Spider Plant Care Guide

Spider Plant — Noun
These plants are native to tropical and subtropical regions around Asia, Australia, and Africa. They are classic British houseplants that you may remember from your childhood or from the school library. It was impossible to grow up after 1990 without seeing at least one of these around.

Pronounced: Spi — der — plant

Genus: Chlorophytum is a genus of about 200–220 species (not 150) of flowering plants in the asparagus family, Asparagaceae.

First Use: The earliest known use of the word “spider plant” was in 1852, found within the writing of P. C. Sutherland.

Otherwise known as:

Spider Plant
Spider Ivy (because they trail pups down shelves when mature)
Airplane Plant
Ribbon Plant (a name it shares with Dracaena sanderiana)
Hen and Chickens

Overview: Spider Plants are incredibly easy houseplants to care for and can be very rewarding. They easily recover from stress and can grow to an impressive 30-inch (76 cm) diameter. These plants thrive in bright, indirect light but can also tolerate lower light conditions. They are known for their long, arching leaves that are often variegated with white stripes.

Figures

Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres

Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height
5–10 years

Spider Plant lifespan
10–20 years

Spider Plant Facts & Figures

In The Pot

Soil
Sand
Loam

Moisture
Moist but well–draining soil

pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Out Of The Pot

Windows
Any window is suitable, but lower light will cause them to get leggy and growth will slow down and potentially cause health issues in smaller plants. We have every type of commercially available Spider Plant in stock at our nursery, and we grow them in medium to bright areas or in full south-east sun.

Exposure
Sheltered

Hardiness
Tolerant of lower temperatures, but Spider Plants cannot survive frosts.

Temperature Tolerance: 10 °C (50 °F) – 30 °C (86 °F)

Facts

Family
Asparagaceae — the asparagus family

Native to GB / Ireland
No — Native in Asia, Australia & Africa

Foliage & Habit
Evergreen / Clump Forming

Safety
Non-toxic to humans or pets unless lots is ingested.

Spider Plants Lighting

Spider plants are quite adaptable and can thrive in a variety of lighting conditions, making them a great choice for unusual indoor environments. Spider plants thrive best in bright, indirect light, but some can also handle full sun if given time to adapt — particularly the all green varieties, as there's no white to burn on their leaves.

We grow a few of our Spider Plants in full sun here at The Houseplant Shop, but they were given lots of time to get used to it from a young age. Always watch your plant for signs of scorching or bleaching. If you experience issues, place them a few feet away from a south- or west-facing window to give them the light they need without the risk of sunburn.

One of the great qualities of spider plants is their ability to tolerate lower light conditions. While they won't grow as vigorously as they would in brighter light, they can still survive and maintain their health in less ideal lighting. This makes them perfect for offices, bedrooms, or other areas with limited natural light. You may experience leggy growth and health issues if the lighting is too low, however, remember — low lighting doesn't mean no lighting!

Direct sunlight can cause the leaves to scorch and turn brown, especially on the varieties with white variegation. If you notice this happening, try moving your spider plant to a location with filtered light or further away from the window.

Spider plants can also do well under artificial lighting, making them ideal for offices and other indoor spaces where natural light is minimal. Use fluorescent lights or LED grow lights to provide sufficient illumination if natural light is lacking.

To ensure even growth, rotate your spider plant occasionally so that all sides receive an equal amount of light. This will prevent the plant from becoming lopsided and encourage symmetrical growth. Sometimes Spider Plants can end up tipping over with uneven weight, so we definitely recommend rotating it a couple of times per year minimum! We've had a Chlorophytum Bonnie (curly spider plant) completely list over out of her pot before!

By providing the right amount of light, your spider plant will flourish, producing lush, green foliage and plenty of baby Spider Plants for you to pamper.

How Often To Water Spider Plants

Spider plants are relatively low-maintenance when it comes to watering. They prefer evenly moist soil, but are quite forgiving if you occasionally forget to water them. The key is to avoid over-watering, as this can lead to root rot.

