How to grow Spider Plant

Chlorophytum comosum · Chlorophytum, airplane plant, ribbon plant

Popular, easy-care houseplant with long, arching green-and-white striped leaves and small plantlets on wiry stems that resemble spiders.

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Family	Asparagaceae
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Soil for sowing	from 10 °C
Where it grows	At home

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	10…24 °C	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 104 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 14 days	10…24 °C	—

Growing notes

Light

Bright indirect light; tolerates low light but grows more slowly and may lose its variegation. Strong direct sun can turn the leaves yellow or brown.

Soil

General-purpose or multi-purpose potting compost in a pot with drainage holes. The thick, fleshy roots fill the pot quickly.

Care

Water thoroughly, then let the compost dry slightly before the next watering, and water a little less in winter; never leave the pot standing in water. Brown leaf tips come from too much or too little water, fluoride in tap water, strong sun or very dry air, so use rainwater or filtered water where you can and mist the leaves if the air is very dry. It prefers 18–24 °C by day and 10–13 °C at night. Feed only every three to four months in the growing season; heavy feeding gives fewer plantlets and browner tips. Repot every year or two, before the roots crack the pot. Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA).

Pests and diseases of Spider Plant

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.