How To Make Your Snake Plant Flower (+ What It Looks Like)

snake-plant-flower

A blooming snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata or Sansevieria trifasciata) makes for the perfect gift for a plant lover! Plus, it brings a gorgeous architectural shape to your office or home.

But is it possible to make a snake plant flower?

Factors that could help induce blooms include:

Let’s explore these factors and other common questions.


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Does Snake Plant Flower?

A snake plant can bloom under certain conditions.

However, it’s a relatively rare occurrence and usually happens annually during spring (the growing season). 

Moreover, it involves mild, continuous stress, usually when the snake plant becomes root bound.

How to Make Your Snake Plant Flower

The snake plant is native to tropical West Africa and comes in different varieties and cultivars, including:

  • Dracaena trifasciata (Sansevieria trifasciata) - Snake plant or mother in laws tongue
  • Dracaena angolensis (Sansevieria cylindrica) - Cylindrical snake plant
  • Dracaena trifasciata 'Hahnii' (Sansevieria Hahnii) - Bird’s nest snake plant

But what can you do to help these snake plants flower? 

Here are the factors and snake plant care tips to help a mother in laws tongue grow beautiful flowers:

1. Well-Draining Soil

To help your snake plant bloom, use soil that’s light, airy, and well-draining, like Rosy’s snake plant soil

Remember:

Your snake plant can get root rot if overwatered. 

So a potting mix like Rosy will ensure the soil drains easily, allowing the plant’s roots to breathe. 

2. Bright Indirect Light

Typically, a Sansevieria plant prefers dark corners, low light, or indirect light instead of bright light. 

But producing fresh flowers requires energy, and that comes from the right light conditions.

What should you do?

Keep your snake plant under full sun or indirect light (think a window with a sheer curtain that gets a lot of bright light).

3. Right Temperature

Like light conditions, the tropical snake plant has specific temperature requirements. 

It won’t thrive in freezing temperatures (anything less than 50°F or higher than 85°F). 

We recommend: 

Keep your indoor houseplant away from air conditioning, heat vents, and sudden temperature changes. This will help it maintain good health for blooms. 

4. Infrequent Watering

Typically, your tropical snake plant needs only a little water to flourish. 

Why?

These modern looking indoor plants from western Africa are semi succulents, so they store water in their long foliage.

What is the best way to water your house plant?

Water only when the top one or two layers of soil are dry.

Some growers believe underwatering your succulent plant will make it bloom beautiful flowers.

However, overwatering may cause root rot and attract infestations from spider mites and mealybugs. If they’re present, you’ll notice brown leaf spots.

5. Plant Age

For snake plants, it’s the older plants (rather than the younger ones) that flower. 

Why?

A mature plant is more likely to be pot or root bound, adding to the stress of the house plant. 

The reduced space pushes the older plants to shift their energy from generating leaves to creating flowers.

What Do Snake Plant Flowers Look Like?

The snake plant flower stalk grows about 3 feet high and has tiny tubular flowers with thin petals. 

The small stunning flowers look like honeysuckle and grow in clusters at the base of the flower stalk.

Wondering what the flower’s color is?

This indoor plant can have different colored flowers depending on the type of snake plant. 

So you can expect greenish-white, yellow, cream, and white flowers. These colors pair beautifully with the plant’s vibrant, blade-shaped foliage.

Gardening Tip: The flowers release sticky nectar that appears like dewdrops on the flower stalk. Avoid a mess by placing paper towels at the base of the flowering plant.

3 FAQs About a Snake Plant Bloom

Here are common questions about snake plant blooms:

1. How Do Snake Plant Flowers Smell?

When a snake plant blooms, it emits a strong, sweet aroma. 

Depending on the cultivar (cultivated varieties of snake plant), it also has hints of vanilla or jasmine. 

2. Does The Snake Plant Flower Die After Flowering?

No, a snake plant flower won’t die after flowering

Instead, the bloom later transforms into orange berries. You won’t get further blooms from that rosette, but the leaf structure will remain.

Pro Tip: Want to grow your Sansevieria plant collection? Try propagating it via stem or leaf cuttings.

3. How Long Does A Snake Plant Bloom Last?

If your snake plant blooms, it may last a few weeks during the growing season. 

Snake Plant Blooms: A Great Addition to a Gift Basket 

Use the tips we’ve covered to ensure your snake plants flower. 

Then, give these stunning flowers as floral gifts to loved ones on special occasions. They’re the perfect gift for someone who loves modern looking indoor plants!

Need the best potting soil to grow perfect blooms?

Try Rosy’s snake plant potting mix. Its optimal drainage and aeration provide the best support for your indoor plant.