Spider Plant Watering Guidelines:

Consistent Moisture: Water your spider plant when the top inch of the soil feels dry to the touch. This typically means watering every 1–2 weeks, depending on the indoor climate and the time of year. Never e afraid to stick your finger into the soil to test it — if it feels wet, don't water yet!
Proper Drainage: Ensure the pot has adequate drainage holes to allow excess water to escape. Empty the saucer under the pot to prevent the plant from sitting in water and getting wet feet. Never be afraid to drill more holes into the bottom of pots — or even the sides — to allow for more air flow. A size 4-6 wood drill bit is perfect for this as you can use the long pointed end of the bit to start your hole and to keep the bit in place as you power up the drill.
Water Quality: Spider plants can be sensitive to chemicals in tap water. If possible, use distilled water, rainwater, or buy a plant dechlorinator. Some people would tell you to leave the water out overnight to let the chlorine evaporate, but unfortunately, water companies don't always use chlorine. Nowadays, tap water commonly contains both chlorine and chloramine, both used to kill bacteria and harmful to organics, but Chloramine will not evaporate and can only be neutralized by using a dechlorinating product. For this reason, unless you've checked with your water supplier, we wouldn't recommend using the evaporation method.
Seasonal Adjustments: During the growing season (spring and summer), you may need to water more frequently. In the dormant season (autumn and winter), reduce watering as the plant’s growth slows down.

Humidity For Spider Plants

Spider plants thrive in environments with humidity levels between 40% and 60%. While they can tolerate lower humidity, especially during the winter months when indoor air tends to be drier, providing adequate humidity helps them grow more vigorously and maintain vibrant foliage.

Maintaining Spider Plant Humidity

Misting: Regularly misting the leaves with water can help increase humidity around the plant. Use a fine spray to avoid water droplets sitting on the leaves for too long. Only every spray them after the sun has gone down to prevent fungal issues with water sitting on the leaves when the sun hits them. This way they have all night to dry before the sun comes back out.
Humidity Tray: Place a humidity bowl or tray filled with water and pebbles under the plant’s pot or near the plant. As the water evaporates, it increases the humidity around the plant.
Grouping Plants: Grouping your spider plants with other houseplants can create a microenvironment with higher humidity, benefiting all the plants involved. This is a real trade secret here at The Houseplant Shop.
Humidifier: Using a humidifier in the room where your spider plants are located can help maintain consistent humidity levels, especially during dry winter months.

Providing a Stable Environment

Like most houseplants, consistency is key for Spider Plants. Try to keep the temperatures as stable as possible, avoiding drastic fluctuations. Rapid changes in temperature can cause stress, leading to problems such as leaf drop or yellowing leaves. Monitor temperatures so that you can see what's happening even when you're not there.

The Right Temperature For Spider Plants

Spider plants thrive in warm temperatures during the day and slightly cooler temperatures at night. They are relatively hardy and can tolerate a range of temperatures, but extreme conditions should be avoided.

Spider Plant Temperature Guidelines

Ideal Range: Keep your spider plant in a temperature range of 10 °C (50 °F) – 30 °C (86 °F). These temperatures mimic the plant’s natural environment and encourage healthy growth.

Avoid Extreme Temperatures For Spider Plants

Spider plants are not frost-tolerant. Avoid exposing them to temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F), as this can cause damage to the leaves and stunt growth. Similarly, prolonged exposure to temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) can cause stress and leaf burn.

Spider Plants Need a Consistent Environment

Try to maintain a consistent temperature around your spider plant. Sudden fluctuations, such as drafts from windows, doors, or air conditioning vents, could potentially stress the plant, but don't stress yourself over plant stress! We don't worry too much and keep several near windows! As long as they're not single glazed or open, you should be fine. Just keep an eye on your plant. The beauty of owning a Chlorophytum is that you can almost kill them, to the point where they're a bald stump, however, if you remedy whatever upset them, Spider Plants will grow back within 6 months. They're incredibly adaptable and resilient houseplants.

Seasonal Adjustments For Spider Plants

During winter, ensure that your spider plant is kept away from cold drafts and sources of intense heat, such as radiators or fireplaces, which could scorch the leaves. We accidentally left a Chlorophytum 'Ocean' near a hot water pipe, and it bleached perfect pipe shapes into the leaves where it touched it!

Signs Of Temperature Stress In Spider Plants

Spider Plant Has Yellowing Leaves: This can be a sign of cold stress or exposure to drafts. Ensure your plant is kept in a warm, stable environment.
Spider Plant Is Dropping Leaves: Sudden changes in temperature can cause the plant to shed leaves. Check for any sources of drafts or rapid temperature changes.
Spider Plant Has Brown, Crispy Leaves: This can indicate heat stress. Move the plant to a cooler location and ensure it’s not near a heat source.
Spider Plant Wilting: Aglaonema plants do not like the cold and can die if they're exposed to cold temperatures even for a short time.

Repotting & Substrate — DIY Soil Mix For Spider Plants

The Spider Plant is a popular British houseplant known for its ease of care. To ensure your Spider Plant thrives, it's crucial to provide the right type of soil, as it can make the difference between a plant that merely survives and one that flourishes. We do not use or recommend peat here at The Houseplant Shop due to environmental concerns regarding habitat loss for wildlife.

