Snake plants also known as Sansevieria or mother-in-laws-tongue are one of the easiest houseplants to care for as they are super beginner friendly and resilient plants.
However, one major weakness they have is they can’t stand being overwatered since this is a drought tolerant plant that is very susceptible to root rot.
Do Snake plants need drainage holes?
The short answer is Snake plants don’t require drainage holes, but they do require great drainage to not only survive, but thrive as well.
By not using drainage holes in your container, this can lead to standing water which Snake plants are not a fan of as they can easily become waterlogged and rot.
Having drainage holes makes drainage much more easy to achieve so it’s recommended to have them anytime you’re growing in a pot or container.
You want nothing but the best for your plants don’t you?
Same here.
Problems from no drainage holes
If you decide to grow your Snake plant anyway without the use of drainage holes, you can run into a variety of issues that stem from poor drainage in general.
Here are some things that can happen if not used.
Standing water
By not using drainage holes in a container, every time you water your Snake plant the water will not have anywhere to go other than evaporation or it will get used up by the roots.
This is a problem as Snake plants can only store so much water in the leaves and if there is constant standing water, the roots will become starved of oxygen and become ineffective.
Drooping leaves
One of the first thing’s you will notice when there isn’t great drainage is your Snake plant will start drooping which means falling over or bending.
This is not only a sign that your Snake plant is being overwatered, but it also ruins the aesthetics that Snake plants are known to provide when they are well cared for.
Keep in mind poor drainage isn’t the only cause for a drooping Snake plant, but it’s one of the most common and something you can certainly expect your Sansevieria to do if you don’t have great drainage.
Check out my article on Snake plant drooping to find out the other common causes.
Brown leaf tips
Brown leaf tips on a Snake plant is often caused by overwatering and by not using drainage holes, you are just asking for this to happen.
Even if you don’t feel like you’re watering all that much, if your Snake plant doesn’t have adequate drainage then it can easily become overwatered and develop brown leaf tips.
Usually in the case of overwatering, the leaves will also be soft and brown compared to crispy and brown which is a sign of underwatering.
Learn other causes in my article on Snake plant brown tips.
Yellow leaves
If overwatering or poor drainage goes on long enough, you can expect to see yellow leaves on a Snake plant.
This is due to the roots becoming ineffective at supplying water and nutrients to the plant overall since they are being starved of oxygen from the constant standing water.
When a Snake plant’s leaves start turning yellow from poor drainage and overwatering, this is a sign you need to fix the cause ASAP before things get worse.
Find out more reasons for your Snake plant turning yellow.
Root rot
Root rot is basically the end game for Snake plants that have not had adequate drainage for a period of time.
You really don’t want this to occur since root rot is not only annoying to deal with, but it can and will kill your Snake plant if left untreated.
Some signs to look out for if you suspect root rot has occurred can include the following.
- Mushy leaves
- Water that just won’t drain
- Stunted growth
- Foul odor coming from the base of the plant (rotted roots)
- When you check the roots they are dark, mushy or easily fall apart
If you want to know how to deal with root rot for future reference, you can check out my article on Snake plant root rot so you can know what to do to save your Snake plant.
How to grow without drainage holes
As you can see, not using drainage holes in the container of your Snake plant can spell a recipe for disaster.
With that said, it’s still entirely possible to grow your Sansevieria in a container without drainage holes, you just need to add some things for it to work well.
Although I recommend using drainage holes when growing Snake plants, here are some steps to provide adequate drainage without having to use drainage holes.
1. Use well draining soil
The most important thing to remember when picking soil for Snake plants is that it needs to be well draining on it’s own.
You can use succulent soil, cactus soil or even a mix of them combined to provide the best drainage possible.
Whatever it takes to give great drainage is what’s going to be required.
2. Add a layer of pebbles
If you find that your soil isn’t draining all that well without drainage holes, you can introduce a layer of pebbles or gravel to the bottom of the container under the soil.
This allows the water to have someplace to go instead of standing in the soil touching the roots at all times.
You can almost think of this layer as drainage holes without actually having to use drainage holes as it will work just as well as the former since the soil won’t be constantly moist.
Super important.
3. Water properly
Since Snake plants are drought tolerant, they can go a decent amount of time without water compared to some plants.
This could be as often as a week or as little as once a month depending on a variety of factors such as soil type, the current season, temperature, drainage and so on.
The most important thing to remember is to only water when the soil has dried out.
It’s definitely safer to lean more towards underwatering than overwatering since it’s an easier fix.
If you want a more detailed guide on watering, check out my article on how to water a Snake plant.
Wrapping up
So when it comes to the question, do Snake plants need drainage holes?
The answer is no, but they can certainly benefit from having them unless other measures are taken to ensure great drainage is always provided.
As always I hope that I’ve helped you learn something today and thank you for taking the time to read this!
So have fun and continue providing great Snake plant care so it can thrive for many years to come.