SPIDER PLANT

Spider plants rose to popularity in the houseplant boom of the 1970s, and still remain one of the most iconic houseplants in current day. Many folks may remember macrame hangers in their parent or grandparent’s home, full of lush, airy foliage, with dozens of offsets tumbling out of the pot. Spider plants were often used to break up the strong lines and open floor plans of mid-century modern homes, as well as softening more formal, traditional interiors with a pop of green. For many, spider plants are the first houseplant they ever care for, and remains a staple in many houseplant collections today. Spider plants are resilient, and can handle long periods of neglect or suboptimal care, bouncing back easily when provided good conditions. 
Chlorophytum, the genus spider plants belong to, contains close to 200 species. They are members of the Asparagaceae family, although they used to be included in the same family as lilies. Chlorophytum comosum, the spider plant, is the most prevalent Chlorophytum on the market, and is available in quite a few variations. It is endemic to the tropical regions of South Africa, though it has become widely dispersed throughout many of the African continent’s tropical and subtropical regions. In some areas, it is even considered invasive. This is a positive sign for a houseplant, indicating it is a vigorous grower and able to handle less than ideal.

WATERING 

Spider plants prefer their substrate to be at least 50% dry before being watered, and can easily tolerate drying out completely. If there is any moisture remaining in the top layer of soil, the plant is not ready to be watered yet. They have thick, tuberous root systems which store excess water, so spider plants are much better equipped to handle underwatering than overwatering. In the event that a spider plant gets a little too dry, it can be helpful to soak the plant for 20-30 minutes to allow the soil to rehydrate. 

A great indicator of a thirsty spider plant is the foliage; they are excellent communicators via their leaves. The foliage will start to look dull, thin, and almost blue in tone when the plant is in need of water. They then follow this visual cue up with slight drooping of the leaves (though the plants usually want to be watered before this point). If you notice the plant is looking dull, it is time to check the soil and see if the plant needs a drink. 

SOIL & REPOTTING

Spider plants are not too fussy about the type of soil they are potted in, and are happy in regular indoor potting soil. They don’t mind cactus mixes either, though they may need to be watered more frequently in cactus mixes than in regular soil. If you tend to over water, using a quick draining soil like cactus mix is an excellent choice. 

While they tend to become snug quickly, spider plants can tolerate being root bound for years at a time, and are not a plant that will like or need frequent repotting. When it is time to repot a spider plant, it is best to use a pot that is one to two sizes up from its current pot, with a drainage hole to allow excess water to drain through. If the plant’s soil is compacted, water the plant the night before you want to repot it in order to soften the soil and loosen the roots. This helps to mitigate transplant shock by preventing excessive root breakage, making the repotting process much easier. 

LIGHT

As with water, spider plants are not too demanding when it comes to light. Spider plants can live in low light, medium light, all the way up to a few hours of direct light a day. They grow best in bright light, and tend to prefer East or West facing windows, or being pulled back a few feet from an unobstructed South facing window. However, as mentioned, they are excellent plants for dim corners and Northern exposures, and will still grow beautifully in lower light. They may, however, slow or stop their production of spiderettes/offsets when in low light. 

PROPAGATION 

By far, the easiest way to propagate a spider plant is to remove an offset from a parent plant and root it in either water or potting medium. Spider plants were actually given their common name due to these “spiderettes” (offsets), that cascade in clusters from long flowering stalks, like little green spiders on a silk thread. These plants are also commonly referred to as airplane plants or even hens and chicks due to this interesting growth habit. The offsets root quickly and may have roots after only a week. Ease of propagation is one of the qualities that makes spider plants popular and easy to share.

Spider plants can also be propagated by seed, although this is a little harder to do. Spider plant seeds are only viable for a small amount of time, and are slow to germinate. Most people find that spider plants are so easy to propagate via the spiderettes, they do not have any need to attempt it from seed. 

FERTILIZATION

Spider plants are not heavy feeders, and will actually prefer to be fed infrequently or at a very low dilution. If spider plants are heavily fed they may stop producing offsets and the foliage may eventually start to burn. Only fertilize when the plant is actively growing and make sure to dilute liquid fertilizer to half or quarter strength. 

COMMON ISSUES 

Spider plants are extremely prone to browning tips. While these brown tips cannot be repaired, new, healthy leaves can sprout when care is corrected. There are many different reasons spider plants may be browning their tips, and we will cover a few below. 

The first and most common culprit is overwatering (aka watering too frequently). Spider plants do not like their roots to stay wet at all times, and will start browning and yellowing the tips of their leaves if they are. Luckily, this problem is easy to fix! If your plant’s soil is not dry when you go to water it, it likely does not need more water. Allow it to dry fully before watering again. If you notice that your spider plant is overwatered, it may be a good idea to use a hydrogen peroxide solution the next time you water. Hydrogen peroxide diluted in water (1:10) applied to the soil can help repair damaged root systems. See our fungus gnat treatment for instructions on mixing the solution.

Next would be the opposite, underwatering. If spider plants are left too dry for too long, with limp leaves and crunchy soil, the plant may respond by browning their tips. While spider plant foliage is a great visual cue for watering, make sure that you do not allow the plant to fully wilt every time you water or it will likely result in brown and crunchy leaf tips.    

Brown tips can also be the result of fertilizer or mineral burn. If you have been using fertilizer, and the plant has not been over or underwatered, it may be that there are too many minerals built up in the soil. If brown tips are continuing to plague new leaves after assessing watering habits, try easing off fertilizer and see if that helps. You can also give the soil a good flush with distilled water to help leech out excess minerals.