The Best Soil For Spider Plants

Commercial Soil & Choosing a Well-Draining Mix: When using pre-mixed commercial soil, Spider Plants prefer well-draining soil to prevent root rot. Spider Plants love chunky, airy soil, so the more chunky bits you can add, the better. These plants grow in various environments in the wild and thrive in a bark-filled, chunky mix that mimics their natural habitat. They need a structure to wrap their roots around for support. If you can't find a pre-mixed bag with these properties, try our DIY soil mix recipe below.
Easy DIY Soil Mix Recipe for Spider Plants: For a basic mix, add: 1 litre of coco coir, 1 litre of compost, 1 litre of perlite and 1 litre of orchid bark. Feel free to scale this up until you have enough litres to fill your new pot.
Advanced DIY Soil Mix for Spider Plants: Our go-to recipe at The Houseplant Shop for Spider Plants uses a more complex mix: 4 litres of coco coir, 4 litres of perlite, 4 litres of orchid bark, 2 litres of Lecca balls and 1 litre of worm castings. You can also add 1 litre each of pumice, activated charcoal, and unscented zeolite.
Sourcing Soil Mix Ingredients: If you can't find these ingredients locally or if you are the online shopping type, you can buy the soil mix components online here: Small Coco Coir Pack — Bulk Coco Coir Pack, Orchid Bark, Pumice, Horticultural Sand, Horticultural Grit, Worm Castings, Perlite, Lecca Balls, Activated Charcoal, Zeolite
Soil vs Soilless Mix For Spider Plants: If you've ever had a pest infestation, then you may be tempted to grow plants hydroponically without any soil at all so that pests cannot survive in it. Coco Coir is the bridge between hydro and soil, giving you the best of both worlds. Coir has natural antifungal properties that help prevent root rot, furthermore it's completely inert which means that pests cannot survive in it unless you keep it really wet until it rots. You can even pasteurise the coir before use to ensure no hitch-hikers have jumped in during transport. You can add perlite or vermiculite to make it more chunky, but avoid adding any organic material that could decompose and attract pests. Be sure to stick to a good houseplant fertilizer, as coco coir has no natural nutrients to feed your plant.
Rich in Organic Matter: A soil mix rich in organic matter will provide necessary nutrients for your Spider Plant. Adding a handful of worm castings to your potting mix can help with a rich natural source of organic matter, or alternatively, you can add compost. If you don't add a source of organic matter, use a complete feed like Ionic Formulex once a week to replace the nutrients that would normally come from the soil.
Neutral pH: Aim for a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5 for the best results with Spider Plants. Using the ingredients listed in our soil mix recipes should give you a lovely neutral pH. If you're buying pre-mixed commercial soil, check the bag for the pH reading.

Preparing to Pot Up Your Spider Plant

Inspect The Root Ball: Check your Spider Plant's root ball out of the plastic plant pot. If your plant doesn't have visible roots around the edge that resemble raw ramen noodles, it may not be time to pot it up yet. If your roots look more cooked than raw, you might have root rot issues. Cut off the mushy roots and consider repotting into a smaller pot to prevent further damage.
Choose the Right Size Pot: Select a pot with drainage holes to prevent water from sitting at the bottom and causing root rot. Always select a pot no more than 1 inch (2.54 cm) larger than the current root ball. When we say root ball, we don't mean a bunch of loose soil in an empty pot from a young unestablished plant, we mean visible roots around the outside of the pot. If you can't see roots, it isn't time to pot up yet.
Prepare the Soil Mix: Mix your DIY soil mix together in a large bucket or container. If you have purchased a substrate mix, open your pre-mixed commercial soil bag so you are ready to pot up your Spider Plant.

Spider Plant Potting Process

Prepare the Pot: Place a small handful of soil at the bottom of the pot but leave the rest empty for now.
Prepare the Spider Plant: Gently remove the Spider Plant from its current container, being careful not to damage the roots. Place it in the new pot on top of the small handful of soil.
Fill Around the Roots: Add more soil mix around the edges of the roots, where there should be roughly 1 inch (2.54 cm) of free space in your pot. Press it down gently to eliminate air pockets as you go, but not too hard, as this can be detrimental to the roots' health.
Water: Water the plant thoroughly, allowing excess water to drain out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Let it drain fully for 10 minutes before disposing of any excess water. Once drained, you can place your plant back into a decorative pot cover or onto a plant stand for display.

