Spider Plants

Despite being reminiscent of the 80s, it appears that spider plants have made a comeback and are rising in popularity.

Spider plants have earned their common name for obvious reasons.

They are also known as St.Bernard’s lily, spider ivy, ribbon plants or airplane plants.

Their latin name Chlorophytum simply means ‘green plant’, and the original species is in fact all green and not variegated. A member of the lily family, there are approx 40 species of spider plant. The majority are grown outdoors, the one we know typically as an indoor plant is Chlorophytum comosum ‘Vettatum’. The elongated leaves are green with a white stripe down the middle, but the colours are the other way round on ‘Variegatum’.

With the current decor trend veering towards earthy tones, neutral colours and boho chic, indoor plants are the perfect accessories.

Spider plants are known for being tolerant, and easy for beginners to maintain and reproduce.

They’re a great ‘on a budget’ option as they’re relatively cheap, and propagation of the young plantlets is simple. A rooted plantlet can become a fully grown plant in less than 12 months. Plantlets appear after the small white flowers finish, usually in the summer but can be any time of the year

Did you know that having numerous spider plants in your home can also help to keep the air clean?

Care:

These plants will survive quite happily in reasonably dim light but the variegated leaves will be more pronounced in a brighter space. They will also tolerate various temperatures, except extreme cold.

Water once a fortnight in the winter, and twice a week in the summer. Bear in mind that spider plants are more tolerant to drought than they are to being waterlogged. It’s beneficial to add 2-3 drops of liquid feed (like ‘Baby Bio’) to the water once a fortnight in summer.

To avoid scorching don’t place in direct sunlight.

To clean just give a light spray of tepid water and carefully wipe the leaves if necessary. Never use a leaf shine.

You can snip the ends off leaves if they go brown. Don’t cut the green tissue of the leaf though, always cut just on the edge of the brown.

Repotting:

Your plant will need repotting at least once a year. Telltale signs to look out for are roots coming through the bottom of the pot, and crowded stems and leaves. Spider plants, however, do not like to be in too large a container. Only repot into 2-3 cm larger in diameter and height. Make sure the pot has good drainage, adding some small stones in the bottom if necessary. Use a loam-based compost, John Innes no.2 is perfect for most indoor plants.

Carefully remove as much old soil from the roots as possible before replanting. Make sure the roots are covered by the compost, filling the pot to the top and pressing down firmly. Place in a dimly lit area for a couple of days to encourage root rather than leaf growth.

You can divide plants before repotting by carefully removing soil from around the roots, and gently pulling them apart with your hands.

Propagation:

Chlorophytums are probably one of the easiest indoor plants to propagate. The babies grow on long stems protruding from the centre of the main plant.

These can be left hanging for quite a while until they become too heavy for the stems, but it’s best to remove some when they are small to start off your new crop.

Plantlets will usually start to produce roots while still on the stems, but not always. It’s best to wait until the leaves are at least 4-5cm long.

You can start off your new plants by cutting them off on a small piece of stem and placing them in a glass of water. It’s much easier, and possibly more likely that they will survive, to plant them in soil whilst still attached to the stem. To do this simply place a small pot next to the main plant. Bend the stem until the baby rests on the compost and gently press the compost around the roots. If the plantlet won’t stay in the compost, or doesn’t have roots, use plastic wire or similar to hold it in place. You may find it easier to raise the small pot if the stem is too stiff.

Once the plantlet starts to produce new leaves, and appears to be set in the soil, you can cut the stem.

Troubleshooting:

Brown leaves or tips – a) Check the soil. If it is too dry or hard you may need to water more often or b) It’s in direct sun or bright light, move to a slightly darker area
The leaves are losing their variegation – It’s too dark, move to a windowsill or brightly lit area
The leaves are transparent and mushy – It’s too cold, if the plant has frostbite it probably won’t survive
Lanky growth and shrivelled dry leaves – Too warm, move somewhere cooler
The plant looks tired and dull – Needs feeding, especially older plants or ones that need repotting
Plant rotting in the centre – Too much water. Leave to dry out completely. If it recovers, water less often and never leave to sit in water
Dull greyish leaves – Red spider mite. Spray with an appropriate insecticide and place somewhere more humid like next to a kettle or shower