The Best Guide To Grow And Care For The Spider Plant

The common name of Chlorophytum comosum is spider plant. Chlorophytum comosum species were first discovered in tropical Africa. But now, there are many spider plant varieties spread worldwide. Despite the plant’s scientific name, people know the plant as a spider plant because of the long stems and the plant’s spiderettes that made them look spidery.

In addition, an ornamental plant that has another term, Paris lily, grows with a sharp tip and varies in length from 20 to 40 centimeters. This plant has long, flat green leaves, with a white hint on the edges. Spider plants produce flowers minimally because they are a type of flower with long branches about 75 cm long.

With its leaves shape, the spider plant attracts pets or children’s attention. But don’t worry because this plant is non-toxic and not poisonous. Let’s get to know spider plants further! Make sure you grown the plant in a healthy way.

Is the spider plant indoor or outdoor?

Spider plants are suitable to be planted indoor because direct sunlight burns the plant leaves, and a low-light environment is ideal. However, the plant can grow outdoor if the soil has moist retaining quality. This plant does not require daily watering like a cactus. It is sufficient to water every 2-3 days.

What are the benefits of a spider plant?

Spider plant’s indoor benefits are to filter and improve the air quality. This plant can filter out odors in the room and absorb chemicals. Given that fact, this plant is better placed in the kitchen or places where carbon monoxide accumulates. Besides, spider plant has medicinal uses in Chinese tradition where they use leaves and roots of this plant to treat bronchitis, burn, and bone fracture.

How much sun does a spider plant need?

Spider plants cannot be exposed to direct sunlight because they tend to burn under direct sunlight. This plant is sensitive to sunlight and hot temperatures because they prefer humidity. The temperature for the spider plant is between 13–27°C. You should water them occasionally during the summer and moist them periodically.  And cut the watering down throughout the winter season.

How to take care of a spider plant?

Spider plant care is easy and does not require special treatment. All you have to do is:

1. Make sure the plant receive lots of sunlight first thing in the morning at sunrise or an hour or two before sunset. This will ensure it doesn’t burn, get too cold, or get damp and rot.
2. This plant only requires sunlight with temperatures around 18-23°C and while during the day, this plant requires temperatures around 10-12°C.
3. Pay attention to spider plants’ condition by looking at the leaves’ state, if the leaves have black spots and yellowish, it means the plant has too much air, and if the spider plant lacks water, the leaves will bend.
4. Fertilize the plants within six months.
5. Watch out for the soil. If it is too dry and the air is too hot or is fertilized incorrectly, spider plant leaves can dry out. Pick and throw the dry leaves so that they do not spread to other leaves.
6. Let the water drain out and repeat from the pot as they need. Instead of using water from an outdoor spigot or bathroom, it may help using rainwater or distilled water.

Should I cut the spider plant babies?

Pruning of your spider plant is recommended to keep the size manageable and make the plants healthy. As the plants have more spiderettes, it will need more watering and fertilizing because it requires more energy. Thus, the spiderettes need to be removed, but it is best to wait until they grow roots of their own and can do spider plant propagation.

There are easy ways to make spider plants babies into new full-grown plants. Here they are:

1. Put your spider plant in water

By putting them in the water, you will let the roots grow. Make sure to change the water regularly to keep them clean, and after that, you can transfer them into a small pot.

2. Place them directly in the soil

Planting the babies directly into the small pot is the most straightforward way to propagate your spider plant. However, it would take a little longer for them to grow. The important thing is to make the soil moist.

3. Let them grow in the same pot

If you prefer a bushy plant, you can plant the babies alongside the adult plant. Water the babies differently from the others by making the soil slightly moist. Once the plant has grown its roots, you can water them as usual.

Where should you place your spider plant?

Spider plants grow well with indirect sunlight. They like even moisture, not too dry or too wet. It is better to place your spider plants indoors, considering the plants’ benefits and the humidity they need. You can put or hang them in small pots that have been perforated to grow correctly and place them near the window, so they receive indirect light. Even though it doesn’t need a lot of sunlight, make sure you have sufficient water in this plant.

Lourdes plant vs Spider plant

There are no differences between these plants because the spider plant is also known as the Lourdes plant since some people call it that way. Other names for the spider plant are the airplane plant, St. Bernard’s lily, spider ivy, ribbon plant, and hen and chicken.

Do spider plants attract spiders?

Spider plants are not called ‘spiders’ because they attract or repel spiders. It is called a spider plant because of its spider-like plantlets, which the plants throw out that produce new plants at the end of the long stem that looks like the spider that hangs down like spiders on the web. It also made them called ‘airplane plants.’