll survive no matter what, albeit not in their best form!

You could leave them in a dark corner, or without watering them for days! They’ll still survive.

They thrive best in warm weather with indirect sun. Too much watering could cause root rot. Other than that, they are a fuss-free house plant.

This plant functions as a great indoor air purification plant. NASA ranks it as one of the best 8 house plants to purify the air in your house.

It’s an ideal plant if you are a novice gardener, or you are a very busy person who’s always on the go, yet you prefer a live plant to the fake one in your office or home.

Let us all have the amazing survival will of this plant! Never bow down to your setbacks and keep fighting!

* Originally published at https ://medium.com

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