Spider Plant: Care Guide

This is the perfect plant for the beginner botanist and one that allows growers to embrace a stunning cascade of rich green leaves that will continue to grow, often to a height of 10 – 25cm, provided that you follow a few simple care tips.

The arching, slender leaves of a Spider Plant boast a rich, dark hue. These leaves are embellished with creamy, white stripes and stem from a central crown. They can reach an impressive one foot in length (30 cm).

Before your Spider plant reaches a year of age, it will begin to showcase small, white blooms, which reside on the tips of upright, wiry stems. These are called runners and quickly become weighed down by the plantlets, which give the Spider Plant its celebrated spidery appearance.

These plantlets, which are often referred to as 'babies' are extremely easy to propagate, which means those who own a Spider plant are in fact privy to an ongoing supply of them. For propagation success, pick small, young plantlets just as they start showcasing roots. Older plantlets tend to root at a slower pace.

Care needs

The Spider Plant, which boasts the botanical name: Chlorophytum Comosum, may look impressive, yet is an extremely easy house plant to grow. It's simple to look after too and is able to thrive in average room conditions.

Where to position spider plants: Spider plants tend to look extremely aesthetically pleasing when placed on a tall stand, in hanging baskets or on pedestals. All of these environments allow them to showcase their stunning trailing foliage and unique variegated leaves.

When positioned in any one of these locations, they boast an elegant, fountain-like growing structure, adding a colourful and interesting texture when placed among groups of other house plants.

How to plant

To ensure your Spider plant continues to thrive, repot it in the spring when the plant has outgrown its existing pot. If you begin to notice the roots sprouting from the container's drainage holes, this is a sure-fire sign to repot your plant.

To promote optimal growth and flowering, choose a pot that measures 2-5cm bigger than its predecessor. It is important to pick a pot that boasts plenty of drainage holes, as this will prevent ailments such as root rot, which can be caused by saturated soil.

If your plant isn't showing blooms, it may be that the pot you have chosen is too big. Spider plants enjoy a container that is slightly root-bound and tend to showcase more blooms when grown in a smaller vessel.

Another top tip? Avoid giving your plant too much fertiliser as this can prompt the plant to grow plenty of leaves and fewer flowers. Although the leaves are extremely aesthetically pleasing, most growers will want to achieve both healthy leaves and blooms.

Watering needs

In the spring and summer, ensure the soil is kept lightly moist, especially when your Spider plant is actively growing. In the winter months, ensure the soil is dry to the touch before watering it again. It's vital you don't overwater your Spider plant, as the leaves tend to go a brown or black colour, losing an element of their aesthetic appeal.

Lighting requirements

To help promote growth, try to place your Spider plant in a location that boasts 45% indoor humidity all year-round. This specie enjoys room temperatures of 18°C (65°F) – 24°C (75°F). To ensure this plant thrives and produces an intense leaf colour, ensure it has plenty of light. Plants placed in areas boasting low light can lose their variegation.