Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum · also called airplane plant, ribbon plant, spider ivy
The spider plant is a tough, pet-safe classic with arching striped leaves and baby plantlets on long stems. Easy to grow and quick to propagate.
Chlorophytum comosum is a beloved, beginner-friendly houseplant with grassy, arching leaves, often striped cream and green, that spill gracefully from hanging baskets. Its signature feature is the long stems it sends out bearing tiny plantlets, or spiderettes, that dangle like spiders on a web and root readily into new plants.
Adaptable and forgiving, the spider plant tolerates a wide range of light, irregular watering, and average humidity, and it stores water in fleshy roots that buffer it against neglect. It is also one of the most popular pet-safe houseplants, posing no toxicity risk to cats and dogs. Vigorous and quick to multiply, a single plant can fill a home with offspring in a season.
How to care for Spider Plant
Light
Spider plants prefer bright, indirect light, which keeps their variegation crisp and encourages plantlets. They tolerate medium and even low light but grow more slowly and produce fewer babies. Avoid direct sun, which bleaches and scorches the leaves.
Watering
Water when the top inch of soil dries, about every 7 to 10 days, then water thoroughly. The fleshy roots store water, so the plant tolerates occasional dryness well. Spider plants are sensitive to chemicals in tap water, so filtered or distilled water reduces brown tips.
Humidity
Average household humidity is fine, though higher humidity reduces brown leaf tips. The plant adapts to dry indoor air without complaint. A pebble tray or occasional misting helps in very dry homes.
Temperature
Keep it between 60 and 80F. It tolerates a range of normal indoor temperatures but dislikes cold below 50F and chilly drafts. Avoid placing it near heating or cooling vents.
Soil & potting mix
Use a well-draining, general-purpose potting mix. Spider plants are not fussy about soil but need good drainage to prevent root rot. A pot with drainage holes is important given how vigorously they grow.
Feeding
Feed every 2 to 4 weeks during spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. Over-fertilizing contributes to brown leaf tips, so go light. Stop feeding in fall and winter.
Pruning & grooming
Trim brown leaf tips with clean scissors, following the natural leaf shape, and remove any fully yellowed leaves at the base. You can cut off plantlet stems to tidy the plant or to harvest babies. Spider plants rebound quickly from trimming.
Repotting
Repot every 1 to 2 years, or when the thick roots push the plant up out of the pot or crack the container. Move up one pot size in spring. The crowded roots are a sign it is time.
Propagation
Propagation could not be easier: snip a plantlet that has begun forming roots and set it in water or moist soil, where it roots within a week or two. You can also leave a plantlet attached and pin it onto a nearby pot until it roots, then sever it.
Common Spider Plant problems
- Brown leaf tips. Brown tips are the spider plant's most common complaint, usually caused by chemicals like fluoride and chlorine in tap water, dry air, or over-fertilizing. Switch to filtered or distilled water, ease up on fertilizer, and raise humidity slightly.
- Pale or faded variegation. Washed-out, less striped leaves often mean too much direct sun or, conversely, too little light. Move the plant to bright but indirect light to keep the cream and green stripes vivid.
- No baby plantlets. A spider plant that won't produce babies usually needs more light and maturity. Give it bright indirect light, let it become slightly pot-bound, and the plantlet stems should follow.
Spider Plant FAQ
Why does my spider plant have brown tips?
Brown tips are most often caused by minerals and chemicals like fluoride and chlorine in tap water, along with dry air and over-fertilizing. Watering with filtered, distilled, or rainwater usually solves it over time. You can trim the brown tips to neaten the plant without harming it.
Are spider plants safe for cats and dogs?
Yes, spider plants are non-toxic and considered safe for both cats and dogs. Cats are often drawn to the dangling leaves and may chew them, which can occasionally cause mild stomach upset from eating fiber but no poisoning. To protect the plant and your pet, hang it out of reach.
How do I propagate spider plant babies?
Wait until a plantlet has small nubby roots, then snip it from the runner and place it in water or directly into moist potting soil. Roots in water establish within a week or two, after which you can pot it up. You can also pin an attached plantlet onto soil until it roots, then cut it free.