Usually, as the plant outgrows the current planter, we place the plant in another bigger one. But, we should avoid this transfer to see or make the Snake plant bloom.
We ought to remember that the blooming of our beloved Sansevieria is due to the stress caused by the root-bound condition of the plant.
So, it is not advised to favor the conditions that cause stress to the plants in the hope of flowers.
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How Often Snake Plant Bloom?
Snake plants are pretty rare bloomers.
When the plant grows beyond what the planter can favor, the plant gets stressed, leading to producing flowering stalks.
Usually, the plant would have produced leaves to store water and favor further growth in stressed conditions to save precious resources – water and soil.
As the plant is root-bound and cannot grow further, producing flowers will help survive the plant via fertilization.
Rootbound Snake plants produce stalks within 3-4 days.
The flowers grow on a stalk that is roughly 35 inches in length. There will be many creamy-white flower buds within a week—usually cream, white, or sometimes yellow.
As the flower buds open within a few days, we can smell a sweet fragrance. However, many people seem not to like it.
Snake plant flowers once a year during spring, especially if you keep them outdoors. But the blooms are short-lived as they live for a week and perish after developing berries.
The plant should be mature enough, at least 2-3 years growing before it can bloom. However, it also depends upon the planters’ size.
How did I Make my Snake Plant Bloom?
I took a cautious approach and learned a few things from my brother. I kept the following conditions in mind to make my Snake plant bloom.
1. Pot Condition
The plant should have a well-drainable pot which can favor evaporation too. Using ceramic pots can help as compared to plastic pots.
However, choose a terracotta pot if you want the best for your Snake plant.
Remember you need to identify the variety of your Snake plant before choosing the pot size. There are dwarf and large varieties of Snake plants.
The planter should be big enough to boost plant growth and, at the same time, make it difficult for the roots to grow further.
If the growth of roots is hindered, the plant will go rootbound pretty soon, and stress follows.
There you go; you have the condition to make the Snake plant bloom.
2. Dry Between Watering Schedules
Snake plants, being succulent, store water in their leaves. They can do just fine with less water at a fortnightly schedule.
We must keep the Snake plant to the driest it can handle to favor blooming conditions.
We need to provide water to a bare minimum. Do not STOP watering altogether, as you may risk killing the plant.
Just let it dry between the watering schedules. If you let the Snake plant dry for a long, it will stress itself into producing a bloom.
3. High-Intensity Light
The blooming of the flower requires a lot of energy. And as we all know, light is the primary plant energy source.
So ensure to maintain a high light intensity if you want to have any chance at having your Snake plant bloom.
An east-facing window is perfect to meet Snake Plant light requirements.
Your plant needs 200 Footcandles of light for optimum growth, but the intensity should not drop below 100.
During the spring-summer, the plants can maximize their growth when there is intense light. This is a perfect condition for their blooming.
You can grow a Snake plant under artificial lights though it’s not recommended for bloom.
We should avoid placing the plants in the darkroom as much as possible. Remember, bright light promotes bloom.
4. No Freezing Temperature
Sansevieria is much more adaptable to tropical climates. These plants do not do well, usually in cold temperatures.
Summer temperatures between 55°F- 85°F are okay for the plants.
As long as it is summer and there is enough light inside, we don’t have to worry about the temperatures.
Your Snake plant doesn’t like extreme fluctuations in temperature. That will cause “stress” to the plant. I did the same for my Snake plant bloom.
5. Fast Draining Soil
We should avoid using vermicompost or vermiculite as a soil mix, as it absorbs more water. A ratio of 3 parts soil and 1 part peat moss should be acceptable.
Warning!! If the soil doesn’t drain well, you might push your plant towards a grave condition: Root rot.
Your plant needs a loose, airy soil mix along with good drainage. Compacted soil directly hampers the root’s ability to absorb water.
Also, I suggest you use fertilizer rich in phosphorus as it promotes the growth of flowers. But don’t overdo it.
Excess phosphorus may even kill your plant as it cannot take other nutrients.
Does the Snake Plant Die After Flowering?
The answer is No. The Snake plant is not monocarpic that does not die after flowering.
After 2-4 weeks, the flowers will produce orange berries; if the Snake plant bloom in favorable seasons, they can go on for a month.
The flowers begin to die after producing berries.
After it is gone, you can cut off the stalk from the base. The plant will produce a new stalk the next time the plant has to flower.
We can favor the growth and place the plant in a new bigger planter. The plant shall continue to grow and create new offsets.
My Own Experience
Do not worry if you don’t see a bloom on the Snake plant; they are rare and unusual. You might get lucky sometimes but do not 100% expect the blooms.
Stress your Snake plant enough to make it bloom, but don’t deprive it of all the necessary resources and kill it.
It can be alarming to stress the Snake plant until it flowers for seeds and propagation. No worries, you can populate this plant through leaf cuttings.
