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Not every person can get out to their summer cottage for unity with nature. As a rule, in this case, people plant flowers at home. A plant like sansevieria is ideal for growing on a windowsill. What are the benefits and harms of a pike tail is a reasonable question that interests lovers of home flowers.
Description and features of the sansevier
The aesthetic function of indoor plants, their benefits are beyond doubt. Moreover, it is scientifically proven that contemplating green spaces, even for a short time, relieves stress, increases performance and accelerates recovery.
The unpretentious sansevieria (pike tail) has a number of positive properties, it is capable of bringing real benefits to the ecological environment of a single apartment: it is enough to simply provide optimal growing conditions for it - and you can enjoy the results.
The pike tail is an evergreen stemless plant of the Agave genus with long narrow leaves, often colored with a longitudinal white or yellow stripe. It has many names, for example, anaconda skin, African hemp, devil's tongue. In Russian-speaking countries, the plant is known as mother-in-law's tongue, or pike tail. The official name is sansavieria, which the plant owes to the Italian prince Sansaviero, after whom it was named. Due to its unpretentiousness, the pike tail grows calmly in a dry and dusty climate, it celebrates itself perfectly in confined spaces. Pike tail was originally grown by those who did not prefer low-maintenance houseplants.
When talking about the benefits of a flower, it should be noted that sansevieria is not so harmless: it has its own specific properties that can harm the home.
Why pike tail is useful for home and people
Sansevieria has a number of useful properties for the home. This flower is used as an air filter. It not only absorbs toxins from the air of the apartment, but also kills harmful bacteria. An added benefit is its unpretentiousness, and a few tablets of activated carbon in a pot significantly increase the performance of this natural air purifier.
It processes pike tail and carbon dioxide well.
Not only chemical emissions of poisonous fumes can harm human health. He is no less threatened by pathogenic streptococci and staphylococci, as well as other bacteria that live in the air. The unpretentious pike tail is also useful here, successfully coping with harmful microorganisms. In addition to disinfecting the air, it produces soothing substances that help relieve stress.
The benefits of sansevieria for the home are truly great. Mother-in-law's tongue successfully corrects one of the main disadvantages of the atmosphere of an urban dwelling - too dry air: the plant has a useful property to humidify the air. The pike tail is very fond of water, so the pot in which the flower grows must be installed in a special tray filled with pebbles and moss.In such a pan, it is necessary to maintain a constant water level. Absorbing life-giving moisture through the roots, sansevieria generously gives it to the surrounding air through the foliage, significantly raising the humidity indicators. Among other things, it also benefits people who spend a lot of time for computer, having a positive effect on performance, protecting against harmful radiation.
What diseases does the pike tail help?
Sansevieria has medicinal properties. With the help of the juice extracted from the leaves of the flower, otitis media can be eliminated and inflammation can be stopped in case of ulcerative skin lesions. The list of benefits of mother-in-law's tongue is extensive:
- The plant has the properties of defeating viruses and bacteria. Mother-in-law's tongue is beneficial for infectious diseases, actively helps people suffering from the harm of cardiovascular pathologies, intestinal spasms or biliary tract.
- Sansiviera juice contains many useful components that help get rid of colds, otitis media, inflammation of the skin. The iodine contained in the plant makes it a useful product for people with thyroid problems.
- The sap of the pike tail plant has the beneficial properties of providing prevention from the harm of kidney stones due to its diuretic effect. Thanks to the potassium and magnesium ions in its composition, it is extremely useful for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. If you avoid overdosing, then the pike tail will not harm.
- When a cold occurs, gargling with sansivier juice diluted with water (the water should be warm, but not hot) will be useful. Such a rinse composition is much nicer than pharmacy counterparts.
Is the pike tail poisonous
Mother-in-law's tongue has not only useful properties: the harm from a flower can be for people with impaired metabolism, who are strictly prohibited from taking medications from sansivier.
The mother-in-law's tongue flower can also be harmful in some cases of his individual intolerance.
Where is the best place to put a pike tail
As you can see in the photo, the pike tail looks great in the interior of the apartment. The room in which there is a desire to grow a flower should be well lit, but at the same time direct sunlight should not fall on the pike tail, which can negatively affect its development.
If the cultivation takes place in the winter, then the pike tail will need an additional light source.
Sansevieria is not recommended to be placed in the bedroom.
Signs and superstitions
Sansevieria has magical properties. There are many good omens associated with the pike tail flower. It is believed to benefit the home and family:
- With the advent of the pike tail, all family troubles, disputes will become a thing of the past.
- If sansevieria has bloomed, this is a sign that you need to start implementing your plans: there is a high probability that everything will work out.
- The winter bloom serves as a warning of possible failure.
- The plant has a positive energy: sansevieria protects the house from the "evil eye", gossip. The blooming of the mother-in-law's tongue hints to the owner of the disclosure of his creative talents.
Does the pike tail bloom
It happens that a person grows a pike tail on his windowsill for years and does not even know that it is blooming. But the moment comes when the flower releases a stem up to 1 m in length, covered with white small flowers.
The mother-in-law's tongue blooms, oddly enough, in an unfavorable environment that threatens to harm his life: insufficient watering, low temperature, insufficient lighting. This is how the plant's protective desire to continue its genus is triggered by the formation of seeds.Therefore, in order for the pike tail to bloom, you just need to leave it without watering for 1 - 2 months.
How to care for sansevieria
Planting sansevieria does not require great skills and experience, but you still need to know the basic rules and nuances, without which it will not be possible to grow a lush plant.
- Grow containers can be of different sizes and diameters, you can use ceramic or plastic pots.
- When buying components for potting mix in stores, you should be careful: trading companies do not always offer a high-quality substrate. The soil mixture for planting a pike tail must be frozen for several days outside. The soil should not be very acidic; black soil is suitable.
- Growing a flower is not a difficult task: the main thing is to strictly follow the recommendations. Before planting, it is necessary to treat the land with some kind of fungicidal agent. Place the leaf of the plant for 2 hours in warm boiled water, in which add a small amount of potassium permanganate in advance - for an antiseptic effect.
- A common cause of stunted growth is irregular watering. Under natural conditions, the plant, as a rule, prefers to live in moist soils. To find out when it's time for the next watering, you should pay attention to the soil in the pot. If the top layer of the earth is dry, then it's time to water the pike tail.
Sometimes it happens that plants rot from the spread of soft bacterial rot. In this case, the diseased flower should be removed, the soil should be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. For vegetative propagation, the leaf blade is cut at a right angle and planted in loose soil. The temperature during cultivation should range from 12 to 25 aboutC in summer, and in winter - do not fall below 15 aboutC.
Conclusion
When breeding, it is important to know what are the benefits and harms of a pike tail. This flower is very beautiful and does not require much attention. Caring for it is simple: the plant will appeal to busy people, whose time is always limited. The price of planting material is moderate, and if you take into account the precautions and rules of cultivation, a pike tail can become both an assistant in air purification and an aesthetic accent of an apartment interior.
