Spider Plant

Botanical Classification:  Chlorophytum comosum

This is one of my favorite plants. They are easy to grow and hard to kill. The only time I’ve had one die is when we had a power outage during a snow storm and they froze. I have to admit, I cried. My plants are my babies.

The Spider plant is one of the most common and well-known of all houseplants. It is especially popular with beginners, being easy to grow and propagate, tolerant of neglect, and able to thrive in nearly any type of condition. It gets its common name from the small plantlets produced on long trailing stems that vaguely resemble spiders.
This clump-forming, perennial, herbaceous plant, native to coastal areas of South Africa, has narrow, strap-shaped leaves arising from a central point. The leaves may be solid green or variegated with lengthwise stripes of white or yellow. The leaves are not flat, but appear channeled or folded down the middle. Plants grows 12-15″ tall. The thick, fleshy roots and rhizomes evolved to store water, allowing it to survive inconsistent watering.

Spider plants are very easy to grow indoors in medium to bright light throughout the year. It does well with average humidity and cool to average temperature, although it can tolerate warmer conditions. Use a general-purpose potting soil or soilless medium. Plants grow and produce plantlets best when slightly pot bound. Because they grow quickly and the roots can easily become too crowded, they need frequent repotting to do their best.

Long, wiry stems up to 2 feet long are produced, sometimes with a few small leaves, especially in response to short days and long, uninterrupted nights for at least three weeks, although they may appear at any time of year indoors. Small white, star-shaped flowers are produced at the ends of the stems. After flowering, more leaves are produced at the end of the stems, forming small plantlets. If a flower is pollinated, a leathery, 3-angled capsule-type fruit is produced that contains flat black seeds.

Your spider plant can be placed in low to indirect bright light. The more light the plant receives, the bolder the stripes will be. Watch out for too much direct light and it can scorch the leaves. If you don’t have an ideal location for your Spider Plant, use a Grow Light

Water your spider plant when 50-75% of the soil volume is dry. Dry crispy tips often point to underwatering while dark brown tips point to overwatering. Water thoroughly and discard any excess water in the saucer. If you are unsure about telling if the soil is dry then use a moisture meter.

Your Spider Plant will do well in normal household humidity but will thrive with a bit more humidity. Brown leaf tips may indicate the air is too dry, so mist your Spider Plant regularly using a mister and prefers temperatures between 60–80° F. 

Mature spider plants will produce “spiderettes,” or “pups.” These are new plant offshoots from the mother plant that you can trim off and nurture to produce an entirely new plant. To propagate, cut off the small plant from the mother, and place the bottom end in a glass of water. You should see roots develop in 2–4 weeks. After roots develop, plant the pup in soil and water regularly

Studies have shown that spider plants are quite effective in cleaning indoor air by absorbing chemicals including formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, and carbon monoxide in homes or offices.

The Spider Plant is non-toxic and safe for humans, dogs, and cats.