Lawyer's Tongue

Lawyer’s tongue is a unique-looking succulent with leaves they look like they are layered upon one another like a fan. It is usually kept as a small plant less than 20cm tall, but can get up to 50cm tall if it is kept in a large enough pot.

A perennial, succulent shrub, lawyer’s tongue make good additions to container gardening or in a succulent dish arrangement.

Sun and soil needs:

Lawyer’s tongue grows best in 4-8 hours of indirect sunlight. Some direct sunlight will cause its leaf tips to flush red, but more than 6 hours of direct sun will cause sunburn. Plants do best in pots with sandy soil at least 10cm deep.

Growing:

Lawyer’s tongue does not need frequent fertilising. A balanced slow releasing fertiliser every few months would be sufficient for steady growth. Ensure that there is good airflow to dry out the soil before watering again.

This plant requires very little water and is vulnerable to root rot. Consider bottom watering this plant once every week or less to reduce the chances of rot.

Propagation:

Lawyer’s tongue can be grown from leaf cuttings or by dividing the offshoots.

Common problems & solutions:

This plant is largely resistant to most pests.

This plant is susceptible to root rot if grown in waterlogged soil. To prevent rot, grow the plant in sandy soil with plenty of inorganic soil amendments. Plants can also be bottom watered once a week or less to keep the soil airy.

Mealy bugs often infest the plant if it has underlying problems like root rot. Mechanical pest control methods like pruning the infested parts are the best methods for managing these pests in the short term, but resolving the underlying problem will prevent them in the long term.