Spider Plant Guide – Types, Care Tips, and Propagation
Spider plants are characterized by long, arching leaves that are colored green or stripes of white and green. Small flowers appear on the foliage of the mature plant they can later form plantlets and start the process of creating new plants in pots.
Spider plants are simple to cultivate, they can tolerate any light level and will not be upset missing a regular watering. Also known as an airplane plant spider plants thrive in pots as well as hangers. The clump-forming perennial can be grown only in Zones 9-11 outside which is one reason it’s so well-known for indoor use.
Quick Spider Plant Facts
- Botanical name: Chlorophytum comosum
- The height range is between 2 and 3 inches (0.6-0.9 millimeters) long
- Spread 2 – 2.5 feet (0.6-0.75 meters) large
- Sun exposure Shade from part shade up to complete shade
- Soil needs: Well-drained general-purpose pot soil is appropriate for use for spider plants.
- Hardiness zones: 9-11
- The best time to start a garden: Fall or spring
Types of Spider Plants
There could be more cultivars and varieties of spider plants than spiders. Here are some of our favorite varieties:
Vittatum
This variety of variegated leaves won’t awe you with its stunning beauty because it’s very popular. The leaves are a pale green, with an underlying stripe that’s white. It’s a slower-growing variety than the other all-green kinds.
Variegatum
If you’d like leaves that are more up as long as 16,8 inches (40.6 cm) long, try this option. This inch wide (2.5 millimetres) leaves are edged in white. Don’t go with this design for those who want a lot of offsets.
Milky Way
This cultivar is the opposite color pattern of Variegatum. It has green stripes on either side of every leaf as well as a broad white center.
White Stripe
Here’s a selection with a thin, pale line running down the leaf’s center when the plant is young. The white fades when the plant matures. The stalks of flowers can be pale, cream, or yellow.
Mandaianum
If you’re looking for a small spider plant, you should look into it. The leaves are dark green and reach 4 to 6 inches long. They are deep green and have a canary-yellow stripe.
Benefits of Spider Plant
It’s not a surprise why spider plants have become sought-after, given their numerous advantages:
- Although they look stunning on tables or counters, the spider plants don’t need to take up a lot of space since you can plant them in a hanging planter.
- They need minimal maintenance, Which makes them perfect for children.
- They are prolific in producing new plants and are very easy to propagate.
- In contrast to other houseplants that are popular, they are safe for both humans and pets.
- In a tiny space, a few spider plants function like air purifiers.
Spider Plant Care
Here are the most important maintenance requirements for spider plants:
- Plant in soil that is moist and loamy, which has good drainage.
- It prefers to be in the shade of.
- Works well in containers
- Regularly water and fertilize all through the growth season (spring to autumn).
- The plant thrives in humid and warm conditions.
Spider Plant Care Tips
Spider plants are excellent for beginners because they’re easily neglected. Plant them in a well-drained, fertile soil and then place them in a light location near a window and they’ll thrive.
Light
A spider plant likes bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight since it could burn the leaves. Spider plants can grow in low light conditions, however they’ll take a long time to develop and could not develop plantslets. In low light, the stripes of spider plant leaves could be lost in their color.
Soil and Water
Spider plants are attracted to it if their soil gets dry slightly between the watering. Examine the soil every four or five days. If it’s dry to the surface, then make sure to water the plants well until the excess water drains into the top of the container.
If you are able, use rainwater or distillate water for spider plants to protect their leaves from turning brown.
Temperature and Humidity
Warm temperatures and humidity are ideal for growing spider plants. Avoid them from fanatics, cooling systems, and cool breezes. Temperatures above 50oF are the best for these plants. If your home is not dry, just a few drops of water every week is beneficial.
Fertilizer
Apply fertilizer to spider plants every month during the summer and spring using the water-soluble fertilizer. Follow the recommendations on the label to apply. The tips of the brown leaf indicate over-fertilization.
Pruning
Remove dead leaves as soon as you see them. If your plant appears to be growing slowly you can pull the plant’s shoots out to focus the plant’s attention to the new growth.
Potting and Repotting Spider Plant
Pots should be no larger than the plant’s root for spider plants. They should be about 1/3 larger. The pots should have adequate drainage holes.