Spider Plant Fertilizer & Feeding

Even the easiest of plants need a bit of love now and then. For your Spider Plant, that means providing some plant food to keep those leaves vibrant and healthy. Think of fertilizer as a vitamin boost—it’s what takes your Spider Plant from “okay” to “amazing!”.

Spider Plant Feeding Schedule

Spring and Summer: These are the growing seasons. Feed it every 4–6 weeks with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. This encourages a burst of new growth.
Autumn and Winter: During these months, your plant requires less feeding. Cut back to every 8–10 weeks, or even pause completely, to keep everything balanced.

Best Spider Plant Fertilizers

Balanced Liquid Fertilizer:
A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer with an equal ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, such as 20-20-20 or 10-10-10, is ideal. It offers a good mix of nutrients for overall plant health. At The Houseplant Shop, we use Formulex Fertilizer because it delivers excellent results with both our mother plants and our inventory.
Slow-Release Fertilizer:
For a low-maintenance option, consider a slow-release fertilizer. Mix it into the soil, and it will gradually release nutrients over time.
Organic Fertilizer:
Organic choices like worm castings or seaweed extract are also effective. These fertilizers are gentler and provide essential micronutrients that promote healthy growth.
Biofertilizers:
A natural solution for feeding your Spider Plant includes substances containing microorganisms. When added to the soil, they boost its fertility and encourage plant growth. At The Houseplant Shop, we frequently use seaweed, as it reduces stress when repotting, moving, or pruning plants.

How To Prune Spider Plants

Pruning spider plants is a simple process that helps keep them healthy and looking their best. Here’s a step-by-step guide to pruning your spider plant:

Why Would You Prune a Spider Plant?

To Maintain Shape and Size: Pruning helps control the shape and size of your spider plant, preventing it from becoming too leggy or unruly. If your Spider Plant is taking over your shelf or surface, don't be afraid to give it the snip.
To Remove Dead or Damaged Leaves: Pruning away dead, yellow, or damaged leaves promotes healthier growth and prevents the plant from wasting energy on non-viable parts. Spider Plants sometimes suffer with yellowing leaf tips — if your plant gets these, don't be afraid to snip the yellow ends off.
To Encourage New Growth: Regular pruning encourages your Spider Plant to produce new shoots and baby Spider Plant pups, helping to keep your plant in the best shape possible.

How to Prune a Spider Plant, Step By Step

Inspect the Plant: Look over your spider plant from all angles and identify any dead, yellowing, or damaged leaves. Also, note any long stems with Spider Plant pups that may need trimming off.
Cut Away Dead or Damaged Leaves: Using your scissors or pruning shears, cut off any dead, yellow, or damaged leaves at the base of the plant. If you have any yellow tips, feel free to trim those off — this won't hurt your plant. Make clean cuts without 'hacking' at the stems to avoid damaging the healthy parts of the plant — if your tool isn't sharp enough to cut the leaves off without hacking or using force, consider buying some new pruning shears.
Trim Excess Growth: If your spider plant is getting too large or leggy, trim back some longer stems. Cut just above where the leaf meets the stem to encourage new growth.
Remove Spider Plant Pups: If you want to propagate the Spider Plant pups (baby plants), cut them off the main plant's long stem. You can simply place them in water to develop roots. You can also use perlite, sphagnum, or soil for propagation and let mother nature do the rest.
Clean Up: After pruning, as previously mentioned, wipe down your scissors or pruning shears with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove any plant sap and prevent the spread of disease and rust developing on your tools.

Additional Tips For Spider Plant Pruning

Regular Maintenance: Regularly inspect your spider plant for any signs of dead or damaged leaves and trim as needed. This can encourage healthy new growth.
Avoid Over-Pruning: While pruning is beneficial, avoid cutting off too much at once. This can stress the plant and slow its growth. As a good rule of thumb, never take more than 1/3rd off the plant unless you're sure it can handle it — like with Epipremnum or Scindapsus who thrive after a pruning session.
Encourage Fuller Growth: Pruning encourages the plant to grow bushier and produce more Spider Plants, making it even more attractive.

Propagating Spider Plants

Spider Plants are one of the easiest houseplants to propagate, thanks to the small plantlets, or “pups,” that they produce. You can use soil or water to propagate Spider Plants, which we will cover in this plant care guide. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you propagate your Spider Plant successfully:

How To Identify & Cut Spider Plantlets

Look for small baby plants growing on the long stems of the parent plant. These pups will have tiny roots starting to form. Using clean scissors or pruning shears, cut the plantlet from the parent plant. Leave about 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) of stem attached to the pup.

