The only way to determine if your snake plant is male or female is by examining its flowers.
Snake plants (Sansevieria, now classified as Dracaena) are flowering plants, although they don't bloom often, especially when grown indoors. Sex determination requires observing the blossoms when they appear. Specifically, you need to look at the flower's reproductive parts.
Here's how to differentiate between male and female snake plant flowers:
- Female Flowers: If you observe a swollen, vase-like structure in the center of the flower, that's the pistil. The pistil is the female reproductive part of the flower.
- Male Flowers: If you see long, thin, filament-like structures, or what might look like tiny pins sticking up, these are the stamens. The stamens are the male reproductive parts of the flower. They consist of a filament and an anther, which produces pollen.
Important Considerations:
- Rare Flowering: Keep in mind that snake plants don't flower frequently, so you might not have the opportunity to observe the flowers.
- Difficult Differentiation: Even when they do flower, distinguishing between male and female parts can be tricky without a very close look. You might even need a magnifying glass.
In short, you need to check the plant when it's flowering and take a close look at the blossoms. Female flowers contain a swollen vase-like structure called a pistil. Male flowers have long, thin filament or pin-like structures called stamens.
