HousePlantJoy is supported by our audience. When you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a small affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Your cost is not affected.
==================
Spider Plant Care Guide
Keep Your Spider Plant Healthy!
Research shows that the spider plant helps purify the air in our homes. In fact, the NASA study gave the spider plant the distinction of being in the top 10 air-purifying plants. Follow our spider plant care guide and enjoy your plants for years to come. These plants add beautiful greenery to your home. Just provide them their basic needs. In fact, the spider plant offers an easy-to-grow houseplant that beginners and pros love!
Easy to Grow Using our Spider Plant Care Guide
Most plant enthusiasts consider Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) as one of the most adaptable indoor plants. Indeed, they grow easily and require minimal care. Provided they receive bright filtered light and the right amount of water (details below), they burst into growth and sprout new leaves at a rapid pace. Put the pot outside or hang it in a window. However, make sure that the long leaves are not crushed. Also, as they grow, repot into a larger container to avoid a root-bound problem.
Water essentials
These delightful plants require water and a lot of it. Check on them daily or several times a week to ensure they have enough. While some plants do best when allowed to dry between waterings, the Spider Plant suffers from such treatment.
However, the roots suffer when waterlogged, too. Ensure that the pot and soil allow for good drainage, too.
spider plant babies, called spiderettes or pups, dangle from the mother plant
When the spider plant’s roots seem squeezed and tightly bound, the water finds it difficult to penetrate the roots. That means it’s time to repot (see below). Keep spider plants in a container large enough for their root balls. In spring and summer, in bright light, water the plants on the ground so that they dry out.
Chlorophytum comosum is a well-known plant whose name comes from the appearance of its small plants that appear to dangle like a spider web from the mother plant. Your spider plant tolerates low light conditions but prefers bright, indirect light for best health and growth.
The best way to root a spider plant is with spiderettes, the babies that dangle from the mother plant. We’ve provided greater detail on plant propagation in our related article.
Proper Home, Which Containers Are Best?
Spider plants thrive well in containers and hanging plants due to the cascading nature of their leaves, stems, and planters. The fleshy white roots of the spider plant store a lot of water, which allows them to survive droughts. However, this sometimes becomes a burden when you overwater them.
When needed, move your plant to a place that allows for optimal lighting. Ensure the pot has proper drainage and keep your spider plant watered. With these simple instructions, your spider plant might live for decades or beyond.
Varieties
While experts know of over 200 varieties of spider plants, we traditionally see seven common varieties:
1 – Chlorophytum comosum ‘Vittatum’
The most popular, ‘Vittatum’ displays creamy and broad vertical stripes, slightly curved, medium green leaves. It often grows up to 1-2 feet long and wide. Grow this beautiful drought-tolerant hanging plant in well-drained soil, under light shade or filtered light.
2 – Chlorophytum comosum ‘Bonnie’
Similar to Vittatum, Bonnie shows a noticeable difference with curly, narrow leaves that grow up to 18 inches long. Consider adding Bonnie to smaller rooms, bathrooms, or even on your balcony. At times, Bonnie produces beautiful, yellow-colored flowers, too.
3 – Chlorophytum laxum ‘Zebra’
With yellow-edged leaves that turn white as it grows, Zebra may be grown as a ground cover or in a hanging basket with equal success. This plant grows quickly, making it ideal as a ground cover.
4 – Chlorophytum Comosum ‘Variegatum’
This very popular variety also goes by the name “Reverse Varigated”. The curved leaves host a dark green center with white edges, thus the “Reverse” of “Vittatum”. Consider displaying Variegatum in your office or living room.
5 – Chlorophytum viridescens ‘Hawaiian’
Also known as Golden Glow, the Hawaiian Spider Plant fascinates us with glossy green leaves in rich tones with a golden, champagne stripe down the middle. This plant stays quite compact but sports wider leaves than many other spider varieties. You might also hear it referred to as the Ribbon Plant or Airplane Plant.
6 – Chlorophytum comosum ‘Bonnie Variegated’
Bonnie makes an ideal focal point plant for your living room or balcony. The arched green leaves sport creamy white edges. While it looks striking in a hanging basket, Bonnie needs minimal care, making it ideal for beginners, too.
7 – Chlorophytum comosum ‘Ocean’
Ocean looks a little like Variegatum, with creamy edges and a green center. Though compact, Ocean creates a beautiful display as a cascading plant. It often grows white flowers and produces numerous spiderette babies on the runners. As it grows, it shows best as a hanging plant or on a display platform.
Where to Buy?
I like to support local growers and do where possible. However, I have purchased many plants from growers who sell through Amazon and have always had the plants arrive well-packaged and healthy. In fact, the plants I’ve received seem to have fewer problems than some I’ve purchased locally. Again, I like buying local. But I can easily recommend the following sellers for quality live plants through Amazon as I have personal experience with them.
Important Points to Great Care
Use this spider plant care guide to know the best tips for these beautiful, carefree leafy plants. Your plants stay happy and healthy with great care. And you help them grow into admirable indoor plants. If you water with fluoride-containing tap water and the foliage of your indoor plant has many brown tips, switch your water supply. If your water contains fluoride, use distilled rainwater to prevent brown leaf tips on your plants.
Plants thrive in a variety of soil types, but they thrive best in loose, loamy soils with sharp drainage. They prefer neutral soils with a pH value above 0.5 and tolerate acidic or alkaline soils. They can be doused with tap water with high salinity.
Young plants grow final shoots and roots in a moist pot mixture. Allow the soil to dry out a bit before watering, but do not let it dry out completely.
To Summarize
With our Spider Plant Care Guide, you and your family know how to care for this incredible air-purifying houseplant. Enjoy the plant and propagate the spiderette babies, too. These baby spider plants make great gifts for family and friends.
