Chris Buckland
Dragon tongue mother-in-law (Nephroderma thurifer) is also known as a cat’s claw. It’s a small evergreen tree with rough, grayish-green leaves. It has small, red to purple flowers that appear in the summer and fall. The fruit is a small, blackberry that contains a toxin.
This plant has a bitter taste that can be found in its leaves. The leaves have been used as a medicine to treat colds and other illnesses. At first glance, it may not look like a very tasty plant.
But, once you learn how to grow it at home, you’ll be hooked! In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about the dragon tongue mother-in-law plant – and how to start growing it at home.
What is dragon tongue mother-in-law plant?
This plant is also called a cat’s claw or needle claw. It’s a small evergreen tree with rough, grayish-green leaves. It has small, red to purple flowers that appear in the summer and fall. The fruit is a small, blackberry that contains a toxin. This plant has a bitter taste that can be found in its leaves. The leaves have been used as a medicine to treat colds and other illnesses.
Characteristics Table:
| Origin | Malaysia and India |
| Scientific Name | Hemigraphis repanda |
| Common Names | Dragon’s Tongue, Green Dragon’s Tongue, Waffle plant |
| Type | Slow-growing perennial |
| Family | Acanthaceae |
| Temperature | 60°F to 75°F |
| Watering | Water Hemigraphis regularly but never allow the soil to stay wet |
| Light | Filtered light |
| Toxicity | Non- Toxic |
| Propagation | Propagation through stem cuttings |
| Flowering | Pink or white flowers with five petals |
| Maximum Size | 10 to 15 cm |
How to grow dragon tongue mother-in-law
This plant can be grown either as an ornamental plant or a weed in the garden. When grown as an ornamental, it is trained as a house plant.
It is easy to grow and requires little care. To grow this plant as an ornamental, you’ll need to keep the soil moist, but not saturated. Allow the soil to dry a bit between waterings.
To grow this plant as a weed, simply set it out in the garden where it can grow wild. It’s not recommended to set this plant out in a container because it will simply multiply too quickly there. However, you can attempt to grow this plant in a hanging basket or even a small planter if you would like to grow it as an ornamental.
When to plant dragon tongue mother-in-law
This plant can be grown year-round in zones 5 through 10. However, it is ideally suited to the warmer zones. To plant this plant, simply dig a small hole in the ground about 3 feet deep.
Tamp the soil to help it hold its shape. Set the plant in the hole so that it is slightly below the level of groundwater. Water the plant well until it visibly starts to grow.
Then, every couple of weeks, water the plant so that its soil is completely dry between waterings. This plant requires relatively dry conditions during the winter months.
If the soil becomes too waterlogged, it can actually cause the toxin in the plant’s leaves to seep into the water supply.
To prevent this, you can either purchase a container that can withstand very heavy rainfall or simply plant the container in a different location if you’re planting it in the ground.
Recommended soil
This plant is able to grow in a variety of soil conditions, but it is especially adaptable to poor, sandy soil. A soil with lots of organic matter is ideal.
Soils with a lot of sand and magnesium are less effective because the acid in the soil prevents the magnesium from being fully replaced by the acid in the plants leaves.
A soil that is too rich in one nutrient can cause growth problems for this plant.
Recommended water conditions
Hate water! Water this plant in a water-friendly environment. If you live in a hot or humid region, you may want to experiment with other watering conditions to see if you can grow this plant successfully in a less ideal environment.
In areas with hard water, you may want to use softer water such as well water or water from a running water source.
In these cases, you’ll want to slightly increase the water pressure to be able to properly force the water through the soil. In areas with short summers (less than 60 degrees F), this plant is actually more suited to dry conditions than it is in areas with long, warm summers (over 80 degrees F).
In these areas, you may have to be more selective about when you plant this plant because it grows quickly, so you don’t want to overplant.
Varieties of dragon tongue mother-in-law
There are several types of this plant. The most popular is the blood vine, but there are also wire vine, English vine, and dwarf forms.
The blood vine is a vine that produces bright red berries. The other types are less popular and produce a less ornamental type of fruit. Here are the types you’ll likely want to grow if you’re interested in growing this plant at home. wire vine.
This is the species that is commonly sold as a houseplant. It has small, bright red berries and grows 1 to 3 feet tall. English vine – This is also known as the button vine. It grows in areas with hard, rocky soil. The young leaves are bright red and edible.
The plant is also known as the button or arrowhead plant. broomstick vine – This is also known as the thimble vine and is native to Europe.
This vine grows to be quite large and reaches up to 6 feet in height. mistletoe – This is a winter hardy vine that grows up to 6 feet in height. Although it is a biennial, you can expect it to produce berries in both summers and winters.
FAQs
How big does a dragon’s tongue plant get?
Dragon’s Tongue is a type of plant that you can use in your garden to create privacy, or to add color to your landscape. These plants are easy to grow and maintain. They only need bright, indirect sunlight and moist soil to thrive. Once they reach maturity, they can grow up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. These plants are hardy and can withstand temperatures as low as 10 degrees Celsius.
Do dragon’s tongue like humidity?
Certainly, a dragon’s tongue likes humidity. In fact, the more humid the environment, the tastier it will be. In ancient China, many dragons were said to live high in the mountains where it is perpetually damp and foggy. So in short, yes, dragons’ tongue definitely like humidity.
Can Dragon’s tongue live in water?
No, they can’t live in water. Dragons are mythical creatures with magical abilities, so one of their abilities is the ability to breathe fire. This fire is hot enough to instantly turn any nearby water into steam.
If a dragon tries to breathe fire underwater, it won’t be effective because the steam will fill up the entire area and prevent oxygen from reaching the dragon’s lungs. The dragon will soon run out of breath and suffocate.
Conclusion
Dragon tongue mother-in-law plant is an easy and inexpensive plant to grow. It can be used as an ornamental plant, but it is much more popular as a houseplant. If you are looking for a plant that will provide you with a good supply of fresh, clean, organic, and nutritional greens, this is the plant for you.
