Spider plant care
Arching striped leaves and little baby plants that dangle on stems. (Chlorophytum comosum)
- Light
- Bright, indirect light
- Water
- Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry…
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
Care card
Light
Bright, indirect light: near a window but out of strong midday sun.
Water
Water when the top inch or two of soil is dry, then let the extra drain away. Never leave the pot standing in water.
Humidity
Likes some humidity. Keep it away from heater vents.
Soil and pot
A light, well-drained potting mix in a pot with a drainage hole.
Feeding
Feed every month or so in spring and summer with a houseplant fertilizer at half strength. None in winter.
Through the year
Spring
New growth starts. Begin feeding again, and repot if roots come out of the bottom.
Summer
Water more often as it grows. Keep it out of hot afternoon sun through glass.
Autumn
Growth slows. Stop feeding and let the soil dry a little more between drinks.
Winter
Water less. Keep it away from cold windows, drafts and radiators.
Common problems
Brown tips
Crisp tips are common on spider plants. Fluoride in tap water is a documented cause of those burnt tips. Dry air and a rootball that fully dried out do it too. The brown will not turn green.
Watering a spider plant
Aim for steady, modest moisture. A spider plant that goes from baked to flooded, over and over, ends up with pale leaves and brown ends.
Leaf trouble?
Why houseplant leaves turn yellow
Several yellow leaves at once usually mean the roots are staying wet. Feel the…How often to water a houseplant
There is no single weekly schedule. Water when that plant's soil says so, then…Brown tips and crispy edges
Brown tips usually mean dry air, a pot that dried out too far, or minerals in…Drooping houseplant leaves
Droop can mean thirst or roots that are too rotten to drink. Feel the soil…Fungus gnats and other small pests
Fungus gnats breed in mix that never dries. Letting the top layer dry, and…Background
Chlorophytum comosum, usually called spider plant or common spider plant due to its spider-like look, also known as spider ivy, airplane plant, ribbon plant (a name it shares with Dracaena sanderiana), and hen and chicks, is a species of evergreen perennial flowering plant of the family Asparagaceae. It is native to tropical and Southern Africa but has become naturalized in other parts of the world, including Western Australia and Bangladesh. Chlorophytum comosum is easy to grow as a houseplant because of its resilience, but it can be sensitive to the fluoride in tap water, which commonly gives it "burnt tips".
From Wikipedia’s article Chlorophytum comosum, by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More leafy tropical plants
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: toxic and non-toxic plants Pet safety
- Wikipedia: Chlorophytum comosum Background