What Does it Mean When a Snake Plant Flowers? Beginners Guide

These delicate blooms surprise most snake plant owners, because they pop up so unexpectedly. When they do appear, they are a welcome addition to what is an already stunning feature plant. But are snake plant flowers a good or bad sign?

Snake plant flowers are like a rainbow. They don’t happen very often, but when they do, it brings so much happiness to those that are lucky enough to see them. However, before you start jumping around for joy, you may want to check on your snake plant’s health. Flowers emerging from a snake plant does not mean it is about to die, like it can for other plants. But, it can be an indication that your snake plant is experiencing some mild stress – more on that later.

In this article, we’ll be exploring everything there is to know about snake plant flowers. We’ll take a close look at the flowers themselves, and what you can expect through the stages of their development. Finally, we’ll walk you through what a snake plant flowering could possibly mean.

So go grab a coffee and settle in to your Guide on Snake Plant Flowers.

Snake Plant Flowers: The Facts

Snake plant flowers used to be a rare event. However, as sansevieria (mother-in-law’s tongue) is becoming increasingly more popular as an indoor plant, posts and questions about these unique flowers are popping up more frequently.

Let’s find out more about these interesting snake plant flowers.

What Do Snake Plant Flowers Look Like?

These beautiful rare flowers develop on tall, thin green stalks that shoot out from the base of the plant.

The flowers themselves look like explosions of thin petals with multiple stamens protruding from the center of the flower. Very much like a flurry of little fireworks frozen in time. The coloration of the flowers can vary from off-white to light green. Although it is important to note, the flowers will vary slightly depending on the species of snake plant.

Depending on the maturity of the plant, the flower stalks can grow to as high as 3 ¼ feet tall (around 100 centimeters).

You will often see sticky nectar droplets collecting at the base of the flower stem that is connected to the stalk.

Snake Plant Flower Pictures

Here is a gallery of assorted pictures from Reddit snake plant owners showing off their snake plant flower rare snaps.

Does a Snake Plant Flower (and how often)?

Yes – snake plants can produce beautiful flowers.

The reason why you may be asking if they flower is because unlike other plants that flower annually, a snake plant can go years without producing any blooms.

When they do flower, it is usually in the springtime.

In general, flowers are a beautiful complement to any houseplant, but there is something special about snake plant flowers. Maybe it is because they bloom so infrequently, it feels like a special occasion has arrived. Or maybe it is their delicate appearance contrasting against the broad sword-shaped leaves. Whatever the reason, enjoy the spectacle.

What Do Snake Plant Flowers Smell Like?

Even though the flowers don’t appear very often, when they do, they make a fragrant statement. When fully open, snake plant flowers release a rich and sweet fragrance that intoxicates the air around the plant.

Some snake plant owners say the scent has strong vanilla tones, whilst others say it reminds them of jasmine.

How Long Do Snake Plant Flowers Last?

The flowers on a snake plant will generally bloom for a 2-4 week period before beginning to shrivel and die off.

Once the flowers have finished blooming, they will be replaced with red/orange berries that develop into seed pods.

Check out this short video by Bill B from PlantzNThings showing how he collected and planted sansevieria seeds.

Is a Snake Plant Flower Lucky?

Owing to the fact that snake plant flowers don’t happen very often, some owners consider them to be a good Feng Shui omen that symbolizes luck and prosperity.

Whether you choose to believe this to be true or not is up to you. We like to think your snake plant is rewarding you for the care and dedication you’ve shown since you brought it home with you!

What Does it Mean When a Snake Plant Flowers?

On the whole, when a snake plant flowers, it doesn’t mean anything sinister is at play. But it is a good time to inspect your snake plant for any issues that may be causing it to experience mild stress.

Is it Bad if a Snake Plant Flowers?

If your snake plant has flowered, it may be experiencing some stress. Rather than focusing its energy on growing new foliage, it has diverted its resources into producing blooms. With the ultimate intention of producing seeds for reproduction purposes.

Here are a few things to check on with your snake plant.

Root Bound Snake Plant

We know snake plants like to have a tight root ball to support those beautiful tall leaves.

However, when they become too root bound, it can begin to deprive them of the necessary water and nutrients it needs to continue to grow.

The lack of food and water may have triggered an innate survival response, to start producing some offspring.

How to Fix a Root Bound Snake Plant

Resolving a root bound snake plant is straight forward – it needs to be moved to a bigger home. It is important to remember not to choose a pot too large for your snake plant, otherwise you may inadvertently stunt the growth of your snake plant.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to repot a snake plant before, you can follow our detailed guide HERE.

Neglected Snake Plant

Another potential reason for your snake plant flowering may be due to too much neglect.

We know some resources tout that snake plants thrive on neglect. However, sometimes owners can take it a bit too far, and end up forgetting about them completely.

And your snake plant may be throwing up their beautiful blossoms to grab your attention. Essentially a signal for help, and to say “remember me!”

How to Fix a Neglected Snake Plant

Your snake plant may be under fed, under watered or the soil it is living in may have degraded to the point that it is no longer sustaining your hardy snake plant.

Or you may have placed your snake plant in a position that doesn’t have sufficient light levels. Ideally, they should experience plenty of indirect light or bright light, with short periods of direct sunlight.

Basically, the list of potential problems is long – and we recommend beginning your troubleshooting journey with our central snake plant problem article. It is a gateway to our extensive snake plant resource here at the Garden Bench Top. From there, you can access many of our troubleshooting guides and get your snake plant back on the road to a healthy plant.

Snake Plant Flower – Closing Comments

When a snake plant flowers, it can be a wondering moment. The beautiful slender stalks with white and light green flowers can fill a room with a sweet fragrance.

After it has flowered, we do encourage you to perform a routine maintenance check to make sure everything is looking as it should. Because sometimes when a snake plant flowers, it can be an indication that it is experiencing some stress.

Whatever the reason, take some time out to enjoy the spectacle and make sure to share some pictures with us!