Spider Plant Water Propagation

Place in Water: Fill a small container with water and place the plantlet in it, ensuring the roots are submerged, but keep the leaves are above water. If you have dechlorinator, add a drop.
Change Water Regularly: Once a week, replace the water which has naturally evaporated or been used by the plant. This helps to keep it fresh and prevent stagnation. If you empty all the water and change it out like most places online tell you to do, you're actually hurting your baby plant by throwing away all the natural rooting hormone that it spent all week making. If you change the water, the plant has to make more hormones, taking growth away from the roots and foliage.
Transplant to Soil: Once the roots are about 1–2 inches long, you can transplant the plantlet into a pot with well-draining soil. Water thoroughly and place in a bright, indirect light location.

Spider Plant Soil Propagation

Prepare the Pot: Fill a small pot with a well-draining substrate that's tailored to be the perfect soil for Spider Plants. Make sure the soil is moist but not waterlogged.
Plant the Plantlet: Cut the plantlet from the parent plant, leaving about 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) of stem. Plant it directly into the soil, ensuring the roots are well-covered. Water the plantlet lightly to settle the soil around the roots. Keep the soil consistently moist, but never overly wet or soggy.
Provide Bright, Indirect Light: Place the pot in a location where it will receive bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, which can scorch the young plant. Over the next few weeks, keep an eye on the plantlet’s growth. You should see new leaves and roots developing as it establishes itself.

Tips for Successful Spider Plant Propagation

Healthy Parent Plant: Ensure the parent Spider Plant is healthy and free from pests or diseases before propagating. If the parent plant isn't quite up to standard, don't be afraid to leave the pup on the parent plant for longer. It will continue to grow and mature whilst still attached to the mother plant. Address any issues with the mother plant before cutting off the pups to propagate.
Clean Tools: Always use clean pruning tools to avoid transmitting diseases. Wipe your tools in-between each cut to prevent bacterial and fungal infections. It's best practise to keep a separate pair of pruning shears for houseplants that aren't contaminated in the garden. If you use scissors, don't use your parcel opening ones, keep a separate pair just for plants and make sure they're washed to avoid sap rusting the blades.
Patience: Propagation takes time. Be patient and provide consistent care to help the plantlets thrive. Make sure the new plant gets enough water, but never let it sit in soggy soil with wet feet.

Spider Plants Pests & Problems

Spider mites on a Spider plant?! Eh?! We're afraid so! Even the most carefree of houseplants can run into a few issues, and just because the word spider is in the name, it doesn't mean that they're immune to spider mites. Here's how to tackle common pests, unwanted guests and frequent problems that may affect your Spider Plant:

Common Spider Plant Pest Species

Spider Mites: These tiny pests can spin small, discrete webs towards the base of a plant, and they suck the life out of it until it dies. They have a 2-4 week life cycle, making them one of the shorter living pests that invade our houseplants. Spider mites can often be found by spotting small, discrete webs in the lower parts of your plants. It typically looks like a spider may have moved in — bad news — 9/10 times it's not a spider, but you'll wish it was.
Aphids: Often unwanted guests brought in from our gardens or intruders who fly through our windows, aphids can be tricky to get rid of once established due to the life cycle of an adult aphid. Eggs are typically laid within the plant itself and are impossible to remove. Always be vigilant for eggs hatching after 30 days, and continue treatment for several full adult life cycles. Consider using a systemic pesticide to provide a 4-week window of treatment.
Mealy Bugs: These fluffy white bugs love hiding in leaf joints. They look kind of like large fluffy lice. They have very visible legs and antennae, and are visibly hairy, ranging from the size of a pin head to the size of a small woodlouse. Mealy bugs can be very difficult to get rid of due to laying eggs inside the stems, in the folds of leaves and within the soil where you can't see them. It can be helpful to change your Epipremnum's substrate if you have a bad mealy bug infestation. The life cycle is 4–7 weeks from egg to adult, so you need to be vigilant for eggs hatching out after the first treatment, and you must keep reapplying pesticides. Consider using a systemic treatment to give you a 4-week window of assistance with your pest infestation. If you can't re-apply the systemic, resort to other listed methods until you can re-apply.
Scale Insects: These hard-shelled pests can be tricky. Solution: Scrape them off gently with a soft brush and spray the plant down with our DIY pesticide listed below.

