How To Care For Plants

How to care for a spider plant

Chlorophytum comosum

Care facts verified
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), the species that wants bright, indirect or dappled light
Photo: Forest and Kim StarrCC BY 3.0source

One of the toughest and most forgiving houseplants, the spider plant wants bright, indirect light and lightly moist compost, throwing out arching leaves and dangling plantlets when it is happy. It tolerates a wide range of conditions but browns at the leaf tips if it gets fluoridated tap water or bone-dry soil. Best of all, it is non-toxic to pets.

Care at a glance

Light
Bright, indirect or dappled lightTolerates lower light but the variegation is brightest near a window; avoid direct summer sun, which scorches the leaves.
Water
Keep lightly moist; let the surface dry between wateringsIts thick white roots store water, so it shrugs off the odd missed watering. Rainwater or filtered water reduces brown tips.
Soil
General-purpose potting compostAny free-draining houseplant mix is fine; it is not fussy and roots quickly become pot-bound.
Humidity
Average humidity is fineHigher humidity reduces brown leaf tips a little.
Temperature
13–24 °C (55–75 °F)Tougher than most in cool rooms; keep above about 7 °C (45 °F).
Difficulty
EasyAlmost impossible to kill; ideal first houseplant and safe around pets.
Pets
Non-toxic to petsListed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. Cats are drawn to the dangling leaves, but they pose no poisoning risk.

Where it comes from

Native rangeCoastal South Africa

Propagation

Spider plants propagate themselves. Mature plants send out long flowering stems that end in baby plants — the 'spiderettes' or pups — each with a tuft of leaves and the beginnings of stubby aerial roots. Pin a pup down onto a small pot of compost while it is still attached to the parent, and it roots in a week or two; then snip the runner.

You can also detach a plantlet and stand its base in water until roots form, or pot it straight into damp mix. Either way you get a full new plant fast, which is why one healthy spider plant quickly becomes a windowsill full of them.

Common problems

  • Brown leaf tips

    Likely cause: The classic spider-plant complaint: usually fluoride and salts in tap water, or letting the soil dry out too much.

    Fix: Switch to rainwater or filtered water, flush the pot occasionally, and keep watering more even. Trim the brown tip at an angle.

  • Pale, washed-out or all-green leaves

    Likely cause: Too little light, so variegation fades and growth slows.

    Fix: Move it closer to a bright window (out of harsh midday sun) to restore the bold white stripes.

  • No baby plantlets forming

    Likely cause: Young plants and those in low light or constantly repotted often won't produce runners until slightly pot-bound and mature.

    Fix: Leave it a little root-bound, give it good light, and a settled plant will send out runners — sometimes prompted by shorter autumn days.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my spider plant get brown tips even though I water it?

Brown tips are usually a reaction to fluoride and mineral salts in tap water, not thirst. Water with rainwater or filtered water, flush the pot through every month or so to wash out salts, and avoid over-feeding.

Are spider plants safe for cats to chew?

Yes — the ASPCA lists them as non-toxic to cats and dogs. Cats are oddly attracted to the dangling leaves; chewing won't poison them, though a determined nibbler may shred your plant or be sick from eating greenery.

Should I cut the babies off my spider plant?

Only if you want to. Leaving the plantlets on gives a fuller, cascading look; removing and rooting them makes new plants and lets the parent put more energy into its own leaves.

Why are the leaves on my spider plant folding or creasing?

Long leaves naturally kink where they bend over a pot rim, but widespread folding or limpness points to underwatering or being severely pot-bound. Water it well and check whether the roots have filled the pot solid.

Sources

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