| Spider plant | Information |
|---|---|
| Common name | Spider plant, ribbon plant |
| Botanical name | Chlorophytum comosum |
| Family | Asparagus (Asparagaceae) |
| Type | Evergreen perennial houseplant |
| Bloom | Sometimes white flowers in summer |
| Height | 50cm |
| Width | 30cm |
| Aspect | Bright, indirect light |
| Moisture level | Humid |
| Room temperature | 8 to 30°C (46 to 86°F) |
| Hardiness | H2 |
| Difficulty | Easy |
The good old spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) may whisk many of us back to the seventies, but it is enjoying a style revival as people seek space-saving plants to trail from hanging containers and purifying plants that clear pollutants in the air. Usually grown in its variegated form, the cream and apple-green tones of this widely grown houseplant inject a room with light; once mature, the ribbon-like evergreen leaves form a bushy fountain of arching foliage, beneath which a dangling gaggle of miniature baby plants (known as ‘plantlets’ or ‘offsets’) grow. This impressive cascade of mother and offspring has led to the plant being associated with motherhood in folklore and herbal medicine; for instance, the Nguni people of southern Africa give Chlorophytum comosum to pregnant and postpartum women, in the belief that the plant will protect mother and child.
There are 202 species of Chlorophytum, with almost 40 native to Africa, including the spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), which grows in a variety of habitats at sea level and all the way up to 3,000 feet. The name stems from the Latinised Greek khlōros (pale green) and the Latin comos (hair), since the foliage looks like a mop of hair. In Europe, it was first described by Swedish botanist Carl Peter Thunberg in the late 18th century after a 3-year stay in South Africa.
Two variegated forms dominate the market, but if they are too much of a blast from the past, there are other excellent varieties to grow, including curly ‘Green Bonnie’ and stout ‘Ocean’. Whichever form the spider plant is cultivated in, it will help to remove indoor air pollutants such as formaldehyde, and it’s a doddle to grow.
Where is the best place to put a spider plant?
One of the least fussy houseplants, the spider plant thrives in all intensity of indirect light: from low to bright. In shade, it will grow slowly and without producing offset baby plants, and in direct sunshine, its leaves will be scorched brown.
Spider plants are fond of humidity and therefore grow with vigour in bathrooms and kitchens. In a dry environment, the tips of the long leaves may brown unless the plant is regularly misted with water. Another way to boost humidity is to sit the plant on a tray of pebbles and water.
How do you care for a spider plant?
Spider plants are easy to grow, but require a little TLC:
Wait until the surface of the compost is dry before watering. Sit the base of the plant in water in the sink for 20 to 30 minutes, then let the plant drain before slotting it back into its outer pot or onto its tray. Older plants require less frequent watering, being able to store moisture in their tuberous roots. During summer, spider plants may need watering once a week, but in winter they demand a lot less water. Sometimes spider plants can react to tap water by producing browned tips – this depends on the type of water in your area; if it’s a problem, use filtered water or rainwater.
During the growing season in spring and summer, feed with liquid fertiliser once a fortnight, but don’t feed at all over winter.
Quite content in a snug container, spider plants do not require frequent repotting. Once you find the plant needs watering more than once a week or if the roots begin to poke out of the pot, repotting is required during autumn, winter, or early spring. Use a mix of loam-based potting compost and coir or moss.
You can grow spider plants in water, and – with the right container – this can look very attractive. It’s most suitable for small spider plants. Change the water once or twice a week, adding a small dose of liquid food every other time. As above, using filtered or rain water is best if the plant develops brown tips in tap water.
Should I cut the babies off my spider plant?
In the right conditions, a spider plant will produce lots of little plants (‘plantlets’). Create new plants by tucking or pinning these into the compost of a small pot to allow them to set roots. Alternatively, the plantlet can be inserted into a jar of water, within which it will develop roots.
What are the disadvantages of a spider plant?
Spider plants dislike dry air, draughts, and prolonged periods in cold temperatures, so they’re not the best plants for hallways or chilly rooms or for putting in the proximity of radiators and dehumidifiers.
Which spider plant to grow
The two most common varieties of Chlorophytum comosum are ‘Vittatum’, which has ribbon-like green leaves with a central cream band and ‘Variegatum’, which is green with white margins. Both are widely available and look wonderful when mature, proudly hovering above a mass of baby plantlets. However, there are alternative forms that are well worth hunting down: ‘Ocean’ is a great choice, having short, broad green leaves edged with ivory; ‘Hawaiian’ produces strappy green leaves that have a central lime band; and ‘Bonnie’ is a fabulous form with ringlet foliage, like a head of curly hair and ideal for a head planter.
Five other hanging plants for bathrooms
In the moist atmosphere of a shower room or kitchen, indoor plants that crave humidity thrive, and those that can be grown in hanging containers take advantage of the rising steam, as well as saving space and creating gorgeous leafy decor. Here are 5 of the best:
This South African evergreen vine produces a gorgeous, wiry cascade of silver and green leaves. Only water when the top of the compost feels dry, and feed in spring and summer.
An enchanting air plant forming beard-like trails of silver, this grows without soil upon trees in tropical South America, drawing all the nutrients and moisture it requires from the damp, warm air.
This epiphytic fern, which sends out furry external rhizomes beneath its green fronds, grows on trees in subtropical China. Place in low to bright indirect light and water when the top of the compost feels dry.
With their colourful flowers, Christmas cacti light up the home over the festive period. These Brazilian epiphytes dislike excess water and food and love a dormant autumn stint in a cooler, darker room, before being moved to a warmer, brighter room once buds develop.
An attractive dangling foliage plant from the warm, damp forests of tropical Asia, this epiphyte has fleshy green leaves and enjoys medium light levels. Let the compost dry out between waterings.