Common Spider Plant Pest Treatments

Natural Leaf Wipe: As a preventative and spot treatment, you can wipe leaves with undiluted pure neem oil to give them a gentle shine whilst deterring any pests.
Instant Death: Dab visible plant pests with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to send them packing. This is a tried and tested classic method. If the pests don't die instantly when they're drenched in the liquid, or they are large like scale insects, pick them off the plant and put them into a glass with enough alcohol to completely cover them. Few creatures can survive being submerged in pure alcohol.
Natural Homemade Pesticide: If you’re having issues, we would always recommend an insecticidal soap based approach as a first line of defence, as it's much more gentle on your plants. To be effective, the pests must come into contact with the liquid. To make a simple DIY neem oil and soap recipe, mix 1 teaspoon of neem oil with 1/2 teaspoon of insecticidal soap and 1 litre of water. Apply with a spray bottle, ensuring all parts of the plant are covered in the pest spray. You can re-apply this solution every few days without upsetting your plants until there's no more signs of pests.
Natural Pesticide: If you prefer a premixed solution, you can purchase concentrated neem and soap solutions like SB Plant Invigorator that you dilute and apply with a spray bottle. Make sure you follow the directions on the back of the bottle. This premixed natural pesticide is a concentrated formula of horticultural soap and neem oil to help remove pests from your plants naturally and without the use of harsh chemicals. Sprays like this often have added nutrients, so you cannot reapply it every few days as it could burn the plant leaves.
Chemical Pesticide: For a tougher approach, we recommend a systemic pesticide to give the plants a 4-week window of protection to kill all stages of the pest's life cycle without repeated treatments. The only systemic pesticide available in the UK currently is Acetamiprid concentrate. This is known to cause some distortion in new growth immediately after application. To fix Acetamiprid distorted leaves, simply cut the new growth off back to the last healthy point, and your plant should grow back with normal leaves.

Common Problems: Diagnosing and Fixing Spider Plant Woes

Yellow Leaves: If your plant has yellowing leaves, it might be overwatered. Solution: Check the soil—if it's soggy, let it dry out and reduce watering. Consider purchasing a digital water meter to take the guesswork out of watering. Also, make sure your pot has good drainage and that your soil recipe is chunky and airy.
Brown Leaf Tips: This could be a sign of low humidity or under watering. Monitor your humidity, and if needed, increase your humidity by using a humidity tray to increase localised humidity. We don't recommend regularly misting your plant as this can lead to fungal issues. If you proceed, do so with caution and only spray the leaves at night to allow them time to dry before light hits them in the morning.
Leggy Growth: If your plant looks more vine than leaves, it might need more light. Most plant species start to look bad when they're not getting their needs met — it's one of the first signs of lighting issues. Try moving your plant to a brighter spot or add supplemental LED lighting. Check our houseplant grow light guide for more information.
Root Rot: If the roots are black and mushy, your plant might be suffering from root rot due to overwatering. Cut off the affected roots and repot the plant in fresh soil.
Loosing Leaves: If your houseplant is loosing leaves, it could be nothing to worry about and simply a part of the ageing process. As plants make new leaves, they naturally shed the lower leaves that don't get as much light. It doesn't make sense economically for the plant to put all of that energy into a leaf that can't photosynthesise as well as newer ones. Plants love efficiency. The dead leaves go yellow as the plant pulls all the nutrients out of it to recycle for newer leaves. It can be beneficial to leave the dying leaves on the plant until they have gone fully yellow to allow maximum nutrient recycling. If your plant is throwing off more than one or two leaves at a time, then you may need to have a look at your plant care or your plant's environment. One of the biggest causes of premature yellowing of leaves is overwatering or soil that's too dense and stays too wet. It could also be a nutrient deficiency causing the plant to pull the nutrients that it needs from older leaves, causing them to die off. If you don't have a feeding schedule for your plants, it may be worth adding a good quality fertilizer to your plant care routine.