Report spider plants with fresh pots of potting mix every 2 to 3 years; however, make sure the new pot is just a few inches larger than the original pot.
How to Propagate Spider Plants
Spider plants create tiny siderites that grow on the edges of their long arching stems. The baby spiders are referred to as offsets. Offsets are complete miniature plants that generally are seen in the autumn.
In the case of houseplants, they may be observed during other seasons, too. Offsets grow roots and could, at a later time, be clipped from the stems and then planted in separate pots.
As the daylight hours increase during springtime, the spider plants are expected to begin to produce flowers. They will eventually develop into offsets or spider plants siderites. However, this may not be the case however, as only mature plants that have enough stored energy can produce siderites.
Spiderettes are established within water or in soil; however, generally, they will yield better results and a more robust root system when they are planted in soil.
The best way of to propagate spider plants spiderettes is to allow the plantlet to stay in the same plant. Pick a spiderette, and then place the pot close to your mother plant. Make sure to keep it well-watered, and, once it begins to grow you can remove it off from it’s mother.
Alternately, remove some of the plants and put the plant in pots filled with soil, and fill it with water. Place the pot inside an air-conditioned plastic bag and set it in a sunny spot.
When the spiderette is established, take it out of the bag and let it grow in the same way as normal.
Common Problems With Spider Plant
Spider plants are not known to cause major issues, and the ones that do happen are generally relatively simple to resolve:
Plant Is Too Sparse
An alternative is to remove certain baby “plantlets,” as this redirects the plant’s energy towards producing new shoots. Another option is to divide and repot the plant that is excessively root-bound.
If your plant starts to show signs of struggle following months as healthy, the chances are it requires more space to grow its roots.
Leaf Burn
Spider plants are just one of many varieties of houseplants which are particularly sensitive to salts or chemicals present in tap water treated with a chemical, which can cause the tips of leaves to become brown.
If your plant starts showing these tips that have been burned you should switch to watering using rainwater that has been collected or bottled water untreated.
The possibility of burning leaves can occur in the case of a spider plant receiving too much direct sunlight. Keep in mind that spider plants like shade or indirect light.
Browning Leaves
There are many reasons the leaves of your spider plant could become brown. A high concentration of fertilizer, as well as excessive chlorine and fluoride, could be the cause of discoloration. The overwatering of spider plants can cause root rot that causes leaf browning. Additionally, the tips of the leaves become brown when the humidity is not enough.
FAQ
Where is the most suitable spot to put the spider plant?
The spider plant is planted outdoors in warmer climates (zones 9-11) It can also be sometimes used as an annual for outdoor use in warmer climates. In the outdoors, it is often employed as an edging plant for garden beds, or planted in raised or window box beds.
Do spider plants purify the air in your home?
Yes, Spider plants are proven to eliminate indoor pollution
Spider Plants and Clean Air. National Wildlife Federation.
For example, formaldehyde is eliminated in such as formaldehyde out of the like formaldehyde from the air. It is necessary to have a large indoor space to clean the air of the entire home (by various estimates, up to 700 plants will be required). However, a house with several houseplants is an overall healthier environment. The effect of five or four plant species in a small office space will be evident.
How long can the spider plant live?
Perennial plants with a strong history as houseplants typically get that name because they last for a long time and spider plants are not an exception. The spider plants properly maintained and are regularly divided and repotted tend to be passed on from generation to the next generation.
What are the difficulties with spider plants?
The spider plant is among the most simple plant species to grow indoors, but it is prone to the browning of leaf tips. Browning leaves tips generally due to excessive salts in the soil or the sun’s rays too frequently. To stop this from happening, you must move the plant away from light sources and drink water that is filtered or bottled water.
What are the meanings of spider plants?
In Asian traditions the spider plant is believed to bring luck and good health. The sturdy and long vines symbolize their stability.
Are spider plants able to purify air?
Spider plants possess the ability to purify air. In large quantities spider plants are able to clean the air within a house or office. However, it will require dozens of plants in a typical size home to see any major improvements.
Why does my plant look so unhealthy?
A few reasons why that a spider plant isn’t flourishing are the low level of humidity the accumulation of salt or soil-based chemicals (especially fluoride and chlorine) or an the soil is too dry.