8 Easy Care Spider Plant Varieties

Spider Plant Ocean
Chlorophytum comosum 'Ocean'
Colour: Silvery-white stripes with green centre
Lighting Requirements: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 15-24 °C (60-75 °F)
Humidity: 50-60%
Feeding Requirements: Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 1–2 weeks, depending on each manufacturer's instructions
Watering Requirements: Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged
Unique Features: The compact growth with broad leaves gives this variety a robust and lush appearance. Its striking variegation makes it a favourite for adding visual interest to indoor spaces.
Origin: South Africa
Green Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum 'Green'
Colour: Solid green
Lighting Requirements: Low to bright, indirect light
Temperature: 15-24 °C (60-75 °F)
Humidity: 50-60%
Feeding Requirements: Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 1–2 weeks, depending on each manufacturer's instructions
Watering Requirements: Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged
Unique Features: Its solid green leaves with an upright habit make it a versatile and resilient choice for various lighting conditions. The yellowish tips add a touch of brightness to its overall appearance.
Origin: South Africa
Variegated Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum 'Variegatum'
Colour: Creamy-white centre with green edges
Lighting Requirements: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 15-24 °C (60-75 °F)
Humidity: 50-60%
Feeding Requirements: Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 1–2 weeks, depending on each manufacturer's instructions
Watering Requirements: Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged
Unique Features: The graceful appearance with long, drooping leaves makes it a classic choice for hanging baskets and planters. Its variegation adds a touch of elegance to any space.
Origin: South Africa
Curly Spider Plant — Bonnie
Chlorophytum comosum 'Bonnie'
Colour: Curly leaves with white stripes
Lighting Requirements: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 15-24 °C (60-75 °F)
Humidity: 50-60%
Feeding Requirements: Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 1–2 weeks, depending on each manufacturer's instructions
Watering Requirements: Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged
Unique Features: The compact size with curly leaves makes it a charming and unique variety. It's perfect for small spaces and adds a whimsical touch to your indoor garden. Not to be confused with the all green Bonnie — see number 5 below.
Origin: South Africa
All Green Curly Spider Plant — Green Bonnie
Chlorophytum comosum 'Green Bonnie'
Colour: Curly green leaves with paler green stripes
Lighting Requirements: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 60-75 °F, 15-24 °C
Humidity: 50-60%
Feeding Requirements: Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 1–2 weeks, depending on each manufacturer's instructions
Watering Requirements: Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged
Unique Features: The compact size with unusual curly leaves makes it a collector's variety. It's perfect for small spaces and adds a whimsical touch to your indoor garden.
Origin: South Africa
Hawaiian Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum 'Hawaiian'
Colour: Dark green with yellow variegation. Vivid bright yellow plant. Leaves are shorter.
Lighting Requirements: Low to medium light
Temperature: 15-24 °C (60-75 °F)
Humidity: 50-60%
Feeding Requirements: Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 1–2 weeks, depending on each manufacturer's instructions
Watering Requirements: Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged
Unique Features: The compact size with lush foliage makes it ideal for creating a dense, verdant look. Its variegation provides a striking contrast, adding visual interest to any room.
Origin: South Africa
Reverse Variegated Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum 'Reverse Variegatum'
Colour: Green edges with white centre — opposite of standard plants
Lighting Requirements: Bright, indirect light
Temperature: 15-24 °C (60-75 °F)
Humidity: 50-60%
Feeding Requirements: Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 1–2 weeks, depending on each manufacturer's instructions
Watering Requirements: Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged
Unique Features: The vibrant foliage with reversed variegation makes this variety stand out. Its unique pattern adds a bold statement to any indoor space.
Origin: South Africa
Bichetti Grass
Chlorophytum laxum 'Bichetti Grass'
Colour: Fresh green foliage with a narrow white band down the centre of each pointed leaf
Lighting Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
Temperature: 15-24 °C (60-75 °F)
Humidity: 50-60%
Feeding Requirements: Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 4–6 weeks
Watering Requirements: Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged
Unique Features: This variety is known for its attractive cascading foliage and narrow white banding, making it a visually appealing choice for indoor spaces. It's also easy to grow and low-maintenance, perfect for beginners2.
Origin: Tropical Africa, Asia, and Australia

10 Fun Facts About Spider Plants

Air Purifying: Spider plants are well renowned for their air-purifying abilities. Several studies, including the NASA clean air study, have shown that Chlorophytum Comosum can remove toxins like formaldehyde and xylene from the air, making your home healthier. These plant air quality studies often mention Spider Plants, as they are a common houseplant used to measure noticeable air quality improvements.
Easy Propagation: Spider plants produce “spiderettes” or baby plants that dangle from the mother plant. These can easily be propagated by placing them in water or soil. This is why Spider Plants are sometimes referred to as Spider Ivy, because the pups grow on a long runner which eventually flops over with the weight of the pups and starts hanging — it's very pretty!
Pet-Friendly: Spider plants are non-toxic to cats and dogs, making them a safe choice for households with pets. Chlorophytum Comosum are also non-toxic to humans. They are safe for children and toddlers, even if they taste-test them or give them a little nibble.
Hardy Nature: They are incredibly resilient and can thrive in a variety of conditions, from low light to bright, indirect light. They do get a little leggy in low light, but they are one of the plants that will tolerate a seriously low light spot.
Fast Growers: Spider plants grow quickly, especially when given the right care and lighting. They can fill out a pot or hanging basket in no time. As a fun little experiment we put a spider plant with only 5 leaves in a hanging pot in a shady corner of our office and within 6 months it grew to 30 inches (0.76 m) all around! In our experience, no matter what you throw at them, they're pretty resilient plants. They certainly grow back quickly!
Humidity Lovers: While they can tolerate low humidity, spider plants prefer a little higher moisture in the air and thrive in higher humidity environments, making them great for bathrooms or kitchens.
Stress Relievers: Caring for spider plants and other houseplants has been shown to reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Indoor plants have been found to positively increase our mental health and general wellbeing, which is a great excuse to turn your home into your own personal jungle!
Temperature Tolerant: Chlorophytum plants can handle a range of temperatures, but they prefer to be in environments between 18-24 °C (65-75 °F). Check our detailed Spider Plant temperature guide for more information.
Variegated Leaves: Spider plants often have striking variegated leaves with green and white stripes, adding a decorative touch to any space. You can get reverse variegated versions and all green versions — we love collecting the different types here at The Houseplant Shop!
Low Maintenance: Spider Plants are perfect for beginners because they require minimal care. Just water them when the soil dries out, and they’ll be happy. Don't let them sit with wet feet, and offer your Spider Plant food when they're actively growing.

Overview Of Spider Plants

Spider plants are fantastic additions to any home for several reasons. They're incredibly easy to care for, thriving in bright light and tolerating a wide range of temperatures and humidity levels. They're a firm favourite of ours here at The Houseplant Shop, as we love their size, shape, and patterns. We have at least one of each variety that is commercially available in the UK, they're pretty addictive! In our experience, they're very resilient plants that are capable of bouncing back from severe neglect. We accidentally forgot to water one of ours for so long that it died back to around 5 leaves, but it grew back to 30 inches (0.76 m) all around within 6 months. We think that's pretty impressive! In our experience, that's a really fast rebirth for a houseplant!

Their striking foliage, which often features variegated patterns, adds a touch of elegance and greenery to any space. Spider plants are also known for their air-purifying qualities, helping to improve indoor air quality by removing toxins. These resilient plants are perfect for beginners and busy individuals, as they can withstand a bit of neglect. They produce baby plants, or “pups,” which can easily be propagated to create new plants, making them a great choice for sharing with friends or expanding your own indoor garden.

With their beautiful cascading leaves, wide variety of colours and low maintenance needs, spider plants are not only visually appealing but also functional and rewarding to keep.

Edited & Fact Checked By: The Houseplant Shop

Article Published: 12th November 2024

About The Houseplant Shop:

Independent Houseplant Nursery
Horticultural Specialists
Managing Over 250 Houseplant Species Onsite
Over 15 Years Of Experience With Horticulture

As head of horticulture, Sarah manages the care and propagation of over 250 plant species at a commercial houseplant nursery. With over 15 years of experience in horticulture, specializing in houseplants, Sarah has extensive expertise in plant biology, soil science, and integrated pest management. She continually reviews and integrates the latest research into her plant care guides. Dedicated to educating others, Sarah has spent years diagnosing houseplant care issues and sharing her real-world experience. Her commitment to scientific accuracy and helping people diagnose plant health issues has established her as a trusted authority and expert in the field.

The Houseplant Shop is a dedicated houseplant nursery, growing all of their own stock from their botanical library of over 250 houseplant species. The nursery staff are horticultural experts who have dedicated their lives to cultivating and nurturing over 250 different species of houseplants, focusing on Aroids, tropical plants, and NOID collectables. All their plants are grown in house in Britain to be more environmentally friendly. The nursery is proud to have been featured by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as a 100% peat free nursery.

How We Reviewed This Article:

Our horticultural experts continually monitor the houseplant space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. We are committed to providing current and reliable information. If you have some information that you think would be helpful in this article, we'd love to hear from you. Our team works hard to revise articles for factual accuracy, and we regularly update our pages with new information, techniques, tips, images, trade secrets, and real world experience from the team here at the houseplant nursery. You can find a list of the article updates below.

Written By: Sarah Brooks, Head of Horticulture

Article Received: 8th November 2024

Copyright: The Houseplant Shop (https://thehouseplant.shop)
The use, distribution, or reproduction is permitted, provided the original copyright owner is credited and that the original publication on this website is cited with a direct link to the article, only with these terms. Any other use is not permitted.

List of Article Updates:

20th December 2024: Minor UI updates

Author Bio:

Author: Sarah Brooks,
Head of Horticulture at The Houseplant Shop

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